Is it Anxiety or Undiagnosed ADHD?

Written by: DeAnn Winn

July 28, 2023

Have you done extensive research about ADHD and wondered if you were missed as a child?

Have you ever experienced this conversation?

Client – “I’ve been reading a lot about ADHD, and I have been wondering if I have ADHD.”

Therapist – “You don’t have ADHD. You’re not impulsive. You just have anxiety. You should consider not Googling all your symptoms.”

Did they assess you for ADHD symptoms anyway despite not believing you? That is the only way to determine or rule out any diagnosis. I have worked with clients who share similar interactions with their previous therapist.

What is ADHD?

There are three types of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), inattentive (formerly ADD), hyperactivity/impulsivity and combined presentation. Combined presentation is meeting the diagnostic criteria for the first two. Symptoms must be present before the age of 12.

Some examples of ADHD – Inattentive are:

• Trouble paying attention to details.

• Easily distracted.

• Trouble with organization.

• Trouble completing tasks.

• Forgetfulness

Some examples of ADHD Hyperactivity/Impulsivity         

• Trouble sitting still/fidgety.

•  Excessive talking

• Finishing others sentences

• Waiting in lines is challenging/frustrating.

• Making impulsive decisions and not considering consequences.

Why is your therapist overlooking ADHD? 

You might be asking how a professional might overlook ADHD. Likely they are only focusing on a few details and not seeing the big picture. If a person reaches adulthood and has gone through life without an ADHD diagnosis, untreated symptoms of ADHD will likely lead to the following issues that motivate someone to get into therapy. They are not ADHD symptoms. They are symptoms that develop because ADHD has never been identified and treated. 

• Depression

•  Anxiety

• low self-esteem

• substance use

•  relationship issues

Below are the symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 

•  Excessive worry that is difficult to control (occurring more days than not for at least 6 months).

• Restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge.

•  Being easily fatigued

•  Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank.

•  Irritability

•   Muscle tension

•  Sleep disturbance (difficulty falling and/or staying asleep) 

Your therapist may overlook ADHD if not taken any continuing education classes related to how ADHD presents in adults, which is much different than in children. If this is the case they may only be focusing on symptoms of excessive worry, feeling restless, keyed up or on edge and issues with concentration, which would lead them to believe what you are experiencing is anxiety. 

There may be something else that may cause them not to pick up on ADHD symptoms. Could you be subconsciously masking symptoms? Masking happens when we subconsciously change our behaviors and/or language to appear neurotypical so that we will be accepted by our neurotypical peers. Do your behaviors and/or the language you use change in different situations to match those around you? (My next blog will go into detail about masking.)  If you are masking in therapy sessions, and your therapist is unaware of masking, this could cause them not to recognize ADHD symptoms. This is not your fault!

What can you do if your therapist is disregarding your concerns about ADHD. 

• First, you should consider if this is the right therapist for you. Therapists should not be dismissive of client’s concerns. It is ok to end therapy if you are feeling dismissed/unheard by your therapist.

•   If you want to remain with your therapist, ask them what training they have in assessing for ADHD in adulthood. If they do not have training, ask for a referral to a therapist or psychologist who is trained in doing these assessments. 

You may have noticed I used the word, “we” a lot. That is because I am a neurodivergent therapist. Besides myself, we have other therapists at Champaign Counseling who have a specialty working with clients who meet criteria for ADHD.  If you want to be heard, non-judgmentally, assessed for ADHD and if you meet the criteria for ADHD then work on strategies to address ADHD symptoms, give us a call at 217-203-2008. You deserve to be heard and your experiences validated!

References:

 https://add.org/add-vs-anxiety/

 https://www.verywellmind.com/what-does-undiagnosed-adhd-look-like-in-adults-5235254

 https://neurodivergentinsights.com/misdiagnosis-monday/adhdvsanxiety

 https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-masking-signs-consequences-solutions/