It’s estimated that about a one-fourth of children who have ADHD also deal with anxiety. As a parent or caregiver, that statistic might alarm you. One condition is enough for a little one to have to deal with, but trying to help your child navigate anxiety and ADHD at once sounds overwhelming.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be.
Understanding the connection between ADHD and anxiety is the first step in helping your child. When you recognize how one disorder can trigger the other and educate yourself on some of the common signs, you can take active steps to make sure your child doesn’t live a life of worry.
Let’s take a closer look at how ADHD and anxiety often go hand-in-hand in children, and what you can do to help your child work through both issues.
How ADHD Can Foster Anxiety
There’s no question that ADHD can make daily tasks more challenging and even frustrating. Things like a lack of organization, difficulty concentrating, and time management aren’t “choices” for someone dealing with ADHD. In fact, they can feel overwhelming very quickly. For a child trying to keep up and move forward with peers, that kind of pressure and frustration can quickly lead to anxiety.
That same pressure to fit in can also cause problems. All of us want to feel like we belong, and no one wants to be judged or rejected. Those feelings can be even stronger as a child trying to connect with friends.. The fear of rejection and even the fear of failure can contribute to anxious thoughts and cause further isolation.
It’s not uncommon for children with ADHD to struggle with emotional regulation. They might have a hard time fully understanding their feelings, let alone how to effectively process them. That can make it difficult for them to cope with the stress often associated with the disorder, leading to anxiety.
Can Anxiety Make ADHD Worse?
Unfortunately, the link between ADHD and anxiety works as a sort of vicious cycle. Not only can ADHD trigger anxiety, but anxiety can make ADHD symptoms worse. Anxious thoughts make it harder to concentrate and stay focused, which can cause difficulty if your child is trying to manage their ADHD symptoms.
Anxiety can also lead to avoidance behaviors. Your child might try to avoid situations that tend to trigger anxious thoughts. That can lead to regular disruptions in daily tasks and even their academic life.
Because anxiety can cause feelings of guilt or even shame, it’s not uncommon for people dealing with it to strive for perfectionism. For children with ADHD who already struggle with certain expectations, those desires to be perfect can start to feel even more overwhelming and worrisome.
Recognizing Both Conditions
As a parent, recognizing that your child could potentially have both ADHD and anxiety is essential when it comes to establishing a management plan. Make sure they receive a proper diagnosis from a trusted physician or mental health professional.
A combination of child therapy for anxiety and ADHD, as well as management techniques at home, is likely the best solution for your child and family. Therapy will help your child understand what’s causing their anxiety while giving them effective strategies to overcome worried thoughts so they can stay focused.
At home, everything from self-care practices to calming, stress-reducing exercises can help. Things like mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, and even physical exercise can help your child reduce the stress associated with anxiety and give them a better chance to stay calm and collected.
While this journey can be a challenging one, you don’t have to go through it alone. If you’re looking for help for your child, feel free to contact us for a consultation.
Published August 26, 2025 by Mary Ellen Benz
