• anxiety can be because of ADHD, in addition to ADHD or from ADHD meds, or from meds wearing off during the day

Anxiety, or worrying is common in ADHD. It can occur because you’re constantly forgetting things and running late and performing poorly, but it can also happen as you work harder not to make mistakes. You may not look ADHD, but it’s costing you to ‘fake’ it. You wouldn’t expect a stimulant to reduce anxiety, but if it makes it easier to function well, it usually does.

Stimulants may cause agitation or edginess, but they typically don’t increase worrying and if they do, it’s an adverse side effect that needs to be dealt with. Anxiety as a side effect of stimulants is both dose dependent and very often is only a problem in the early weeks or maybe months of treatment.

Worrying about screwing up can be based on a track record of often doing so – and the fear is realistic – the ADHD needs better treatment. Worrying about making mistakes when you don’t have a history of doing so, when the fear is unrealistic, or just plain excessive compared to the risk of making mistakes is a sign of generalized anxiety disorder or possibly obsessive compulsive disorder.