Medications For ADHD and Anxiety
The same drugs that treat ADHD can also be used to treat anxiety. The stimulants methylphenidate, amphetamine boost levels of certain neurotransmitters in your brain. adhd sleep medication and nonstimulants such as atomoxetine could also be helpful.
In some instances, stimulant medications can exacerbate anxiety symptoms. If this is the case, your doctor might prescribe a different medication or switch medications altogether.
Stimulants
People with ADHD and anxiety are typically prescribed stimulants. These drugs are believed to ease the symptoms of both ADHD and anxiety by increasing the brain's natural production of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that helps in concentration, decreases impulsivity and improves motivation and memory.
Stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate or amphetamines are effective in preventing the reuptake process of norepinephrine and dopamine, which keeps them at higher levels in the brain. This improves focus and reduces impulse-driven behavior, making it easier to manage anger and other emotions that can cause anxiety.
The stimulants can also cause an unintended side effect for instance, they can sometimes cause anxiety-related symptoms to increase. They can also cause sleep problems, so you or your child might struggle to get enough restful sleep. They can also cause a decrease in appetite, which could hinder in eating enough to maintain healthy growth. Some people also experience tics which are sudden movements or sound like eye blinking or throat clearing. These side effects, while common, can be reduced or eliminated by certain techniques.
It is important to remember that each person responds differently stimulants or non-stimulant ADHD medication. It could take a bit of trial and error to determine the right combination of medications, dosages, and schedules for your child or yourself.
Your healthcare provider will consider your particular issues and lifestyle when creating the treatment plan. They may suggest a treatment to reduce anxiety and will monitor your reaction to medications to determine the most effective solutions for you.
Certain ADHD medications can interact with medications used to treat anxiety. For instance, Adderall can make anxiety more severe in children with the comorbidity of ADHD and anxiety. Psychostimulants can alter the way that the brain processes information about potential threats from the internal and external environment.
However, this doesn't mean that ADHD and anxiety aren't treated in tandem. It's possible that treating ADHD symptoms can help to reduce anxiety. adhd medication pregnancy is because they may reduce the number and intensity of anxiety-provoking situations that children with ADHD have to deal with.
Psychostimulants have been shown to be effective in improving both ADHD and anxiety in several studies. They tend to be more effective in treating both disorders than traditional antianxiety medications. It's possible that the decrease in anxiety seen with psychostimulants is the direct result of the improvement in ADHD symptoms, not an interaction directly with the drug.