ADHD, Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia Treatment in New York & New Jersey

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can cause or worsen anxiety and is seen as a comorbid disorder in approximately a third of those with ADHD. Though hyperactivity in ADHD usually resembles restlessness and physical presentations, the brain is internally hyperactive, and those with ADHD often have racing thoughts that do not stop. Constant thinking can cause severe anxiety as anxious thoughts flow through the brain rapidly.

Additionally, those with ADHD struggle with executive function, a combination of skills needed to perform a task, such as focus, memory, and activation. People with ADHD may feel like they cannot force themselves to perform duties despite wanting to, leading to feelings of inadequacy and failure. These emotions can further cause anxiety surrounding deadlines, organization, and task execution.

This may reflect student expectations and school projects, or it could be seen when routine tasks need doing, like dishes or laundry. This can further lead to social anxiety, as you may begin to worry about what others will think about you and your symptoms.

Those with ADHD often find it difficult to sleep, especially when anxiety is a comorbidity. The brain is hyperactive, and patients may feel they cannot “turn off” thoughts long enough to become restful. With anxiety, these fearful thoughts can make a person feel unsafe, ultimately stimulating the sympathetic nervous system.

This system is more commonly referred to as the flight or fight response; when activated, many biological processes will take place to prepare you for life-saving measures. The sympathetic nervous system is opposite to the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body back down; this is usually referred to as the rest and digest stage. Suppose your flight or fight response is activated by anxiety.

The heart and lungs will work faster, your pupils will dilate, blood will be redistributed from the digestive organs to the skeletal muscles, and hormones like adrenaline will travel through the veins. This is not a restful process, and sleep is tough to achieve when the nervous system is highly aroused. However, there are a few things that you can do to get a better night’s sleep when dealing with these conditions.

Commonly, anti-anxiety medication and regular use of stimulants in the daytime can reduce the negative thoughts racing in your head at night.

Magnesium supplements with vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) have also shown improvements in sleep for those with ADHD. Besides medication, many patients with ADHD have found it helpful to sleep with a podcast, video, audiobook, or white noise to be playing. This is because many ADHD symptoms occur when the brain is under stimulated, meaning there is not enough sensory input to stimulate the brain.

So, when you are experiencing an enjoyable audio sensation, the brain will create dopamine which allows for more optimal functioning and calmness.

It is very common for patients with ADHD to experience insomnia at some point; the prevalence of insomnia may be seen in up to half of ADHD cases. A combination of poor scheduled maintenance, hyperactivity, improper stimulation regulations, and medication is the reason behind most insomnia cases in ADHD.

Insomnia is a sleeping disorder, anxiety is a mental illness, and ADHD is a neurodivergence (atypical neurological function). Sleeping disorders, especially those that result in severe sleep deprivation, such as insomnia, are highly linked to the development of mental illnesses like anxiety. The occurrence of anxiety disorders also increases the chance of developing a sleeping disorder.

ADHD is heavily associated with sleeping disorders and mental illnesses. Though neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD are typically present at birth and are not caused by other diseases, the symptoms are significantly worsened by comorbid disorders such as insomnia and anxiety. These three disorders, or sets of disorders, can be thought of as a triad. When displayed in a triangular formation, you can see how one feeds into another.

Here at Marcellus Wellness and Addiction Services, several mental health and addiction services are offered as well as treatment for ADHD. If you are experiencing anxiety, ADHD, insomnia, or all three, our exceptional team of healthcare providers can help you! So please do not hesitate to contact our office via phone to schedule an appointment or do so online. We serve patients from Rockville Centre NY, Brooklyn NY, Queens NY, Staten Island NY, Manhattan NY, Bronx, NY and surrounding areas.