Is there a Connection between Adult ADHD and Depression?
Nearly 25 percent of people with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are also diagnosed with depression. The symptoms of ADHD and Depression may be so similar that one of the conditions may not be diagnosed right away. Years ago if you were diagnosed with ADHD and you were depressed, the medical professionals didn’t pay it much attention because they believed if your symptoms of ADHD got better that your depression symptoms would go away. Now after much research, it is known that ADHD and depression are two separate illnesses.
Because the symptoms of ADHD and Depression overlap, it is difficult to treat the ADHD and the depression at the same time. The medications used to treat the ADHD sometimes cause their depression symptoms to get worse. If you have ADHD and depression, your doctor may make your primary diagnosis depression, and your secondary diagnosis ADHD. The idea is to treat the depression first and reduce or alleviate those symptoms and then treat the ADHD.
It is important to get the depression treated first, because when depression and ADHD coexist, there is a risk of behavior disorders, such as anti-social or aggressive behavior and conduct disorders. There is also a risk for thoughts of suicide. Because so many people have depression co-existing with ADHD, many mental health professionals believe that adults diagnosed with ADHD should also be evaluated for depression. The risks to the individual are just too high to ignore the possible undiagnosed depression associated with ADHD.
Signs of depression in adults with ADHD are the same as with other adult individuals with depression. If you have ADHD, and you notice a significant unintentional weight loss or weight gain, as well as changes in sleep patterns. If you have additional symptoms, such as fatigue, apathy, and/or you have no feelings of self-worth you may be depressed. If you do have ADHD and you do have these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible. If you do have depression, your doctor can treat you with depression drugs, such as the SSRI antidepressants, Tricyclics , and MAO inhibitors.
The SSRI antidepressants will help to bring your brain chemistry back into balance. Tricyclics are antidepressants that block the neurotransmitters in your brain. With Tricyclics, you may feel like you can’t feel any emotion. There are also MAO inhibitors are not widely used unless the SSRI and Tricyclics antidepressants don’t work.
Mental health counseling can be very effective for people with ADHD and depression. With counseling, individuals are able to learn new coping skills, which are good tools to use to change how they react to stress. If you have had a mental health counselor and you feel he or she isn’t helping you, don’t give up. It is recommended that you try at least 3 counselors before you give up. If you are not getting any benefit from counseling notify your doctor, so that some other type of treatment can be tried to treat your depression symptoms.
If antidepressants and other types of treatment has not helped relieve the depression symptoms, the health care professional may suggest electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). If you are treated with ECT, you will be put under general anesthesia. Electrodes will be fastened to your head, and a small electrical current will be passed through the electrodes into your brain. As a form of treatment for depression, ECT is a controversial treatment, but it does seem to be effective for many individuals who would otherwise not respond to treatment.
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