ADHD vs. Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference
ADHD vs. Anxiety: Why These Two Conditions Are So Often Confused
Many people who come to our clinic are unsure whether they’re struggling with ADHD, anxiety, or both. The symptoms can look incredibly similar, and it’s common for people to feel frustrated or confused when trying to make sense of their experiences. In fact, ADHD and anxiety frequently overlap—and each one can make the other harder to recognize.
Understanding the difference matters. The right diagnosis not only brings clarity, but it also shapes what treatment will actually help. This blog breaks down the key differences, explains the overlap, and shows how a comprehensive evaluation can finally bring answers.
Why ADHD and Anxiety Often Look the Same
ADHD and anxiety affect different parts of the brain, but the outward symptoms can appear nearly identical. Many people with either condition struggle with:
trouble focusing
restlessness
forgetfulness
starting or finishing tasks
feeling overwhelmed
irritability
difficulty organizing
Because these symptoms overlap, it’s easy to assume you have one condition when it may be the other or both.
The Key Difference: “Can't Focus” vs. “Can’t Stop Worrying”
While ADHD and anxiety share similar surface symptoms, the internal experience is usually very different.
⭐ ADHD:
A person with ADHD struggles to regulate attention. Their brain naturally shifts from one idea or stimulus to another. It’s not about worrying—it's about the mind wandering or getting pulled toward something else.
People often describe ADHD as:
“My brain is all over the place.”
“I lose track of time easily.”
“I’ll start a task and suddenly be doing something completely different.”
⭐ Anxiety:
A person with anxiety has trouble regulating worry. The mind locks onto concerns, fears, or what-ifs. Focus problems come from mental overload, not distractibility.
People with anxiety often say:
“I can’t stop thinking about everything that might go wrong.”
“I get overwhelmed and shut down.”
“My thoughts spiral and I can’t focus on anything else.”
The outward behavior might look the same, but the "why" is different.
How Anxiety Interferes With Focus (Mimicking ADHD)
When someone is anxious, the brain goes into threat mode. Even if the person isn’t consciously stressed, their nervous system is on high alert.
This can lead to:
trouble concentrating
difficulty making decisions
forgetfulness
irritability
procrastination
physical restlessness
Anxiety often tricks people into thinking they have ADHD when really their brain is preoccupied with worry, not distraction.
How ADHD Can Create Anxiety
The relationship goes both ways. Untreated ADHD often leads to anxiety because:
tasks pile up
deadlines are missed
people feel they’re constantly “behind”
daily life feels unpredictable
shame and self-doubt grow over time
This creates secondary anxiety—anxiety caused by ADHD-related challenges.
Many adults diagnosed later in life describe years of feeling:
“Why can’t I just get it together?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Why is everything harder for me than everyone else?”
ADHD doesn't just create attention problems; it shapes how a person experiences themselves.
Shared Symptoms: Why Self-Diagnosis Is So Hard
Here are symptoms that both conditions share:
distractibility
trouble starting tasks
restlessness
difficulty focusing in meetings or conversations
mind going blank
sleep problems
irritability
trouble with organization
Because the overlap is so significant, many people misinterpret their symptoms.
This is why online quizzes or short assessments rarely give accurate answers. They measure symptoms, not causes.
Internal vs. External Experience: The Core Difference
Here’s a simple but powerful distinction:
🔹 ADHD: “Nothing holds my attention.”
🔹 Anxiety: “Everything demands my attention.”
One condition pulls the mind outward; the other traps it inward.
Real Examples (De-Identified)
Example 1 — Looks like ADHD, but it’s anxiety:
A woman reports losing focus at work, forgetting appointments, and feeling distracted all day. During evaluation, it becomes clear she is constantly worrying about her performance and replaying conversations in her head. Her attention problems come from mental overload, not attention dysregulation.
Example 2 — Looks like anxiety, but it’s ADHD:
A man reports feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and unable to complete tasks. But his anxiety only appears when he falls behind, something that has happened his whole life due to untreated ADHD. Once ADHD is addressed, the anxiety decreases significantly.
Example 3 — It’s both:
Many clients have both conditions. ADHD affects daily functioning, and anxiety develops as a response to years of feeling “never enough.”
Why Trauma Complicates the Picture Even More
Trauma—especially childhood trauma—can look like ADHD or anxiety. Trauma affects:
attention
memory
emotional regulation
executive functioning
People with trauma histories may appear inattentive or scattered, but the cause is very different.
This is why a comprehensive evaluation is so important.
What a Comprehensive Evaluation Actually Looks At
At our clinic in the Salt Lake City area, we assess:
attention and executive functioning
anxiety and mood disorders
trauma and stress history
sleep, medical, and neurological factors
autism and neurodivergence
learning differences
life context
developmental and family history
Because symptoms never exist in a vacuum.
This is how we determine whether a person is experiencing:
ADHD
anxiety
both
neither
trauma-related attention issues
depression masking as distraction
burnout or chronic stress
A narrowly focused ADHD test simply can’t answer these questions.
Why Getting the Right Diagnosis Matters
A correct diagnosis:
guides the right treatment
prevents unnecessary medication
reduces shame and self-blame
helps relationships
improves work or school functioning
validates your lived experience
gives a clear path forward
Whether someone has ADHD, anxiety, or both, the goal is always the same: clarity, understanding, and meaningful recommendations.
How a Psychological Evaluation Brings Relief
Most clients describe a sense of relief after their evaluation:
“Now everything finally makes sense.”
“I understand why I’ve struggled.”
“I know what to do next.”
An evaluation is not just diagnostic; it is therapeutic. It helps people make sense of patterns that have shaped their lives for years.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
It’s common to feel confused when symptoms overlap, and it’s normal to wonder which condition is affecting you. The truth is that both ADHD and anxiety are highly treatable once properly understood.
If you feel unsure, overwhelmed, or stuck, a comprehensive evaluation can help you finally make sense of what’s going on and give you a clear, compassionate path forward.
