For those diagnosed with ADHD, itâs very common for them to have experienced depression, either directly related to their ADHD, as a primary condition, or combined. The frustrations of daily life with ADHD along with trying to fit into a neurotypical world can be demoralising and can cause a secondary or reactive bout of depression. This is quite a normal response to coping with ADHD, but it is not the case for an individual diagnosed with primary depression, or Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
If youâre struggling to define what your symptoms are and if they correspond to ADHD or depression, then keep reading as we delve into the link between them.
What are the Definitions and Symptoms of ADHD and Depression?
Many people get confused about symptoms overlapping both ADHD and depression as they have much in common, including:
Irritability
A feeling of hopelessness
Decreased memory and concentration
Pessimism
Sadness
Difficulty with sleep
Depression or MDD (Major Depressive Disorder).
When a doctor diagnoses a patient with depression, they are trained to look at the condition as a gradually worsening state, that seemingly has little or no link to events or feelings around the patientâs life. A person with depression loses the ability to experience joy from things they once enjoyed and will likely have family members who also suffer from the condition.
Individuals with MDD may cry easily for no reason, become irritable and sad, and withdraw from life and social interactions. Depression is far more than just feeling sad; itâs a completely unconscious mental and emotional state that the patient seemingly has no control over.
ADHD.
ADHD is a condition defined through the analysis of behaviour. Individuals with ADHD display persistent patterns of inattention and/ or hyperactivity and impulsivity which interfere significantly with everyday functions. Inattention includes making continuous careless mistakes in work or schoolwork, difficulty listening and paying attention, trouble organising themselves and tasks and being easily distracted. Hyperactivity and impulsivity include symptoms such as being unable to sit still and constantly fidgeting, talking excessively, interrupting conversations, and being constantly âon the goâ. These are just a few examples.
How to Tell if Your Symptoms Link to ADHD, Depression, or Both?
The difficulty is discerning if your symptoms are linked to ADHD, MDD, or both. The NCRS (National Comorbidity Replication Study) found that having either ADHD or MDD made it three times more likely for you to have both conditions together. Fortunately, there are ways to determine which condition your symptoms link to, these include:
Individual Age â the DSM-V requires ADHD to be present by age 12 and the average onset of MDD is around 18, therefore itâs believed that symptoms which appear before puberty are almost always due to ADHD and an individual with both conditions will tend to see ADHD symptoms in early childhood and MDD symptoms later in life.
Mood Triggers â distinct, instant, passionate, and strong emotional mood shifts related to life events are commonplace for those with ADHD. MDD mood shifts tend to come and go without any connection to life events.
Rapidity of Mood Shift â moving from one state to another can happen instantaneously with ADHD, described as âcrashesâ, or âsnapsâ whereas, with MDD, the untriggered mood shifts can take weeks to move from one state to another.
Time Span of Mood Shift â ADHD mood shifts typically change rapidly depending on their circumstances. MDD moods can linger for weeks without a break.
Consistency of Symptoms â ADHD symptoms are always present whereas MDD symptoms tend to appear in lengthy episodes.
Family History â both conditions run in families. MDD tend to have a family history whereas those with ADHD will find they have a family tree with multiple cases of ADHD.
Are Depression and ADHD Commonly Linked?
Most people with ADHD will experience secondary or reactive depression in relation to coping with their symptoms in a neurotypical world. They could find that they suffer mentally because of trying to fit in with undiagnosed or untreated ADHD, as ADHD and MDD tend to overlap.
Treatment and Medication.
Many practitioners will treat ADHD first upon reports that once a stimulant medication has been administered, the individualâs mood lifts. An antidepressant can also be prescribed alongside stimulant medication to treat depression. Antidepressants work slowly and stay in the system for a while which means that it can take around ten to fourteen days to see benefits and eight to ten weeks to see the full benefit.
Itâs vital when assessing both conditions that the clinician understands the individual's type of depression, whether itâs reactive or MDD, as treating the wrong type of depression can lead to years of failed trials on antidepressants, ultimately postponing the treatment of ADHD. Conversely, treating ADHD without recognising MDD can leave the patient without the energy to learn how to manage their ADHD.
How an ADHD Assessment and Diagnosis Could Transform Your Life.
Treatment and medication for ADHD and depression are incredibly helpful tools, on top of this, gaining a comprehensive ADHD assessment and diagnosis, to understand your ADHD and depression, can be a game changer.
ADHD alone can impact careers, relationships, and personal development and with primary or secondary depression, life can feel incredibly hard but there is an answer. This is where Beyond comes in.
Beyond Clinics: Private ADHD Clinic in Manchester.
Here at Beyond, we believe that those struggling with ADHD and the numerous comorbid conditions that can come with it, should not only lead a healthy and prosperous life, but they should also excel. And they can.
Our comprehensive ADHD assessments for adults and children take a personalised approach by experienced mental health specialists. If depression is a primary or secondary condition to your ADHD, our team will strive to understand you and your family history to develop a plan tailored to you and your specific needs.
ADHD and MDD donât have to be merely âput up withâ. Contact our private ADHD clinic in Manchester today and start the journey into your best self.
