Distinguishing and Treating Two Overlapping Conditions in Haverhill, MA
Many people feel distracted, overwhelmed, restless, or emotionally drained — but when do those symptoms point to a deeper clinical condition?
Both Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders share overlapping traits, often leading to confusion in diagnosis and treatment. While they may appear similar on the surface, ADHD and anxiety have distinct neurological roots, emotional impacts, and therapeutic needs.
Serenity at Summit New England, located in Haverhill, Massachusetts, provides short-term residential mental health treatment for both ADHD and anxiety-related conditions. We specialize in comprehensive diagnostics and individualized care for adults navigating attention challenges, emotional dysregulation, and chronic stress.
What Is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person’s ability to regulate attention, impulses, activity levels, and task management. While it begins in childhood, many individuals reach adulthood without a diagnosis, especially women and high-functioning professionals.
Common symptoms of ADHD include:
- Difficulty sustaining attention or following through on tasks
- Frequent procrastination or distraction
- Impulsivity (interrupting, decision-making, spending)
- Forgetfulness and misplacing items
- Hyperactivity or mental restlessness
- Emotional reactivity or mood swings
What Is an Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety disorders involve excessive worry, fear, or nervous system hyperactivation. These symptoms may occur in response to specific situations (phobias), social settings (social anxiety), or persist across all areas of life (generalized anxiety disorder).
Common symptoms of anxiety include:
- Excessive fear or worry that’s difficult to control
- Restlessness or feeling “on edge”
- Racing thoughts, overanalyzing, or catastrophizing
- Physical symptoms like nausea, rapid heartbeat, or tension
- Avoidance of feared situations
- Trouble sleeping or relaxing
ADHD vs. Anxiety: Shared Symptoms, Different Roots
Both ADHD and anxiety can cause:
- Poor concentration
- Sleep difficulties
- Fidgeting or restlessness
- Emotional outbursts or withdrawal
But the reasons behind these symptoms differ. In ADHD, the issue is rooted in executive functioning — the brain’s ability to manage attention, plan, and regulate impulses. In anxiety, the issue stems from emotional overdrive and fear of perceived future threats.
How ADHD and Anxiety Are Misdiagnosed
It’s common for ADHD to be mistaken for anxiety, and vice versa. This is especially true in adults, where masking behaviors and life pressures blur clinical patterns.
For example:
- An adult with ADHD may appear anxious due to poor time management and missed deadlines.
- A person with anxiety may seem forgetful or scattered due to racing thoughts and mental fatigue.
Misdiagnosis can lead to ineffective treatment. Treating anxiety alone in someone with underlying ADHD may leave executive dysfunction unresolved. Likewise, prescribing stimulants for presumed ADHD may worsen anxiety symptoms in a patient who has been misdiagnosed.
Clinical Comparison Table
| Feature | ADHD | Anxiety Disorder |
|---|---|---|
| Root Cause | Overactivation of the threat/fear response system | Disorganization, distraction, and impulsivity |
| Primary Concern | Worry, fear of consequences, and overthinking | Worry, fear of consequences, overthinking |
| Internal Dialogue | “Why can’t I focus or follow through?” | “What if I fail? What will go wrong?” |
| Common Emotional Patterns | Shame, frustration, self-blame | Fear, tension, guilt |
| Response to Stimulants | Often helpful | Can worsen symptoms |
| Onset | Childhood (diagnosed late in some) | Usually adolescence or adulthood |
The Role of Emotional Dysregulation
Both ADHD and anxiety disorders are linked to difficulty managing emotions. People may cry easily, lash out, withdraw, or spiral into self-criticism. This emotional dysregulation is especially prominent in women with ADHD, whose symptoms are more internalized (e.g., anxiety, perfectionism, people-pleasing) than the hyperactivity seen in boys.
How ADHD Looks Different in Adults
ADHD in children is often marked by fidgeting, blurting out, or bouncing off the walls. In adults, it looks more like:
- Task paralysis and chronic procrastination
- Relationship conflict due to impulsivity or forgetfulness
- Financial disorganization or poor planning
- Underachievement despite intelligence or potential
Because of these subtler signs, many adults — especially women — aren’t diagnosed until years of frustration and failed coping lead them to seek help for “anxiety.”
FAQ: Can You Have Both ADHD and Anxiety?
Yes — and it’s common.
In fact, research shows that:
- About 50% of people with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder
- People with both conditions often face more severe impairments
Treating both requires nuanced care. If anxiety is ignored, worry may sabotage progress. If ADHD is ignored, disorganization and low confidence can perpetuate anxiety. Serenity at Summit treats both together, giving patients the tools to regain focus and calm.
Our Approach at Serenity at Summit
We begin with an in-depth psychiatric assessment to explore attention, mood, trauma, and past treatment responses. Then, we tailor each treatment plan with:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): For both attention and anxiety restructuring
- Executive functioning coaching: Daily planning, task breakdowns, accountability
- Medication management: Personalized balancing of stimulants, SSRIs, or non-stimulants
- Mindfulness and grounding: Tools for distress tolerance and nervous system regulation
- Group therapy: To reduce shame and gain support from others with similar struggles
Why Serenity at Summit in Haverhill?
We are one of the only mental health-only residential programs in Massachusetts. We do not require a substance use diagnosis, allowing us to focus entirely on psychiatric healing.
Benefits of our Haverhill, MA facility:
- Skilled team specializing in ADHD and anxiety care
- Safe, quiet environment away from daily stressors
- Length of stay between 21 and 35 days for stabilization and transformation
- Full aftercare planning with local outpatient connections
You Deserve Quality Treatment to Help You Recover
If you’ve spent years asking why you can’t keep up, why you’re always anxious, or why it’s so hard to stay organized or calm, you’re not alone. Whether your primary challenge is ADHD, anxiety, or both, we’re here to help you understand your brain and build a better life around it.
📍 Address: 61 Brown Street, Haverhill, MA 01830
📞 Call: 978-312-9830
🌐 Website: www.serenityatsummit.com
Contact Serenity At Summit
Let’s get clarity. Let’s get calm. Contact Serenity at Summit today for a confidential residential assessment and begin your recovery journey in Haverhill, MA.
ADHD and anxiety don’t define you, and you don’t have to navigate them alone.
