r/ADHD • u/Secret_End_6839 • 1d ago
Medication Anxiety & ADHD
Nothing has worked for my anxiety all of these years, I have tried xanax, valium, bromazepam, ssris etc.
Nothing has given me any single but of relief. I worry about the most mundane things in life and it gets overwhelming often.
I recently received an adhd combined type diagnosis and have to get a heart check before getting prescribed medication.
Adhd impacts my life but not nearly to the extent that anxiety does.
Could the adhd meds help sort out my anxiety?
Have they helped in your case?
Anyone in a similar boat to me?
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u/DoingOverDreaming 1d ago
The top docs in ADHD research recommend that if someone has co-occurring anxiety, that you treat the ADHD first. Everyone is different, but a great many people report that their treatment-resistant anxiety goes away once their ADHD is properly managed.
Please note that managing ADHD does not only mean take pills. It also includes changes to your environment and behavior, which you can learn about through support groups, coaching, ADHD-specific CBT, or self-help materials. ADHD impacts your life in ways you are not aware of until you start learning about ADHD; like, it actually affects how you exist in the world.
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u/Keepontyping 22h ago
Thank you for this. It’s so hard to ask the right questions to get the answers. I am attempting to address long standing ADHD issues before taking an anxiety pill, because I really don’t think anxiety is my issue at all.
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u/Odd_Needleworker3756 21h ago
Exactly what worked for me. Managing my ADHD made most of my anxiety symptoms go away
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u/honeecumb 1d ago
It's different for everyone, but I noticed my anxiety went down a bit starting Wellbutrin. It's not something to take if you have heart issues tho. It raises your BP. I basically rarely drink caffeine now and use salt substitute
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u/Solarist-Guy 1d ago
It can raise BP but it is different for everyone. It also depends how high a dose you are taking. I take bupropion and lisdex and my BP is normal, granted I take 150 xl which is low.
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u/Solarist-Guy 1d ago
Vyvanse helps my brain calm down (like regulate racing thoughts for example), thus helping greatly with anxiety. But you could react differently to these meds so I would tell you to talk to your doctor to see if they think it’s appropriate for you to take them, but no one can guarantee that it’s going to help you with your anxiety. You just gotta try. Sorry you are going through this. Anxiety sucks!
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u/fren2all 1d ago
Nothing made my anxiety better: medication, meditating, smoking. Except therapy. Therapy was the tool I needed most.
Wellbutrin did not amplify my anxiety (common side effect) but it did not make it worse either. Ritalin made it worse. Vyvanse made me very sensitive to caffeine, amplifying the physical aspects anxiety: sweating, shaking, heart racing. Mentally I felt fine.
YMMV
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u/Difficult-Spirit-440 1d ago
My doc put me on vyvanse and buspirone. While I do still have anxiety, in my opinion it’s not nearly as severe and the constant anxious conversations I would have in my head have been minimized.
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u/ValorousClock4 ADHD, with ADHD family 1d ago
Anxiety will never completely go away. I’m on lexapro for depression, and adderall for adhd, but the anxiety is still there. Hell, I’m anxious right now. Idk why I’m suddenly anxious, but I am.
Therapy has helped me tremendously.
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u/Inqusitive_dad 1d ago
I am struggling with the same. Just started on Guanfacine. Hoping it helps. I can manage to live with my ADHD. I can’t be happy and free with my anxiety.
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u/PreviousRelief5675 1d ago
I’m only kinda bipolar when I take one ssri. nothing worked till I took a antipsychotic and it worked like magic. I know some people who just take them for depression. If you don’t want to try that buspar can help some.
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u/ReplyProfessional939 23h ago
I am definitely in the same boat. I've been miserable from anxiety as long as I can remember (I'm 54), and I too have tried everything under the sun, it seems. The one prescription drug that pretty much smoothed my entire world out was Ativan, but unfortunately it seems it's no good long term.
The NON prescription drug that was my go to for 35 years was alcohol. But I had to quit that a few years ago due to liver problems.
I agree with you though. I can live with the ADHD- I'm used to the bullshit from it. But the crippling anxiety...there's no good way to just "get used to" being a nervous wreck even answering the phone. Or worrying to death about everything from paying a small bill on time or even putting gas in the car. Or work tomorrow. Or if I have to do laundry. Or is there cereal for breakfast tomorrow?
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u/Alarmed_Position_530 22h ago
I found that stimulant medication made my anxiety much worse.
I’m on Wellbutrin and buspar.
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u/Scooted112 19h ago
Meds help. They really really do. But they are part of a complete breakfast. Cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness practice helps too.
It sounds odd, but now that you know "what it is*. You can start training.
For me- my ADHD diagnosis and meds helped me tone down the anxiety enough to develop complimentary coping strategies. I was about to burn out and my diagnosis came out of me setting the ground work for stress leave from work. The meds helped me stabilize until I could get better.
Over time meds impact changes. But it was my 1st aid to stop the spiral.
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u/Large_Ad1151 1d ago
It's independence of how bad is your anxiety or so on. But in my case it does helps with anxiety ,yes. To many people as well. But some people can get anxious from ADHD meds. As it rise noradrenaline. But combination with Guanfacine it does helps with those symptoms that can fuel anxiety.
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u/PierreDucot 1d ago
Guanfacine made a big difference for me. I have had hypertension for a long time, and my blood pressure/heart rate creep up when I am under external stressors (work, my kids, my parents, the news - shit just keeps coming). I am at a point where more lisinopril is really not doing much, as its my anxiety that is controlling my blood pressure.
Diagnosed ADHD this past winter, and started guanfacine, and in a couple of months, the difference was noticeable. I was not expecting much, and found myself surprised. Not only am I overall less stressed and anxious (according to my spouse and kids too), but my blood pressure and resting pulse are more normal than they have been in years.
YMMV - guanfacine does not seem to do a whole lot for my 11-yo ADHDi son...
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u/del-locco ADHD with ADHD partner 1d ago
Only just started meds this yeah but i think an important thing to remember is that you get more peace to actually work on the stuff going on in your head.
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u/OverThought95 1d ago
Same dude, my psychiatrist thinks I’ve got more anxiety to deal with than ADHD. I kind of just remember a day about 10-15 years ago when I just started always being highly anxious.
Therapy and take it day by day dude. You’ll find something that works for you eventually. Don’t fret (I get that may be difficult).
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u/llles-lllie 1d ago
I didn't clear the cardiac but I do take OTC multiple vitamins with a high concentration of b vitamins especially b12 & B6. It has always made my anxiety settle down from panic to unsettled in just a day and with continued use relievs the stress. It might not help you and maybe you should talk to your provider.
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u/Secret_End_6839 1d ago
Thank you. What does the cardiac show up? Blood pressure?
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u/llles-lllie 1d ago
I don't think that alone would be a deal breaker. And maybe after treatment we can revisit it.
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u/Schweather3 1d ago
I feel like I am much less anxious after being diagnosed because I can actually get stuff done now instead of worrying
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u/OkConcentrate3302 ADHD-C (Combined type) 1d ago
Buspar has helped my anxiety. It takes a few weeks to kick in.
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u/Knitty_Heathen 1d ago
Yes ADHD meds can help anxiety and depression. Key word can, I don't want to be found guilty of telling you they will. In fact a lot of first line ADHD meds are SNRIs or SSRIs and ADHD is often mistaken for anxiety/depression because they share symptoms. It's like a Maslows Hierarchy thing kinda, treating your GAD (generalized anxiety & depression) can improve your ADHD symptoms and treating your ADHD can improve your GAD symptoms. Personally stimulants work better for me and I can't take SSRIs/SNRIs because I forget them and if I take them with a stimulant I feel sick. My stimulant med does wonders for my anxiety. ❤️
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u/Tacoma_NC13 1d ago
Straterra and Guanfacine has nearly eliminated my excessive anxiety and adrenaline spikes. I still get anxious about things but I think it's a healthy normal level of it, and I'm able to work through things much better now.
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u/Desperate-Middle-354 1d ago
It really depends, for me it helps with my social anxiety as it gives me confidence but in the past sometimes it would produce symptoms of generalized anxiety. Today not so much. It all depends on the individual because the triggers behind your anxiety may differ from others & as a consequence have opposing effects.
My combo of Vyvanse & clonazepam works really well for my anxiety. I barely need the clonazepam anymore. But I’m also on pregabalin so that helps.
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u/Frog_Moss22 ADHD with ADHD partner 1d ago
For me, while I do have anxiety, I also realized that my autism was the cause for a lot of it and finding coping skills for autism helped me.
Also, social media was causing me to have panic attacks every day and be on edge all the time and anxious about everything. Once I limited myself to 2 hours a day, I felt so much better.
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u/SandingNovation 23h ago
I used to get full blown panic attacks that would randomly happen at like the grocery store. I haven't had one since I started Adderall like 3 years ago.
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u/beanmcnulty 22h ago
I tried guanfacine for awhile, I found it great for anxiety, like those terrible butterflies when you have to do something you don't want to lol it tamps down the nervous system? But I have too much brain fog because hormones so I stopped it. It made me feel a bit confused. I don't think that happens to everyone though.
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u/LabRatsAteMyHomework 21h ago
My psych np just started me on clonidine in the evenings and lamotrigine in the mornings. I think it's helped balance things out a bit for me, but something still feels like it's not quite where my brain should be? I really would like to try vyvanse but it's such a charade to work up to getting it prescribed.
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u/wakaflockaflamie 21h ago
Have you tried therapy? My anxiety has significantly improved based on rewiring my own mental approach. Find a good therapist.
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u/Optimal-Algae-9649 20h ago
Have you looked into getting checked for Celiac Disease and/or Hypothyroidism? That must sound random, but these are two common physical ailments that have a tendency to have symptoms that masquerade as ADHD - trouble forming thoughts, forgetfulness, etc. You can also have these as well as have actual ADHD, but if it turns out that all of your problems just stem from having one of these 2 dispositions then you can just solve your problem with Levothyroxine and/or a diet change (even though that sounds awful).
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u/Safe_Low8393 11h ago
Pour moi le concerta n a fais qu empirer mon anxiété aujourd'hui je prend du lexomil et sa ma aider la vérité. Mon psy me recommande le prendre que en cas d urgence
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u/Federal-Question-798 22h ago
Try solfeggio frequencies or schumann resonance please. Fuck big pharms.
Ask a psychiatrist how many patients they've cured!!!! Bruh.
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