Anxiety and ADHD

Anxiety & ADHD, an add woman

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Anxiety can often be part of the package if you have Attention Deficit Disorder. In fact, studies indicate that 25-40% of people with ADHD also have anxiety, and that includes children.

Anxiety often comes along with, or worsens, depression, which is another co-morbidity associated with ADHD.

Anxiety & ADHD, an add woman

Anxiety can make ADHD symptoms much worse and more difficult to manage. It can disrupt your sleep, which will make ADHD symptoms more prominent. Also, it is difficult to treat both anxiety and Attention Deficit Disorder with medications. Most ADHD medications are stimulants, which makes anxiety more pronounced. Most doctors and their patients choose to use medication for anxiety and learn to manage ADHD symptoms in other ways.

My youngest daughter, who is ADHD, also has anxiety. It can be very difficult for her at times, because the least little thing can trigger an anxiety attack. I think ADHD makes anxiety worse, too, because your mind tends to wander a lot. Anxiety can turn those wandering thoughts into worries in an instant.

Parents often don’t think of anxiety as a childhood condition, and even adults may not realize that they are overly anxious. With our daughter, we noticed early on that she would worry about everything. When she found out that she was supposed to use the lid of the thermos that came with her lunchbox as a cup, she panicked. She had been drinking directly from the thermos and was sure that there would be dire consequences to her health as a result.

I rarely take a stand one way or another when it comes to medication. It’s a personal choice, and everybody has their own reasons to medicate or not. However, when it comes to anxiety, I firmly believe that medication is often the wisest choice. There are herbal solutions that can be used, but I believe they are best used as supplemental aids, and only with a doctor’s approval. And of course, there are natural ways to treat ADHD.

If you think that you might have anxiety, please get it checked by your doctor. I have witnessed the pain that my daughter goes through and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

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Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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45 Responses

  1. Anxiety can truly be debilitating, I know first hand since I have suffered with it for 20 years. I have taken anti-anxiety medicines but they didn’t work as well as when I took a stimulant with it. There are days where my anxiety is high and I know it’s because I feel overwhelmed. It’s not easy to get out of your head when you have anxiety and ADHD, especially when you have insomnia from both. I have learned to meditate and breathe deeply when I feel overly anxious. I have also found that writing in my journal and running or doing high intensity exercise helps when my anxiety is extremely high.

  2. I completely understand what you’re saying. I have seen firsthand how my daughter struggles with it at times. Sleep is a huge issue for her as well. I am embarrassed to say that it took me a long time to understand what she goes through; I often dismissed her worries as “drama”. I am so thankful that now I have a better idea of what life is like for her.

  3. And it’s hard to tell if the ADD/ADHD causes the anxiety or if the anxiety exasperates the ADD/ADHD tendencies. My son takes meds for anxiety that calm him down and ADD that rev him up. Maybe they cancel each other out?!

  4. That’s a really good point. I can see how ADHD could make anxiety worse and how anxiety would make you distracted, forgetful, etc.

    I know that my daughter’s doctor chose to treat just the anxiety with medication and urged her to use other methods to treat her ADHD. He even told her that too much caffeine could make anxiety worse.

  5. Anxiety attack can be lessened by learning relaxation techniques like those used in meditation. some food supplements like 5-HTP helps in easing the symptoms of anxiety attack.

  6. Often doctors are quick to prescribe medications for anxiety, which can really be helpful for some people. For people who are nervous about taking medications, there are many more natural treatments that can calm that uncomfortable feeling. For example…
    Breath. We are constantly rushing. Between getting the kids off to school, traffic and meetings, we rarely “stop to smell the roses”. Perhaps this phrase is more than just a reminder to appreciate the beauty around us, but also a reminder to breath! Practice deep breathing for two minutes… in through your nose, and out though your mouth…
    Turn off your electronics! Turn off your cell phone/email/blackberry/ computer for 15 minutes each day and enjoy the quiet. Don’t worry, your emails will be there when you come back.
    Exercise. For at least 10 minutes a day. Go for a walk with your spouse, a friend, kids or pets. Park at the far side of the parking lot and walk to the building. While watching TV, get up and do jumping jacks or stretches, or get up and dance during the commercial breaks.
    Practice these techniques for one week and email me with what kind of difference you notice! Email Amy at [email protected].

  7. My son is having a hard time with anxiety and he is ADHD. We are currently having trouble with test anxiety. He doesn’t want to put down an answer that he is not 100% sure about. This leads to the class moving on without him and this increases his anxiety. Any suggestions?

  8. Because of his ADHD, your son is entitled to accommodations such as having him take his test in a different location and/or giving him extra time. Extra time is usually time and a half and the test would be given in a different location.

    Is he on medication for his ADHD or anxiety? It’s often better to treat the anxiety rather than the ADHD because ADD meds will make anxiety worse.

    I realize that his anxiety is centered around having the “right” answer and that’s what his concerns are, but you could try this technique: as soon as he gets his test, have him look over the whole thing without answering any questions. Then tell him to find one that he is sure he knows the answer to and answer that one. Repeat the process with all of the questions he is sure about or pretty sure about – I realize his anxiety is making him second guess everything.

    If he can do this, it will increase his confidence and give him a better chance at a good grade.

    Visualization is also a powerful tool and one that professional athletes use often. When your son is studying for a test, reinforce the fact that he does know the material.

    Then work with him to visualize taking the test. Have him imagine it in as much detail as possible. Have him imagine sitting at his desk, how that feels. He has his pencil in his hand and he gets the test. He looks at it and feels confident that he knows the answers because he studied and worked hard. He answers each question confidently.

    The more real that you can make this for him in his mind, the more effective it will be. He needs to close his eyes and really experience sitting at his desk in his classroom. what does it feel like? What does he hear? I would suggest doing this at least once a night.

    What will eventually happen with repeated efforts is that when he takes a test, his subconscious mind will say “oh, we’ve been here before – this is easy” and his body will automatically relax.

    Here’s a link to a site that explains it: http://www.telecollege.dcccd.edu/Services/studyhelp/StudySkills/sub/anxiety.htm

    Hope this helps.

  9. I am an adult suffering from adhd and anxiety. I am a firm believer in alternative medicine. However debilitating anxiety is much different than getting a little anxious and breathing deeply to get over it. Sometimes medication is absolutely necessary as well as natural things. It is very irresponsible and dangerous to encourage people to dismiss drugs completely as evil terrible things. They sometimes do serve a purpose.

  10. Thanks for your comments, Toby. I hope it was clear to you that we are both in agreement on this. I also prefer natural alternatives if I can find them and they work, but there are times when modern medicine and prescription drugs are the best answer. For anxiety in particular, I think that is the best route.

  11. I have adult ADD and anxiety. The anxiety wasn’t the problem it is now until the last four or five years, and particularly the last year and a half or so. The thing is, for me, the anxiety is less about ruminating and worry (although I do ruminate and worry; just not as badly since therapy and medication) and more about physical symptoms. I feel an almost-painful pressure in my chest and have heart palpitations. I went through a series of tests a little over a year ago to rule out heart issues and everything is fine, physically.

    What’s weird, to me, is that when I’m on my medication (Concerta), those feelings go away almost completely, and once it wears off, they come back. I always know what time it is, based on the pressure in my chest – it begins a little over 12 hours after taking the med, which lasts 12 hours for me.

    I’m not sure what to do to relieve that feeling during the hours when I’m not on my medication. Sometimes coffee helps. I know that sounds crazy, but not any crazier than the fact that amphetamines calm me down.

  12. That does sound backwards, doesn’t it? A lot of people who have ADHD also have anxiety; one of those little things that comes along with ADHD.

    Could it be that an underlying cause of your anxiety is your ADHD symptoms? After all, not paying attention or blurting things out or forgetting something can make your life more stressful.

    Maybe underneath you’re worried about making a mistake or doing something that might embarrass you because you know that your symptoms are not being controlled by medication.

    There are a lot of techniques that you can try to see if they will help minimize your anxiety. I find that counted breathing works well for me.

    I breathe in deeply for a count of 4 or 5, hold it for the same count, exhale for 4 or 5 counts, then hold again for the same count. Repeat 4 or 5 times. Make sure your breaths are relaxed but deep; you’re not inhaling deeply in order to dive underwater.

    Another good technique is guided meditation, especially with imagery. I find that a guided meditation helps you focus; traditional meditation – clear your mind – sounds impossible.

    If you use a guided meditation and then focus on a picture that you relate with relaxation – a tropical beach or a nature scene – you will find that eventually you can calm yourself by just recalling the image.

    You can do the same thing with scent. Use an essential oil that has a fragrance you like when you meditate and then carry that scent with you. Be careful when choosing one; you want to make sure that you can apply it as is. Some oils need a carrier oil in order to be able to apply them to your skin.

    You may want to try meditation while you are on your medication at first so that you can focus better.

    I hope that you try these techniques and that they help.

  13. I had Googled anxiety and ADHD and found myself here. My son, who is 12, was recently diagnosed with ADHD, predominately inattentive, and reading disorder. I also suffered from reading comprehension problems in school and still do. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder 7 years ago when I was questioning if I had ADD. Reading the posts, it sounds just like me. I too have trouble getting out of my head and move from one worry to another. It is exhausting and everything seems to take so much effort. I went for about a year and a half without the anxiety and felt like a new person. It seems to be cyclical and triggered by a challenging, emotional event and seems to gather momentum like a rock rolling down a hill until I just burn out. The relaxation techniques worked well, but I had gotten away from them. Self-discipline is something I struggle with too. Any suggestions?

  14. I think you’ve summed up a lot of why we struggle so much with our ADHD symptoms: not enough self discipline!

    It might help if you could work some of these positive habits into your daily routine. i would start with the one that seems to make the most difference and see if you can turn it into a habit.

    Lately, I’ve been relying on two things to keep me calm: Valerian capsules and Get Happy tea.

    Valerian is an herb that they make Valium from. It smells really, really bad, but it works very well. A little can calm you, more will help you sleep.

    Get Happy tea is from the Republic of Tea. I don’t generally like herbal teas, but I do like this and I was very surprised at how well it worked.

    I’ve got certain things that, when they come up, can really trigger the depression and anxiety monsters. In those times, I try to be pro-active if I can or to at least address it as soon as possible and do something about it.

    Other things I find helpful are spending some time outside, meditating, exercise – especially yoga, and trying to put things in proper perspective.

    A good friend of mine says that a strong peppermint (like Altoids) has the power to distract her focus long enough for her to take a step back and get a grip on things.

    Hope this helps.

  15. My son was dx with ADHD at 5. He is nine now. Since the age of 6 he has been on 5 different meds. They all make him so depressed that it breaks my heart. he was on Daytrana patch this Summer and it was working better than anything. No depression, still had anxiety though. But, he was like a normal little boy. Then he started getting allergic and it was practically eating his skin off. Now we are on intuniv and it was ok the first week (which was the first week of school!!) and now it is making him sick and sleepy all of the time. I am sick to my stomach. I don’t know what to do next. I can’t get him in to a specialist until the end of Sept. and his Pschiatryst is never in and when I call the nurse she just says take him to the ER. He is very smart and is being tested for the gifted class at school but I’m worried that with all of the problems with his meds that he will not test good. I also have him on a 504, but I’m not sure he is getting all of the accommodations that he needs. My son also struggles with fine motor skills and still cannot tie his shoes ride a bike and has terrible handwriting. He has terrible anxiety and gets depressed. He will not go into a room alone. I wish that I didn’t have to work and I could be there more for him. I really need some guidence and good advice.

  16. I can appreciate how hard it is for both of you; my heart goes out to you.

    Does he really struggle with his ADHD when he is not on meds? With the side effects he is experiencing, they seem to be doing more harm than good. They will also make his anxiety worse.

    Also, age 5 is very young to be diagnosed with ADHD. DSM IV guidelines suggest age 7 as the baseline for diagnosis.

    Have you considered treating the anxiety rather than the ADHD?

    Of course, these considerations will need the help and advice of a professional, and you have some time before you can get iin.

    How is his diet? You might want to try putting him on a gluten free diet for a week or so and see how he does. A lot of research suggests that it can help ADHD and I personally know a few families who have had remarkable results with it. So remarkable, in fact, that they opened a gluten free store in our town.

    In general, you would take wheat and other grains out of his diet. You would also have to be careful about any processed foods. Let me know if you need specifics; I have been gluten free for years.

    Also, you might want to consider a good multi-vitamin if he doesn’t already take them. Vitamin D (good for depression) and Vitamin B are especially important.

    A diet high in lean protein will help, as well as making sure he is drinking enough water.

    As for the fine motor skills, there are all kinds of simple activities that you could do with him to help improve those. Do a search and you will find a lot.

    BTW – I had the same problems as a child. Like me, he will outgrow them.

    I suspect that his delay in developing those skills is partly due to poor spatial awareness when it comes to his body. That’s pretty common for people with ADHD.

    Any kind of sports or movement would help with that. Have you considered martial arts? It’s often effective for kids with ADHD and seems like it would be a good fit for him.

    Finally, you might want to consider a different psychiatrist. I know how hard it is to find a good one, but this one seems to be making your life more stressful and that doesn’t help. Also, telling you to take your son to the ER for anything related to his ADHD seems ludicrous at best.

    If I can help further, let me know.

  17. I think I have found a cure. It might not be a cure some of you are willing to do but here goes….
    I have had a life of depression and axiety mixed with ADD/ADHD issues. After hitting teen adolescense and being tired of feeling “crazy” due to the mixture of depression, mood swings, an unbeleivable anxiety, fear, panic, and many more I turned to drugs. A friend gave me a vicodin and I felt better. I used them for many years and got addicted because it calmed me down, slowed my thoughts, and my body stopped feeling like it would jump out of itself. Deciding I didn’t want to be an addict anymore to cure my problems I looked through thousands of websites and read tons of information and I think I have cured it well enough to manage for the first time in my life with something other than opiods!
    I take an antidepressant right now to help with depression and anxiety
    I have found that if I take sleeping pills during the day and my antidepressants during the night it balances out. The sleeping pills do make you feel a little flighty but it stops the jittery feeling, the racing thoughts, and makes it easy to slow down and enjoy simple things.
    I was mollested beat and raped as a child and alot of my issues stem from trauma. I plan to write a book on trauma depression anxiety and ADD/ADHD issues because I feel in many cases trauma causes a future of some, many, or all of these problems. I am only 27 but I have self trained much knowledge to better myself, my life and how to cope. DRUGS ARE NOT THE ANSWER! They are only a bandaid! I will not give up until I cure the world of these issues!

    Please contact me if you have any comments or questions.
    [email protected]

  18. After much consideration, I have decided to let your comment stand as is. I don’t agree with your viewpoint and ideas, but you are entitled to express them. Thank you.

  19. Caroline – There have been a number of studies about this; most of them focus on a gluten and casein free diet, which is grains such as wheat, along with dairy.

    If you are allergic or intolerant to gluten or casein, it may be that your symptoms manifest in ADHD like symptoms. Forgetfulness, inability to focus, impatience, etc.

    Adhering to a gluten and casein free diet – if you are allergic or sensitive – can clear your mind, help you focus, and just be more productive.

    If you or your family has allergies of any kind, you might want to consider trying this diet for a week or two. I personally know several families who have found great success with it.

  20. Please excuse any spelling errors:
    My son is 6 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD last year. He now takes Vyvanse, he previously too Adderall.

    He is extremely anxious and has difficulty talking to and playing with other children. When he becomes uncomfortable he acts foolish and silly and will not calm down. (Especially in public)

    I myself have social anxiety and find it horrifying when this happens. (Which is frequently) However I want to be fair to him and not make his condition worse.

    Do you have any suggestions on what we can do to help him deal with this? And possible ways to help him open up with others?

    He also has a tendency to argue about EVERYTHING. I can ask how his day was and he’ll go off the handle.

    Thank you in advance any guidance is appreciated.

  21. Tanya,

    Part of the issue here is his age. Kids with ADHD are 3-5 years behind in emotional development. It changes depending on the situation and circumstances and usually evens out sometime in their 20’s.

    Some ideas that might help include teaching him social skills and practicing breathing exercises with him. If he has a friend to work with (or a close aged relative), he could work on social skills with them. You might also want to see if you can find a martial arts class for him. Martial arts is good at developing focus and concentration as well as putting him in a social situation.

    Teaching him breathing exercises can help in the moment. Concentrating on slow deep breaths can shift the focus away from the anxiety.

    Some people also find that a strong sensory experience can shift away from the anxiety. Altoids are a great tool for this.

    Be aware also that your anxiety feeds his and vice versa. Are you seeking help for yours? And have you talked to his doctor about his? Generally you can’t treat both ADHD and anxiety with meds, but you might ask for ideas.

    Also – this is just a guess on my part – have you checked into Asbergers? Here is a link: http://aspergersyndrome.org/Articles/What-is-Asperger-Syndrome-.aspx

  22. Our daughter, now 24, has suffered from self-diagnosed ADD her entire life (no hyperactivity; likely “new” subclass of Combined type-“Sluggish Cognitive Tempo”). She’s also always been my “nervous Nelly”. We jointly agreed NOT to medicate and she’s simply worked 150% harder than everyone else to be an overachiever. This has come at a cost: great frustration, using us as verbal punching bags, perhaps some alcohol abuse in college. Certainly quality of life could have been better.

    With graduation from college (cum laude), she recently elected to see a pyschiatrist who diagnosed General Anxiety Disorder (haven’t gotten to the ADD yet). Like one of your earlier comments said, this doctor elected to treat the anxiety first. The medication is a benzodiazepine, which sounds horrible to me, but has given our daughter a new life. She has significantly improved focus, no panic attacks, can distinguish between a “real” worry versus not, better interpersonal relationships, work productivity is up, etc–such that our daughter has elected not to pursue diagnosis/treatment for ADD.

    My question: Can benzodiazepine (.25mg 2xday) be used as a long-term treatment? It seems that this is the plan.

  23. I’m not a medical professional, but it would seem that it could be used in such a manner. My daughter (also 24) suffers from many of the same issues. She is also being treated for her anxiety and has been for years. Just this year Vyvanse was added to help with her ADD.

    Sounds like your daughter is being treated by someone who really knows what they’re doing.

    Kudos to her for working so hard and to you for raising such an amazing young woman.

  24. Brenda,
    Thank you for your kind words. I don’t know where in cyberspace you are, but I’m glad you’re there!

    You’ve mentioned that your daughter is on (various) medications. Our daughter has started on the benzodiazepines, which according to literature, causes dependence. Guess I’m being the Nervous Nelly now, but is the relief now worth the withdrawal later?

  25. You’re not being the nervous Nellie at all. People with ADHD usually have a history of either depression, alcoholism or addiction in the family. No one can predict whether a person will become an addict or not, but I think that you can take a look at her personality and make a judgement call. I think her ability to distinguish between a real and imagined worry is a positive marker.

    Often, the prescribed medication will prevent self medicating, which more often leads to abuse and addiction. Oh, and I don’t think there will be a withdrawal if she chooses to go off of them as long as she does it under her doctor’s supervision. Withdrawal symptoms are more often associated with abuse although it can happen when using prescribed medications properly.

  26. Brenda, Thanks so much for starting this webpage…and everyone for sharing your stories.
    My son just turned 11 and we have struggled with ADHD from a young age. He got the formal diagnosis in 2nd grade and we started Adderall and it was like night and day – a miracle drug for us. However, things have gotten challenging this past year (he is now in 5th grade). The meds aren’t working as well as they used to, even after another increase. He starting showing signs of anxiety about a year ago that have continued to get worse. He cries all the time at just about anything and has so many anxieties – especially germs. He has a complete meltdown and goes crazy if someone sneezes in the house. He won’t use the restrooms at school, he won’t eat his lunch at school, etc. We started seeing the therapist again and she wants to add an anti-depressant and maybe reduce his adhd med. That made me very nervous. It’s scary for me to medicate such a young child (and he’s not a big kid). But, at the same time, I see that they are needed and that therapy alone won’t control the problems. I am concerned about side effects, but also scared to send him to school if his adhd isn’t under control because he gets in trouble a lot for things he can’t control. Teachers just aren’t very understanding. The principal has threatened to call the police on him for something very minor and that exacerbates the anxiety. Kids are picking on him for blurting things out in class. It’s terrible. Do you have any advice or suggestions? If he adds an anti-depressant and reduces adhd meds, do you think we will still be able to control the adhd? My head is spinning. We go to see the doctor this afternoon who will prescribe something and I will have my list of questions for him, but I guess I would like to hear some input from other moms/dads that have been through this. I love my son so much and it hurts so much to see what he goes through. He is a fantastic person and people don’t always get to see that.

  27. I really feel for you and your son. Getting through the school years can be one of the hardest things for kids with ADHD and their parents to do. Sounds like your little guy has a lot to deal with.

    Anxiety is often a part of the ADHD package and most therapists choose to treat it first and the ADHD second. Part of that (I think) is because anxiety can be so crippling to ones life. Also the stimulants in ADHD medications can make it worse. You might want to check into Vyvanse for the ADD; it is a non stimulant drug and works well with anxiety medications. My daughter – who has both anxiety and ADHD – is prescribed both and it works well for her.

    I know that some therapists use anti-depressants like Wellbutrin for both depression and ADHD, but I find that it’s not always effective when it comes to the ADHD.

    If it were my son, I would ask about (in order) an anxiety medication, an ADHD medication like Vyvanse, and possibly an antidepressant. And of course you need to be concerned about side effects, but at this point I think it’s more important to begin treatment.

    Beginning in 4th or 5th grade a lot of kids with ADHD start to have real trouble in school. It’s the age when more is beginning to be expected of them and there is more subject matter to learn. Also, they are preparing for middle school, which is a big change.

    Keep in mind that your son, like all kids with ADHD, is 3-5 years behind emotionally. Most don’t catch up to their real age in terms of maturity until their mid twenties. That could be contributing to his problems.

    Sounds like school is a really negative place for him, and shame on the grown ups and professionals who aren’t helping. You’re right to take him to therapy. They can help with those issues as well as learning to manage his anxiety and ADHD. I understand that you don’t want his ADHD symptoms to get worse because that will make school even harder, but the anxiety meds might help mare than you think.

    Do your best to make the rest of your son’s life more positive. I just can’t imagine spending so much of my day in a place that seems to make him so miserable.

    Sounds like you’re doing a lot that’s right. Best wishes and let me know if I can help.

  28. Hi Brenda,

    I am finding this blog to be clarifying, thank you. What anti depressants have you heard tend to help best with adolescents?

    My son claims his anxiety is not up but—-he takes a very low dose of luvox. He claims that he is daydreaming a lot and that he cannot find any motivation. At school—his is a Sophomore—they say he is not opening a book during class and at times has his head down on the table. At home he cannot sit down to do his homework and he is confused as to why he cannot do it. Things are not working as his grades are going way low now due to not handing stuff in. He says that he is on autopilot and doing nothing in class. Last quarter was a 3.0. He started with a 3.6 and now we are going with F’s.

    He is taking immediate release 5 mg. of adderall a day. His head is on the table at times during second hour as well as at the end of day but reports the adderall wearing off by noon.

    Frustrated

    Any suggestions are appreciated.

  29. Bobby here 34 years queens nyc….I believe I suffer from anxiety and add…I am being testing now but my doctor has me on prisiq and clonazepam….I suffer from sweating and shaky hands whenever a boss or a single female approachs me..I find that if I take a puff or two on a joint or a shot of jameson I never sweat…I know pot and booze is not the solution but it does help

  30. I’m 35 years old and was not diagnosed with ADHD until 25. Once I was, everything became so clear as to why I struggled in school and college. I managed to still get through and have a great job, but it’s very tiring at times. I have just recently been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety. My doctor wants to treat the anxiety and just use tools to work on the ADHD. This Wellbutrin has really done a number on me. I feel spaced out and very out of sorts. About 10 years ago, I was on Zoloft, but that caused weight gain and I don’t want to deal with that again. Any suggestions out there on natural remedies and/or other medications that I can ask my doctor about?

    Thanks!

  31. Am I right that you are using just the Wellbutrin? No meds for ADHD? Wellbutrin was prescribed for me for depression; it didn’t work for me either.

    For anxiety I would recommend Valerian root as a natural alternative. It is where Valium comes from. Too much can put you to sleep so you need to try it when that won’t be an issue. And warning – it STINKS!

    Other alternatives are chamomile, passion flower (also good for sleep), St John’s Wort, Gingko, and Kava Kava. I personally find chamomile too mild and St Johns Word ineffective. I have not tried ginkgo, but I do like both passion flower and kava kava.

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  33. My husband has ADHD. When he was younger,the doctors gave him medicine for it but it never worked. He stopped using it way before I met him because the side effects were scary for him and the overall didn’t work. I just started researching today about different anxietys. He has never been diagnosed with any anxiety or depression but I see it day to day and just realized today what it was. He has social anxiety which also causes depression. I figure this because he always blames himself and gets embarrased when faced with certain social situations which also causes him to stutter. For example,our refrogeration is broke and I asked him to call the landlord to have him give us a new fridge since this is the third time breaking down and he went crazy. He did go through with it but called me a “B” in the meantime which I know he would never do if something wasn’t wrong with him. I want to talk to him about medication to take but don’t know where to start. He made it clear to me that he doesn’t want to take any addicting medicine such as the type that has speed in it. I like that Brenda suggests taking medicine for the anxiety first instead which will take care of the depression too,but which anxiety medicine should we take that has no harsh side effects. Is there any natural remedies that will take care of anxiety and depression? My husband really handles his ADHD well,better than my brother did. I’m pretty sure he could handle the ADHD without medication but not the anxiety. Along with my husband, I also have anxiety which brings depression but I think I have a mix between social anxiety and general anxiety. My other question is what should I take for my anxiety? Take in mind, I am pregnant and do not want to harm my baby. If there isn’t anything to take during pregnancy then I know I can deal with my anxietys until I’m done breastfeeding. Afterall,I haven’t taken anything for it all my life and I wouldn’t start to if it would harm my baby.

  34. If you want to try something natural for anxiety try herbs like Chamomile, Passion Flower, Gingko Biloba, Kava Kava or Valerian. Some of these, like Chamomile, are mild. Valerian can be very effective, but I would try others first. It’s also quite smelly, so be prepared for that. Some of the herbs may make you sleepy, so try them on a day when you will be home to see how they affect you. Ashwagandha is an Indian herb that is also useful in helping your body reduce stress.

    I wouldn’t advise using herbs while you are pregnant or nursing, other than Chamomile, which is quite mild. Also check out the herbal teas. You might find some that would be suitable.

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  36. I have been struggling for the past 10 years to get a clear diagnosis for my son, now 15.
    A bright child, he had severe anxiety from the age of 5. In 4th grade, his teacher indicated a
    Problem processing information. He is very quiet and wants to please, so ADD was not considered
    Until he was 11. After testing, he was dx with processing issues, anxiety and add. I never fully agreed with
    the testing results as I never felt that any of the countless Doctors could connect the dots and give us a clear
    Path. We tried all of the ADHD meds and because of his anxiety none of them agreed with him. He begged us
    Not to make him take the meds, so we gave in and for 2 years, hired tutors and sent him to a private middle school that was small and wonderful. Now, he is in high school. His first semester, he ended up with a 3.75 gpa.
    In helping him study and literally holding his hand to get the work done, I knew I needed to revisit the previous dx as it was not going to get easier. So, my first objective was to find an in-network provider!! We have always gone out of network and have spent tens of thousands of dollars to get the “best” drs…that have never seemed to connect anything or give us a clear direction. I am happy to say, I love the in network psychologist and we now have some further answers!!!! Yes, our son does suffer from anxiety and add. But we have also found he has Irlen Syndrome, which can also have some similar symptoms related to ADHD/processing information/not wanting to read. I personally saw him be tested for Irlen and the difference in his anxiety level when reading with tinted lenses and without. It is HUGE! Please, please, please check this website http://www.irlen.com and ask your Dr.
    about it. I had never heard of Irlen from any of the other Drs we have seen, but after wearing the tinted contacts for a few weeks, huge difference in anxiety level in our son!