Many women with ADHD also struggle with anxiety. Why do the symptoms of these conditions often go hand in hand? If you’re living with ADHD, it can be difficult to keep up with all of your responsibilities. You may put more pressure on yourself to perform at a high standard, or you might worry about forgetting important tasks and letting people down. You might also find yourself stressing out about mistakes that you’ve made, or comparing yourself to other people who aren’t dealing with your symptoms.
Women in particular are often held to unfair standards, and those with ADHD may fear falling short of those expectations. If you’re a woman dealing with both ADHD and anxiety, here are a few suggestions for managing your symptoms.
Identify Your Triggers
First, take some time to identify your specific anxiety triggers. What kinds of situations or events make you feel deeply anxious? When do you generally start getting stressed out? As an alternate perspective, you should also consider what makes you feel calm and grounded.
In what kinds of circumstances do you feel relaxed and centered? If you’re having trouble figuring out your triggers, it’s a good idea to talk to a therapist for insight and guidance.
Practice Healthy Habits
It’s not always easy to stick to healthy habits when you have ADHD, but this is another area where a therapist can help you nail down routines that truly work for you. When you’re eating a healthy diet, getting exercise on a regular basis, and keeping your house clean and tidy, you’ll feel balanced, which will help reduce your anxiety levels. You might also want to enlist a friend to act as an accountability buddy.
For example, you could schedule gym sessions together or block off a few hours to study together each week.
Use Organizational Systems
People with ADHD often rely on organized systems to stay on track with their routines. You may want to try out different tools, like a planner, calendar, or app with alarms and notifications. It can take time to figure out a system that works best for you, but it’s definitely worth experimenting with. When you know that you’re handling your responsibilities in an organized fashion, you’ll likely notice lower levels of anxiety.
Get Comfortable Saying “No”
Women are often pressured to over-schedule themselves. You might feel like everyone expects you to automatically pitch in when they need help – and you’re made to feel guilty if you turn them down. Of course, it’s nice to help out your loved ones when they need someone to lean on. But when you’re living with ADHD, taking on too many commitments can heighten your anxiety and worsen your symptoms. Instead of trying to spread yourself too thin, resist the urge to be a people pleaser. Get comfortable with telling people “No” when your schedule is already busy enough.
Improve Your Sleep Schedule
Finally, it’s time to focus on fixing your sleep schedule. Settling into a comfortable, predictable evening routine and morning routine can help you sleep easily each night and feel refreshed at the start of each new day.
When you’re exhausted, you’re far more likely to struggle with worse anxiety symptoms. Chances, you’ll find that exhaustion makes your ADHD symptoms worse, too. It might be even harder to focus and concentrate during the day, and you may feel irritable or stressed about minor inconveniences. By going to bed and waking up at reasonable times, you’ll have an easier time managing ADHD and anxiety.
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Are you struggling to cope with ADHD and anxiety? Working with a therapist can help. Reach out to us today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.