Key Takeaways
People with ADHD are significantly more likely to also live with depression. Co-occurring depression and ADHD can have more severe symptoms of each condition, and even an increased risk of suicide.
Because ADHD is typically diagnosed in childhood, it often comes before a depression diagnosis. Many ADHD symptoms can make you more vulnerable to depression, including increased stress and poor relationships.
There are therapy methods that can address both conditions and help you overcome them — but first, you need the right diagnoses.
Living with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and depression can make daily life feel especially overwhelming. ADHD can bring challenges with focus, organization, and follow-through — but it often doesn’t occur by itself. Many people with ADHD also experience depression, and research shows they’re nearly three times more likely to do so than people without ADHD. This overlap can happen for several reasons, including shared genetic factors, brain chemistry differences, and the emotional impact of living with untreated ADHD symptoms.
If you’re living with both ADHD and depression, you’re not alone — and support is available. With the right treatment plan, it’s possible to manage symptoms, find stability, and feel more in control of your life.
ADHD vs. depression
ADHD and depression can share a lot of the same symptoms — like low motivation, poor focus, tiredness, and irritability. Because of this symptom overlap, it’s easy to confuse the two.
The main difference is the cause. With ADHD, focus and energy problems come from how your brain manages attention and motivation. With depression, those same difficulties often stem from sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest.
A mental health professional can help you tell the difference. They might use screening tools and they’ll also look at your personal history to rule out other causes, like anxiety or trauma.
Getting clarity can make a big difference — especially if you live with both conditions. Understanding what’s really behind your symptoms is the first step toward feeling better.
What does co-occurring depression and ADHD feel like?
Co-occurring depression and ADHD can be more challenging than living with one or the other. When left untreated, ADHD symptoms can worsen depression symptoms and impact your life in negative ways. Sometimes, depression symptoms — like lack of focus — can also overlap with ADHD.
Sometimes, these conditions overlap so closely that it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. For example, depression can cause trouble concentrating, while ADHD naturally makes it difficult to focus or stay on task.
Some people also live with dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) and ADHD. Dysthymia involves long-term, low-level sadness that lasts for years. When combined with ADHD, it can lead to ongoing exhaustion, low motivation, and difficulty keeping up with everyday life.
People with co-occurring ADHD and depression can experience overlapping symptoms, like:
Low self-esteem: While low self-esteem is often associated with depression, ADHD can make it even worse. ADHD can cause rejection sensitivity dysphoria, which can make you especially vulnerable to any perceived slight or rejection from others.
Social isolation: Depression may cause you to isolate yourself from your loved ones. ADHD can make relationships feel tense and fragile.
Frequent crying: Tearfulness is often associated with depression, but ADHD can also make it difficult to manage strong emotions.
Chronic feelings of failure: When you live with depression, you may already feel a sense of worthlessness due to your condition. Co-occurring ADHD can make these feelings worse, as it might make it harder for you to keep up with others’ expectations.
Difficulty concentrating: Both ADHD and depression can make it challenging to focus. When you live with both, you might find that it’s almost impossible to concentrate on the tasks in front of you.
Executive functioning deficits: Both ADHD and depression can affect your brain’s executive functioning skills, which are complex cognitive skills like planning and impulse control. This can lead to things like ADHD paralysis.
Irritability: Although we tend to associate depression with sadness, it can also make you irritable. ADHD can also cause angry outbursts and feelings of irritation.
Sleep disturbances: Both depression and ADHD can negatively affect sleep. ADHD can make it difficult to get restful sleep. Depression can also cause insomnia, but some people with depression sleep more than usual due to fatigue. If you live with both, you might experience excessive daytime sleepiness.
When ADHD and depression occur together, it can feel like you’re constantly running uphill. But the right diagnosis and treatment plan can help you manage both — and regain balance in your daily life.
Can ADHD cause depression?
The relationship between ADHD and depression is complex, and it’s not accurate to say ADHD is a direct cause of depression. Depression doesn’t have one singular cause. Many risk factors, like genetics and stressful life events, can increase your risk of developing it.
Research has found that ADHD can be a risk factor for depression. People with ADHD are three times more likely to have depression than people without ADHD. ADHD is a condition that’s rooted in your brain’s development, and you must have experienced symptoms during childhood to qualify for a diagnosis. This means that, for most people, ADHD predates depression symptoms.
For example, one study found that young children aged 4 to 6 with ADHD were significantly more likely to have major depressive disorder, dysthymia, or experience a suicide attempt as teenagers. Another found that young adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children were much more likely to have depression.
Women with ADHD are more likely to have co-occurring depression than men. In addition, some research suggests that people with inattentive-type ADHD are more likely to be depressed than those with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD or combined-type ADHD.
There are many things about the ADHD experience that can make you more vulnerable to depression.
Low self-esteem
ADHD can negatively affect your self-esteem. It might be due to the fact that many people still don’t understand the symptoms of ADHD, and you might have been labeled as lazy, inappropriate, or disruptive as a child. You may find it difficult to keep up with adult responsibilities and feel like you’re not meeting your full potential. All of this can lead to a lower self-esteem, which can make you more vulnerable to depression.
Social rejection
ADHD also affects your relationships. Both children and adults with ADHD are often rejected by their peers. Other people may not understand the way your brain works, and you could find it difficult to try to fit in with neurotypical communities. Awareness around ADHD is growing, but we still have a long way to go. If your ADHD has made it difficult for you to build a strong social support network, this can make you at higher risk for depression.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria
Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), though not an official symptom, is a common characteristic of ADHD. Research suggests that it may happen due to brain-structure differences in people with ADHD. RSD causes people with ADHD to experience significant emotional pain when they perceive rejection or failure. When left unaddressed, it could lead to depression.
Emotional dysregulation
ADHD causes emotional dysregulation, or a hard time having self-control over strong emotions. You might sometimes feel completely overwhelmed by painful emotions like loneliness, anger, or hopelessness. These emotional ups and downs can be exhausting to live with, and lead to depression for some people.
Stress
Lastly, living with ADHD can be stressful, especially if you haven’t received diagnosis and treatment. You may be struggling to succeed in a world built for neurotypical brains. Stress has repeatedly been shown to be a risk factor for depression.
What are the health risks of ADHD and depression?
Unfortunately, living with both ADHD and depression is associated with worse health outcomes than living with one or the other. For example, one study found that coexisting ADHD in women was associated with more severe depression symptoms than women who have depression alone.
In addition, women with coexisting ADHD and depression had more severe impairment, which means that they experienced more difficulties with day-to-day activities like work. You might find keeping up with life’s responsibilities, like maintaining relationships, putting in effort at work, and practicing self-care, to be completely overwhelming when you’re dealing with ADHD and depression.
The study also found that people with ADHD were at higher risk of self-harm and suicide and were also more likely to be hospitalized. This means that the combination of untreated depression and ADHD isn’t only uncomfortable, but it also has the potential for further risk factors. If you live with these conditions, you deserve support.
Treating depression and ADHD at the same time
Fortunately, treatment for these conditions is effective. The important thing is to get the right diagnosis. Your healthcare provider needs to address both conditions, not only one or the other. So many people with ADHD, especially women, are misdiagnosed. Many seek support because depression symptoms (or another mental health condition) are so painful, and the underlying ADHD gets overlooked.
Be open with your healthcare provider about all of your symptoms — attention, energy, mood, motivation, and focus. This helps them create a plan that targets both conditions effectively. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you think your ADHD might be part of what’s going on.
Some treatment methods and interventions that can help for both ADHD and depression include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT can help you identify unhelpful thoughts and build practical coping skills.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT supports emotional regulation and distress tolerance. This can be especially helpful if impulsivity or strong emotions are part of your experience.
Mindfulness-based therapies: These approaches teach you to slow down, focus on the present, and reduce emotional overwhelm.
Psychiatric medications: Your provider may recommend medications for ADHD and depression. These can be used together safely with guidance from a professional, though medication interactions need to be carefully managed. Your provider will monitor dosage and side effects closely.
Physical exercise: Regular movement boosts mood, focus, and energy levels. These are all important for managing both depression and ADHD.
Clinician's take
For many people who haven’t yet received a diagnosis for co-occurring ADHD and depression, there can be confusion and shame around their behaviors. Knowledge about yourself and how ADHD and depression are interlaced can be an empowering first step.
Find care with Rula
If you live with co-occurring ADHD and depression, there’s support available to help you. With the right diagnosis and treatment, you can learn to manage the symptoms of these conditions and find happiness.
At Rula, we work with an extensive network of therapists who specialize in conditions including ADHD and depression. We can help you find a therapist who meets your unique needs and takes your insurance. You can meet with someone as soon as tomorrow.
