ADHD can aggravate stress and stress can aggravate ADHD. Girls are particularly vulnerable to developing anxiety disorders, but researchers have recently discovered something that can help slow down – or prevent – develop these types of disorders.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have found new associations between ADHD and anxiety, which are two important health issues among adolescents. The two disorders often coexist in people and recent findings now reveal that the relationship between them seems to be different in girls and boys.
Apparent differences between girls and boys
There are several types of ADHD and researchers’ findings are associated with a particular type called careless guy. A higher percentage of girls has this kind of ADHD. Boys often have a different type of ADHD called the Overseas-assault type. Some people can have both.
First of all, we found a connection between stress and the careless ADHD type and we find that this is true for girls only. ”
Professor Lars Wichstrøm, Department of Psychology
Surprised by the big differences
This is the first time that researchers have explored – and proved – that the relationship between ADHD and anxiety varies with gender and that it is associated with carelessness.
“We assumed that there were gender differences, but we didn’t expect them to be so important,” Wichstrøm said.
He stresses that they have studied carelessness as a symptom of ADHD and not as ADHD as a disorder.
Mutual relationship
The two disorders seem to reinforce each other. In girls, the prevalence of carelessness increases the likelihood of more severe symptoms of anxiety disorders during childhood and adolescence. In addition, stress during adolescence increases the likelihood of deterioration of carelessness.
The researchers did not find such a correlation between carelessness and anxiety in boys. However, they found that increased hyperactivity-aggression in the early years of school increased the likelihood of anxiety development.
Previous detection
Anxiety disorders increase significantly during adolescence, especially for girls. The NTNU study concludes that early detection and effective treatment of carelessness in girls can reduce the risk of stress later in life. Similarly, interventions or treatment for stress can reduce the chance of difficulty distraction to become more serious in young girls.
It is known that ADHD and stress often coexist in people. According to Wichstrøm, only a small part of this co -institution can be explained by the common genetics between ADHD and anxiety. We also know that the intensity of the ADHD symptoms and anxiety can vary over time.
However, we do not know why this is happening.
Under the radar
On average, 5 % of children and adolescents have ADHD, both in Norway and other countries where it has been studied.
Stress is significantly increased in children already 12 years. If we can detect carelessness problems before this age, possibly already 8 years old, we may be able to reduce or prevent them from developing stress.
Girls with careless ADHD are often regarded as shy, introverted, absences and daydreaming – or even lazy. As children, they often go under the radar because they rarely cause any problem or disturb others. The only symptom they have is carelessness and can be difficult to distinguish from the simple ‘normal’ fragmentary, disorganized or forgotten.
Without help
This means that girls often receive the diagnosis later in life. As a result, they lose interventions that could help reduce the later development of stress, according to Wichstrøm.
The superractive offensive ADHD is more widespread in boys. It is easier to see and listen to people who are struggling with anxiety and hyperactivity, who cannot sit real estate or wait for their turn. Thus, they tend to be detected earlier, receive a diagnosis and help faster.
Struggle and exclusion
Children struggling with basic skills can experience exclusion, intimidation and other stressful challenges.
“Personal and social challenges can easily lead to flames, anxiety, anxiety and destruction, it seems that girls are more vulnerable when exposed to negative events or intimidation, they are more likely to respond to depression by boys,” explained Wichstrøm, who has been expanding the research.
ADHD is detected through anxiety
Researchers still do not know if there are ordinary factors that conceal and affect why some people develop both stress and ADHD. What they know is that the older one is a person when diagnosed, the more common for them to have careless ADHD type.
“In general, as young people are approaching adolescence, the prevalence of stress increases significantly – especially among the girls and only at this point is ADHD detected,” Wichstrøm explained.
Looking for early signs
NTNU researchers hope that their findings can prove the importance of early detection of ADHD in children.
“Stress is significantly increased in children already 12 years old. If we can detect carelessness before this age, possibly aged 8 years old, we may be able to reduce or prevent them from growing in stress,” Wichstrøm said.
NTNU researchers emphasize the need for more knowledge of the complex connections between sex, ADHD and anxiety. An additional step could be the confirmation of the findings they have done in an even greater study. Wichstrøm would like to see further research on the much younger girls.
Helping people with ADHD
Wichstrøm is fully aware of the discussion about the over -diagnosis of ADHD. He says it is very likely that too many people may come up with a diagnosis.
“But we still have to try to truly detect ADHD wherever there is and help those who have it,” he said.
They studied 1000 children and their parents
The NTNU study is an observation study. It is based on information from 1000 children born in 2003 and 2004 and their parents. Participants have attended every other year since children were 4 years old until they are 18. They are now young adults, turning 22 this fall.
The study is part of Mojtaba Habibi Asgarabad’s doctoral work and is part of the early study of Trondheim Early Secure (Tess). Recently published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
