What do you do when your ADHD is telling you to start 10 different projects, but your depression makes you wonder what’s the point of doing anything? According to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are almost three times more likely to experience depression than adults without ADHD. If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and depression, it can feel like your brain and body are opposing forces, as if you’re in a constant tug-of-war with distraction, impulsivity, and restlessness pulling you in one direction and exhaustion, self-doubt, and apathy pulling you in the other.
Having either diagnosis of ADHD or depression can be challenging on their own, but having a concurrent diagnosis is even more so. If you’re struggling or suspect you may be struggling with both, here’s what you need to know.
The difference between ADHD and depression
While ADHD and depression symptoms can present differently in different individuals, there are some key differences between both conditions. First and foremost, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, while depression is a mood disorder. While neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD primarily affect brain development and function and can influence attention, impulse control, and executive functioning, mood disorders predominantly affect emotional states, causing persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
Although both conditions can cause mood problems, forgetfulness, and an inability to focus, presenting symptoms can differ. Per ADDitude, ADHD moods are transient compared to those of depression. With ADHD, a bad mood is usually precipitated by an event, while depressive moods are “pervasive and chronic.”
Additionally, people with ADHD may be overwhelmed by deciding what to do first, while people with depression may have difficulty initiating activity because they experience lethargy.
Another key difference between presenting symptoms is that people with ADHD may have trouble falling asleep, while people with depression may fall asleep right away, but have trouble getting momentum and motivation to rise in the morning.
An overlap in conditions
ADHD and depression can co-exist — though some people may have causes and risk factors of depression that aren’t connected to ADHD, such as having a family history of depression, a physical illness, financial difficulties, or loss of a loved one.
For others, having ADHD can increase the likelihood for developing depression, according to the ADDA. More specifically, ADHD can cause low self-esteem and negative self-image, affect work and school performance, and cause difficulty in relationships — making a person more likely to become depressed.Both conditions can make it challenging for a person to maintain executive functioning, and difficulty with planning, organization, and follow-through can make everyday living feel like an uphill battle.
ADHD and depression can also reinforce one another. For example, if you struggle to stay organized and on top of responsibilities because of your ADHD, you may fall behind on work, bills, and life tasks and your feelings of failure brought on by depression may deepen. Or if your ADHD makes you crave new experiences, while your depression makes everything feel dull and uninteresting, you may seek quick dopamine hits like impulse shopping, bingewatching, and scrolling through social media.
Managing ADHD and depresison
While dealing with both ADHD and depression can be overwhelming, there are many resources that can help you manage both conditions. Here are some things you can do if you’re struggling:
1. Reframe Productivity
Both ADHD and depression can lead to a cycle of self-criticism. Instead of setting yourself up for failure with massive to-do lists, break tasks into small steps. If doing the dishes feels overwhelming, commit to washing one plate. Momentum often follows action.
2. Try pairing tasks
ADHD brains crave stimulation, but depression makes most things feel dull. Try “temptation bundling” by pairing a necessary task with something enjoyable, like listening to a podcast while folding the laundry.
3. Embrace low-energy ways of self-care
On days when depression makes even basic tasks feel impossible, have a go-to list of low-effort activities that still support your well-being like watching a comfort show or drinking a glass of water. Give yourself credit for anything you do.
4. Create External Accountability
ADHD makes self-motivation hard, and depression can make you feel isolated. Try body-doubling (which involves working alongside someone), using alarms for reminders, or having an accountability buddy for check-ins.
5. Challenge Negative Self-Talk
Both conditions can make you feel like you’re failing at life, so it’s important to notice when your inner dialogue is unfairly cruel. Would you say those mean things to a friend? Probably not. Try replacing harsh self-talk with more compassionate alternatives: “I’m not lazy, my brain is struggling today.”
6. Seek the Right Treatment
When you’re dealing with both ADHD and depression, it’s essential to develop a support system with people who are skilled in understanding the overlap of the two conditions. Medication, therapy, and structured support systems like ADHD coaching can be life-changing. With professional diagnosis, treatment, and support, you can make progress and develop systems that support your mental and emotional health.
Get Help at The ATTN Center
Our team knows that you may experience more than one mental health concern as a result of ADHD symptoms. This is why we are happy to also offer ADHD-focused therapy for anxiety, depression, and couples. We also provide services including neurofeedback, group therapy, and ADHD testing options. At the ATTN Center of NYC, we do everything in our power to treat ADHD without the use of medication, but we understand in some severe cases additional measures may be needed. As a result, we also maintain close relationships with many of NYC’s best psychiatrists. Feel free to visit our articles page for more helpful information today!