Doctors often mistake ADHD symptoms in adults for mood disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions with overlapping symptoms.
Misdiagnosed ADHD Symptom: Immaturity
But developmental delays and immaturity aren't always related to ADHD — they can point to autism, anxiety disorders, or even sensory processing issues.
The overlap between the symptoms of ADHD and other conditions can also add to the potential for misdiagnosis. As many as 75% of children with ADHD meet the criteria for another diagnosis. About a third of children who have ADHD will also have clinical levels of anxiety.
ADHD vs Anxiety: What's the Difference? The difference between ADHD and anxiety ultimately comes down to whether or not the individual is not focused because of fearful, apprehensive thoughts, or is not focused because of being easily distracted even though their mind is calm.
On the surface, ADHD and anxiety can look similar. It's not uncommon for people with anxiety to be misdiagnosed with ADHD, or vice versa. Take trouble with paying attention, for example. Both anxiety and ADHD can cause people to tune out and get caught up in their emotions — just for different reasons.
If you feel like focusing is a struggle for you, it could be because of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD. It may shock you to learn that an inability to focus is a common ADHD symptom.
Symptoms of ADHD can have some overlap with symptoms of bipolar disorder. With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
Overall, the study found that about 20 percent – or 900,000 – of the 4.5 million children currently identified as having ADHD likely have been misdiagnosed.
ADHD is not overdiagnosed, but it may be often misdiagnosed. Sometimes people think ADHD is overdiagnosed because diagnoses have increased over time. It could be true that some diagnosed people do not really have ADHD. There are college students who fake ADHD to get medications that help them study faster.
Findings. In this systematic scoping review of 334 published studies in children and adolescents, convincing evidence was found that ADHD is overdiagnosed in children and adolescents. For individuals with milder symptoms in particular, the harms associated with an ADHD diagnosis may often outweigh the benefits.
Masking in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) refers to the conscious or subconscious efforts of individuals to hide or suppress their symptoms in order to conform to social expectations or avoid negative judgments and stigmatization.
One type of ADHD masking — known as mirroring — involves intentionally or unintentionally mimicking the speech, movements, or behaviors of someone else. While ADHD mirroring and body doubling may seem similar at first glance, you can work alongside a body double without imitating them in any way.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
Clinicians can designate the severity of ADHD as “mild,” “moderate” or “severe” under the criteria in the DSM-5. Mild: Few symptoms beyond the required number for diagnosis are present, and symptoms result in minor impairment in social, school or work settings.
Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)
having a short attention span and being easily distracted. making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork. appearing forgetful or losing things. being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming.
Doctors often mistake ADHD symptoms in adults for mood disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other conditions with overlapping symptoms. For adults, hyperactivity can be turned inward.
Take, for example, ADHD. While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking.
ADHD and Anxiety Disorders
This is often accompanied by feelings of restlessness, being "keyed up" or constantly on edge, problems with concentration (or mind going blank), sleep disturbances, muscle tension, irritability, fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed.
Some people diagnosed with anxiety find that they also display symptoms of ADHD and vice versa. You may find yourself in a similar situation, wondering what's actually causing your symptoms – ADHD or anxiety. While ADHD and anxiety are very different, a few symptoms may overlap.