ADHD adults are 3 times more likely to experience depression than their peers

One of those statistics that stops you in your tracks: depression is - according to the recent Nature study - 3 times more common for people with ADHD than those without.

I have had repeated episodes of depression - and I am very honest about that - and I know that since getting treatment for ADHD, my experience of it has changed enormously.

But are you guaranteed to get depression (clinical depression, not just feeling sad) if you have ADHD? What is the connection?

It’s not just the Nature study - one study at the University of Chicago reported that adolescents with ADHD are ten times more likely to suffer from depression than adolescents without an ADHD diagnosis. (see below).

Even more surprisingly - at least until you think about it - people with an inattentive presentation of ADHD are at a higher risk of depression.

Isn’t ADHD a ‘superpower’ these days?

Let’s look at the most common symptoms reported in depression:

• Depressed or low mood

• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

• Trouble paying attention and concentrating

• Fatigue

• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt

• Weight loss or gain

• Excessive sleep or insomnia

• Psychomotor impairment

• Thoughts of suicide*

• Irritability, impulsivity and increased anger in children and teens.

And many more.

*Please seek urgent help if you have thoughts of self-harm or ending your life. Do not wait to feel better.

Higher experience of depression suddenly makes sense and so many of the traits are the same.

The daily difficulties of life when we can’t focus, get started and feel good about our achievements, are all part of the impact of ADHD on children, teens and adults - especially of inattentive ADHD which tends to have more ‘rumination’ (when we go inward and go over our negative experiences.)

This is not medical advice and should not be used in place of seeing a qualified healthcare professional -

There are some distinctions between ADHD and depression that can help you try and decide what’s happening for you or your family member.

For example, a depressed person find they can’t feel interested in most activities and have no motivation, but a person with ADHD might not manage to start a task or organising one. A person with ADHD may have low moods triggered by particular events, whereas a person with depression can experience a low mood for weeks or months at a time, often for no particular reason.

It is possible to have BOTH - and undiagnosed, untreated ADHD can cause ongoing problems that can trigger depression.

What can we do about it? (since this will be a topic I return to in future, I’m keeping this short and focusing on actions:

1. If you have thoughts of self-harm, suicide or other self-endangering behaviours, please find urgent psychiatric help from a qualified medical service or professional. (There are lists of support organisations for young people in this blog post).

2. Arrange to see your GP to have a discussion about depression and establish if the problem is depression AND ADHD or Depression caused by untreated/unsupported ADHD - or inattentive ADHD.

3. If you are prescribed medication, take it regularly. Do not white knuckle reducing medication without advice and do whatever you have to so that they are the first thing you do every morning.

4. Increase your daily exercise. This doesn’t have to be going to a gym (although weight training is always a good idea) - up to one hour of daily walk, ideally outside, is associated with improved mental health. (Of course it’s hard to get started when we are depressed so ask your GP if they can prescribe exercise or other activities alongside medication).

5. Add in as many of the other supports for ADHD as possible: social support and connection; varied food with as much protein containing Tyrosine as healthy; mindfulness or other stress reducing strategies, etc.

6. When you feel no joy in ANY activity, please see your GP as quickly as you can. While you might be in burn-out (more on that in future), it’s important to rule out clinical depression or other health risks.

7. Practice self-compassion. It sounds wooly and soft but self-compassion - as described and taught by Dr Kristen Neff - has a big impact on how we experience ruminative, inward looking thoughts. We know these are much higher in ADHD adults, so their tone and word choice have a significant weight in our mood every day.

Please see below for the articles referenced above, recommended reading and of course a link to Dr Neff’s self-compassion resources.

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https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-among-children.shtml

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml

http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2010/20101004-adhd.html

http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/486396

https://rdcu.be/dnP71 (Nature Article)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8381237/

Recommended Reading:

• Undoing Depression - Dr Richard O’Connor

• Fierce Self-Compassion - Dr Kristen Neff