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Study: Adult ADHD and Depression, Anxiety Strongly Linked

Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman • February 16, 2023

ADHD traits are linked to more severe anxiety and depression symptoms in adults than are traits of autism spectrum disorder, according to a new U.K. study that underscores the importance of screening of ADHD comorbidities.


ADHD is a stronger predictor of depression and anxiety in adults than is autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study that suggests patients with attention deficit hyperactive disorder are more likely that autistic patients to experience “internalizing problems” like mood disorder. The study, led by researchers at the University of Bath and published in Scientific Reports, underscores the importance of screening for comorbid conditions in adults with ADHD. 1


As many as 80% of adults with ADHD have at least one co-existing psychiatric disorder.2 According to a recent ADDitude survey of 1,500 readers, anxiety and depression are the two most common comorbid conditions diagnosed alongside ADHD in adults, with co-diagnosis rates of 72% and 70%, respectively.


Despite this high rate of comorbidity, researchers said, “ASD has often been prioritized over ADHD in both research on internalizing problems and clinical practice, particularly for anxiety.”3


Notably, approximately 28% of autistic individuals have ADHD, making it difficult to determine which disorder — ASD or ADHD — more significantly impacts mental health outcomes.2 (The ADDitude reader survey found that 9% of adults with ADHD have ASD.)


Researchers aimed to clarify the associations between self-reported ASD traits and ADHD traits with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression using a general population sample, which included 504 adults from the U.K. (49% male, 51% female) aged 18–79 years.


While the results linked both ASD and ADHD with anxiety and depression, ADHD was a stronger statistical predictor of both mental-health conditions than was ASD. Further analysis confirmed that ADHD traits were associated with more severe anxiety and depression symptoms in adults than were ASD traits.


Researchers “speculate that response inhibition difficulties, which appear to be a cognitive feature of ADHD, may also potentially underpin the stronger association between ADHD traits and internalizing problems.”


To the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study showing ADHD more strongly predicts mental health outcomes in adults than do other neurodevelopmental conditions, like ASD.


“Our finding that ADHD traits dominated ASD traits in predicting internalizing disorder symptoms could inform strategies to identify individuals who are at an increased risk of internalizing problems,” researchers said. “This might allow preventative measures and interventions to be implemented at an earlier age, which, for example, could focus on managing ADHD symptoms for a greater impact on ameliorating internalizing problems and improving mental wellbeing in adults.”


Recognizing complex ADHD (attention deficit plus one or more co-occurring conditions) is of “high clinical importance,” said Theresa Cerulli, M.D., of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the Neuroscience Education Institute, in the ADDitude webinar titled, “Complex ADHD: The New Approach to Understanding, Diagnosing, and Treating Comorbidities in Concert.”


“The presence of co-occurring conditions almost always muddles the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ADHD,” she said. “ADHD and comorbidities may also influence the presentation and severity of one another, which can complicate the detection and treatment of symptoms, and impair overall quality of life.”


Researchers hope the study’s findings will encourage more research probing whether genetics help explain why ADHD traits are more strongly associated with internalizing problems than are autistic traits.



Sources


  • 1Hargitai, L.D., Livingston, L.A., Waldren, L.H. et al. (2023). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Traits Are a More Important Predictor of Internalising Problems Than Autistic Traits. Sci Rep. 13, 31. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26350-4
  • 2Katzman, M. A., Bilkey, T. S., Chokka, P. R., Fallu, A., & Klassen, L. J. (2017). Adult ADHD and Comorbid Disorders: Clinical Implications of a Dimensional Approach. BMC psychiatry. 17(1), 302. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1463-3
  • 3Bishop, D. V. M. (2010). Which Neurodevelopmental Disorders Get Researched and Why? PLoS ONE 5, e15112/
  • 4Young, S. et al. (2021). Failure of Healthcare Provision for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the United Kingdom: A Consensus Statement. Front. Psychiatry 12, 324.

This article originally posted at ADDitude

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Psychiatric disorders linked with higher risk for heart disease, diabetes death

By Brian P. Dunleavy • March 25, 2022
(UPI) -- People with mental health disorders are up to twice as likely to die earlier from chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes than those without them, a study published Thursday by PLOS Medicine found. Among people with psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder and schizophrenia, 21% died within five years of being diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes or breathing problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the data showed. Of those without diagnosed mental health disorders, 9% died within five years of learning they had one of these chronic conditions, the researchers said. Compared with unaffected siblings, people with mental health disorders were about seven times more likely to die within five years of being diagnosed with a chronic physical health condition and nearly nine times more likely to die by suicide within that time frame, according to the researchers. Of all the participants in the study, 7% died of any cause within five years of being diagnosed with a chronic condition and 0.3% died by suicide, they said.  "We used electronic health records to investigate over 1 million patients diagnosed with chronic lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes," study co-author Dr. Seena Fazel said in a press release.

Is Social Media Increasing Eating Disorders In Teens?

By Peter Suciu • March 18, 2022
Teens who spend more time on social media could be far more likely to developing eating disorders. According to new research teens who spend just 30 minutes a day could have increased feelings of anxiety, depression, loneliness and notably poor self-image, the latter of which could lead to unhealthy eating behaviors. Researchers in Australia, lead by Dr. Simon M. Wilksch of Flinders University , looked at the effect that social media had on body image, and the results of the study were published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders. It found that eating disorders "were reported by 51.7% of girls and 45.0% of boys, with strict exercise and meal skipping the most common. A total of 75.4% of girls and 69.9% of boys had at least one SM (social media) account where Instagram was the most common, used by 68.1% of girls and 61.7% of boys." The research found that it wasn't one particular form of social media that could be leading to the eating disorders either. Girls in the study, who may be prone to eating disorders, were more likely to use SnapChat and Tumblr, while boys also used Snapchat, but were more active on Facebook and Instagram. 

Are My COVID-19 Concerns Normal, or Do I Have Illness Anxiety Disorder?

By Michelle Pugle • March 11, 2022
It’s normal to feel concerned about coming down with COVID-19. But if your concern leads to obsessive thoughts about the virus, panic attacks, or crying spells, you could be dealing with illness anxiety disorder. Before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, many people probably recall being out and about in public without significant fears of coming down with an illness. Now that time may seem long in the past. Some amount of worry related to the pandemic is normal, especially when it comes to protecting yourself from the virus. But if you’re constantly feeling distressed or questioning whether even the slightest things happening in your body are signs of COVID-19 or another potentially life-threatening illness, you could be dealing with illness anxiety disorder (IAD), also known as hypochondriasis. If you’re unsure whether you’re experiencing healthy concerns or symptoms of IAD, the difference between the two comes down to a few key factors. 
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