While racing thoughts are most commonly described in people with bipolar disorder and sleep apnea, they are also common with anxiety disorders, OCD, and other psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Those with ADHD often struggle with racing thoughts, making it difficult for them to complete tasks and focus on responsibilities. These may be caused by a multitude of factors and can negatively impact a person's daily functioning.
"Frequent racing thoughts may be related to anxiety disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), trauma, or other mental health issues that need exploring," says Fabrett.
The interesting thing is that if the people in your life knew about these thoughts you were having they would be shocked. They see you as the smart, funny and energetic person that you are. The type of overthinking is a result of the creative, active ADHD brain, rather than Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
At times ADHD may be misdiagnosed as OCD, or OCD may be misdiagnosed as ADHD, or one is diagnosed while the other remains missed. Interestingly, they appear as opposite conditions in some ways as these conditions lay at opposite ends of the impulsive-compulsive continuum.
Adderall and other stimulant medications are not a first-line treatment for OCD. In some anecdotal cases, they may worsen OCD symptoms. There is also a higher risk of dependency. However, doctors commonly prescribe them for people who have both OCD and ADHD.
Stimulant treatment for ADHD, for example, may exacerbate OCD symptoms. As stimulants increase attention and focus, they may also lead an individual with comorbid OCD to focus more on the obsessive thought.
Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and repetitive thoughts that can be distressing or disturbing. They can take many forms, such as worries, doubts, or even violent or taboo images.
People struggling with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) are often misdiagnosed as having other psychological conditions. One of the most common misdiagnoses for this population is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This diagnostic problem arises for two reasons.
The most common class of effective medications are antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). They include fluvoxamine (Luvox), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), and paroxetine (Paxil).
ADHD Medications: Stimulant medications like Adderall can improve the focus of sufferers of ADHD and reduce racing thoughts.
The conditions most commonly linked to racing thoughts are bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, sleep deprivation, amphetamine dependence, and hyperthyroidism.
Explore medication options. ADHD medication can help children and adults with ADHD approach their challenges and symptoms with more ease, one of which may be ruminating thoughts. So, medication for ADHD may aid with negative thought patterns, and help you get things back on track.
One way to practice mindfulness when racing thoughts ADHD has you off-center, is to take a deep breath, ask yourself what your focus should be in that moment (ex: going to sleep), actively release any tension in your body, and take another deep breath.
When a person experiences stress or anxiety, their thoughts can race, leading to feelings of overwhelm and confusion. In individuals with ADHD, stress and anxiety can also exacerbate symptoms such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattention, making it even more difficult to control racing thoughts.
Primarily obsessional OCD has been called "one of the most distressing and challenging forms of OCD." People with this form of OCD have "distressing and unwanted thoughts pop into [their] head frequently," and the thoughts "typically center on a fear that you may do something totally uncharacteristic of yourself, ...
The obsessive–compulsive spectrum is a model of medical classification where various psychiatric, neurological and/or medical conditions are described as existing on a spectrum of conditions related to obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD).
With ADHD, that part of the brain is always turned on, which causes the endless look of intrusive thoughts to replay in your head like a bad song. In short, when you have ADHD and your Default Mode Network region is wired neurodivergent, it makes your mind wander on a continuous loop.
If you are someone who has ADHD, you may be more prone to intrusive thoughts. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts that pop into your head and cause a great deal of anxiety. They can be disturbing and make it difficult to focus on anything else.
The thoughts a person with ADHD tend to jump without stopping to worry about the details. Additionally, many people with ADHD report feeling more relaxed when they're most active, so this activity stream can often be comforting. This lack of inhibition in thought can also result in more tangential connections.
For a person with OCD, Adderall may create more restlessness and irritability that is already present. OCD patients may become more agitated about their compulsions and focus more energy on obsessing over these compulsions. Some other effects that can occur may include: Nervousness.
While the most common comorbid disorder of OCD is depression, others include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), panic disorder (PD), autism, eating disorders (ED), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Thirty to 50 percent of individuals with ADHD also have a learning disability, difficulty regulating emotions (anxiety, mood disorder), anger, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and/or a tic disorder.