Adults with ADHD are more likely to suffer from mental illness than doctors expected

• Researchers analyzed responses from adult questionnaires to determine the relationship between ADHD traits and autism characteristics, as well as mental issues.
• Researchers wanted to know how traits of ADHD and autism increase symptoms of mental illness.
• After analyzing the responses, researchers concluded that officials should raise awareness of the impact ADHD has on mental health. They believe that people who have ADHD are more likely than others to internalize the struggles they face.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects many people, from childhood to adulthood. ADHD is often accompanied by other conditions such as mental disorders.

Autism, also known as “autism range disorder” (ASD), can share some traits with ADHD. Autism manifests in various ways, and some people experience more severe symptoms.

Professional healthcare providers might consider that people with ADHD may have more daily difficulties than those with autism.

Researchers at the University of Bath, Bristol and Cardiff and King’s College London, all located in the United Kingdom, wanted to determine whether or not people with traits of ADHD or autism experience symptoms of mental issues such as depression, anxiety or to what extent they do.

The researchers found through the analysis of questionnaires that people with ADHD traits are more likely than those with autism to internalize mental problems.

The study results are published in the journal Scientific reportsTrusted Source.

 

ADHD Overview

ADHD is often diagnosed as early as four years.

ADHD is characterized by hyperactivity and inattention. Other symptoms of ADHD include being impulsive, making careless errors, and having difficulty with executive function.

A recent study (Trusted Source) estimates that 6.76 % of adults worldwide have symptoms of ADHD.

Dr. Krista Jordon, a clinical psychology at Choosing Therapy, in Austin, TX spoke to Medical News Today about the connection between ADHD and depression. Dr Jordan said that the short-allele variant of the 5HTTLPR Serotonin transport gene could play a part.

Dr. Jordan explained that people with the short-allele are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. This same short-allele variant of the 5-HTTLPR has been linked with increased emotional sensitivity .”

Some providers may treat ADHD symptoms using occupational therapies or dietary interventionTrusted Source. Some people will need medication.

Some prescription stimulant and non-stimulant medications include:

• Adderall (amphetamine)
• Ritalin (methylphenidate)
• Concerta (methylphenidate)
• Strattera
• Qelbree (viloxazine).

Untreated ADHD symptoms in some people can lead to mental issues such as depression and anxiety.

There is not enough research on ADHD in adulthood.

The current study was designed to determine whether people who have ADHD tend to internalize the struggles they face.

First, they noted that research on people with ADHD was less available than that of people with autism, and so wanted to restore this balance.

The authors write that “there is a greater emphasis on ASD than ADHD in both clinical practice and research on internalizing disorders.”

Researchers decided that rather than relying solely on diagnostic criteria to determine the struggles faced by people with ADHD or Autism, it would be best to survey the entire population of the U.K.

The participants ranged in age from 18 to 79. The average age of participants was 45. Participants were split almost equally by gender, with 49% males and 51% females.

Four questionnaires were given to participants to evaluate traits associated with autism, ADHD and anxiety.

• The 28-item Short Autism Spectrum Quotient
• The 18-item Adult ADHD Self Report Scale
• The 7-item generalized anxiety disorder scale
• The 9-Item depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire.

Researchers used these to examine the relationship between mental health and autism and ADHD.

 

People with ADHD struggle internally

After analysing the questionnaires, the researchers confirmed their suspicions that people with ADHD internalize and experience anxiety and depression. The authors also noted that people who have ADHD traits internalized issues more than those with autism traits.

According to the lead researcher Luca Hargitai, a doctoral researcher at the University of Bath, “Our findings suggest some of the attention should be shifted from autism towards ADHD.”

Researchers also used computer simulations to run models of their responses, and they got the same results — what the authors called a “100% replicability rate.”

The authors write that “this indicated that ADHD would always dominate ASD as a predictor for internalizing problems on a population level.”

Increasing awareness is critical.

This study’s results can make healthcare providers more aware that people with ADHD traits might also be suffering from anxiety or depression. This increased awareness will increase the chances of successfully treating these issues.

In the clinical population, there is a strong connection between anxiety, depression and ADHD. Allison Chase spoke in an interview Medical News Today. “We often see significant comorbidity among these disorders .”

Dr. Chase holds a PhD in clinical psychology and is regional clinical director of Pathlight Mood and Anxiety Center. She was not a part of the study.

Dr. Chase has also discussed the mechanisms of ADHD and depression.

“The biological component in the aetiology for mental health disorders such as ADHD, depression, and anxiety further supports our observation of these behaviours and symptoms both in children and adults,” said Dr Chase.

She added that “both mental health symptoms such as anxiety, depression and ADHD co-occur.”

Dr. David Feifel is a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of California, San Diego. He was not involved in this research.

“This study confirms that ADHD increases the likelihood that an individual will develop a mental condition like anxiety or depression,” Dr. Feifel stated.

In my experience, adult depression and anxiety can directly relate to ADHD symptoms they’ve been dealing with since childhood. Many adults with undiagnosed ADHD are seeking help for depression and anxiety. They and their psychiatrists do not recognize that ADHD underlies and drives these conditions. This is partly because ADHD in adulthood is difficult to diagnose and identify unless doctors know what to look for.

About Author