Anxiety Counseling for ADHD Children

Teaching skills for managing ADHD and anxiety

Maybe you have wondered which came first the ADHD or the anxiety… often times they are what we call “comorbid,” meaning they go hand in hand. ADHD children frequently also have diagnoses of anxiety, depression, learning disabilities or OCD, which is why we will do a thorough evaluation to help you better understand your child’s anxiety.

If you have tried therapy before and found it unhelpful, it may have been that your child has an undiagnosed overlapping condition that are affecting or impacting your child’s ADHD. At Dandelion Family Counseling, we don’t just focus on one aspect, we specialize in both areas and how they impact your child.

Frequently, children present in our office with a misdiagnosis. Your child might already have an ADHD diagnosis- but medications, therapies and support have not been effective. Maybe your child is suspected or diagnosed with anxiety- but there are other issues that aren’t quite explained by just anxiety. Or maybe your child has already been correctly diagnosed as both ADHD and anxiety, and you’re ready to work with an expert to discover strategies to overcome these symptoms.

Anxiety is not secondary to ADHD and how it impacts your child. Think of it as two separate conditions that increase the severity of both. Unfortunately, it is so easy to assume the symptoms of one are a side effect of the other. The reality, as you treat the ADHD, it will typically become even more obvious that your child is also incredibly anxious.

➤ ADHD and anxiety in children

The anxiety is amplified! Your hyperactive, unfocused, typically struggling child is also hyper aware of just how different they are. They try all day to act the right way. They invest all of their energy into being good for the teacher so by the time they are home they are exhausted and may melt into an emotional mess. Anxiety is different for ADHD kids because their brain works directly against them- because of their anxiety they become aware that others are “better” than them. In reality, their peers might not have to invest as much energy into the positive behavior. To your child, they may feel they are always failing, never good enough and over all, just behind.

Having ADHD can cause anxiety because of struggling with time management, executive functioning, school performance and social dynamics.

➤ What are examples of child anxiety?

Feelings of worthlessness
Comparing yourself to others
Excessive worrying that causes significant distress
Irrational fears
Avoiding situations due to threat or worry
Decreased ability to focus due to being stuck or paralyzed
Difficulty with changes or transitions because they fear the uncertainty

➤ What does anxiety look like?

Temper tantrums
Meltdowns
Crying
Ruminating
Hyper-focusing
Overthinking
Tangents
Stimming behavior
Fidgeting
Avoiding eye contact
OCD behaviors
Stomach aches and other physical symptoms
Difficulty falling asleep

➤ What are common words kids use?

Worry
Fear
Anxiety
Nightmares
My tummy hurts
I feel sick
I don’t want to go to school
The teacher doesn’t like me
No one likes me
I’m dumb
It doesn’t matter
What if…
(Asking lots of questions in general)
I can’t do it
Don’t leave me
No one wants to play with me
And so much more

So, is it anxiety or ADHD or both?

There is a fine line between is it anxiety or the natural traits of anxiety that go along with a diagnosis of ADHD. The best way to determine this is by working with an expert on anxiety. This is where we come in! We use play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and parenting support to treat both conditions.

The Dandelion Difference

We do our best to make the process of therapy exactly what you need.

Yoga and Mindfulness

Social Skills Classes

Weekly Parent Sessions

Teacher Recommendations

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Written Accommodations

Due to our intensive parenting support process, in addition to individual weekly child sessions, weekly parenting sessions are expected at the beginning of therapy. The duration of these sessions depends on the level of distress in the family and the level of parenting needs. With meeting weekly, many families meet their goals in 6-8 months!