Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Diagnosing ADHD is complicated enough, and deciding how to manage symptoms gets harder when co-existing conditions, also called comorbidities, are in the mix. And they go well beyond anxiety and depression. A comorbidity is a condition existing simultaneously with, and usually independently of, another. This is a look at the common and not-so-common conditions that can travel with ADHD.
Start with the right professionals
Before anything else: partner with trained mental health professionals. An ADHD diagnosis can only be made using the DSM-5 by a qualified clinician, and only medical professionals can prescribe ADHD medication. Occupational therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and ADHD Life Coaching offer additional support. Because ADHD is a brain-based difference, finding professionals who specialize in it is vital.
The chicken or the egg
What came first, the fallout from ADHD symptoms that stirs anxiety, or anxiety that blocks the brain’s access to focus? Often the two feed each other, which is exactly why untangling co-existing conditions takes a trained eye rather than guesswork.
What can tag along
Common companions include mood disorders like anxiety and depression, other neurodevelopmental differences, and a range of other conditions that can overlap with or mimic ADHD. Knowing they exist helps you and your care team look at the whole picture instead of treating one piece in isolation.
You deserve care that sees all of you. There is power in your wiring, and you are worthy of living ADHD uplifted.
View this uPLifted issue in its original magazine-style layout.
