What Is The Connection Between ADHD And Depression?

How we perceive and interact with the world around us depends in large part on our brains. While no one’s brain works in the exact same way, there are some processes and functions that are considered “neurotypical”. This includes certain social skills and the ability to filter out distractions or deal with ambiguity.

Between 10 to 20 % of people do not experience the world through these typical processes and are considered neurodivergent. Neurodivergence of all kinds is strongly linked with a greater risk of depression.

The most common types of neurodiverse conditions include autism spectrum disorders, learning disorders like dyslexia and dyscalculia, and attention deficit disorders.

ADHD is an attention deficit disorder that includes hyperactivity.

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD?

People with ADHD usually experience three types of symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Here are a few examples of how each of these symptoms can appear:

These symptoms start in early childhood and persist into adulthood. Living with ADHD has its ups and downs.

Researchers are still learning about the underlying causes of ADHD. However, there is some evidence that ADHD may result from impaired brain connectivity, especially in the cingulate cortex and possibly the prefrontal cortex, which both control cognition and emotional regulation.

What Is Life with ADHD Like?

The unusual connections in an ADHD brain can make tasks like concentrating or following a conversation extremely difficult. This quote summarizes it best:

Although ADHD is considered a disorder, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have any advantages. In fact, many highly accomplished people have ADHD, including famous musicians, entrepreneurs, actors, and athletes. Of course, there are also millions of regular people with ADHD who also live productive lives.

Still, since the world is primarily designed for neurotypical people, people with ADHD often face problems in their work life and relationships, especially if it is undiagnosed or untreated.

For many people with ADHD, leading a full and healthy life will require some type of treatment, especially if they are also experiencing depression.

What Does Depression Look Like in Someone with ADHD?

Major depressive disorder (depression) is a mood disorder that causes consistent and lasting low mood, loss of interest, and extreme negative thinking.

Depression is comorbid with ADHD. This means that people diagnosed with ADHD have a much higher risk of experiencing major depressive disorder. Their depressive episodes are likely to be more severe and last longer than those of people without ADHD.

Diagnosis can be tricky since some common elements of depression and ADHD overlap, such as irritability and fatigue. Also, some ADHD medications can cause side effects like mood swings and insomnia, which are typical of depression.

So, how can someone with ADHD tell if they are experiencing depression?

One factor is symptom duration. ADHD fatigue is usually temporary, and eases after resting. If feelings of exhaustion last despite following a normal sleeping schedule, it may be related to another condition.

Depression amplifies negative emotions and thoughts, which is not typical of ADHD. A persistent low mood paired with recurring feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and hopelessness can indicate a depressive episode, especially if these feelings last longer than two weeks.

How To Manage ADHD + Depression

Depending on the cause of depression, treating ADHD can sometimes ease or eliminate symptoms. ADHD treatments include:

Prescription medications

• Stimulants- Concerta
• Non-stimulants-Strattera, Intuniv

Psychotherapy

If depression symptoms don’t subside, treatments for major depressive disorder may be recommended. This includes prescription drugs and non-medication treatments.

Antidepressant medications

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like citalopram

Non-medication treatments

• Regular physical exercise
• tDCS: This is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that uses mild electric currents to stimulate activity in the prefrontal cortex. Over time, tDCS reduces depressive symptoms without any severe side effects.

At the moment, tDCS is only approved for depression, but early studies suggest that it might be beneficial for ADHD symptoms as well. More research is needed, but the results look promising.

If you have both ADHD and depression, you can order a tDCS headset from Flow Neuroscience without a prescription. So this means, you will not have to wait for an appointment to begin your treatment.

In order for tDCS to be effective, you must use it 5 times a week for three weeks. ADHD can make it difficult to remember to use the headset. If you would like to try Flow, here are a few ADHD-compatible tips to help you incorporate tDCS into your daily routine.

1.Pair tDCS sessions with an activity you like and do every day.

The Flow headset is hands-free and portable, which means you can do almost anything while completing a session. You can use the headset while playing video games, watching t.v., or reading. There is no need to worry about getting distracted; the device will shut itself off when the session is done.

2. Create a reminder system

There are many ways to remind yourself to use the Flow device. You can leave the headset out where you typically use it. Keeping it in your eye line will make it easier for you to remember to do a session. For best results, your headset should be the only item in that space. You can also place a label on the bin or surface where the Flow headset will “live” to remind you to put it back in that place.

Digital reminders, like apps, digital calendars, or alarm clocks, can notify you when you should start your session. Schedule all the sessions in advance so that the reminders will pop up automatically.

3. Ask for help

If none of these systems work, you can always ask a trusted friend or family member to help you stay on schedule. If you work with a therapist, they also may be able to support you.

Read more about tDCS for depression.