ADHD or Anxiety?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มิ.ย. 2024
- According to dual board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Kristy Lamb, "when we are anxious, ADHD symptoms can be worse." In this enlightening interview video, MedCircle host, Kyle Kittleson, and Dr. Kristy Lamb break down the differences between ADHD and anxiety.
Want access to 900+ videos like this one, live workshops, and more? Check out our Membership options at www.medcircle.com
00:00 Intro
01:32 ADHD vs anxiety first steps
02:25 Physiological signs of each
03:16 When it's anxiety, not ADHD
04:20 How to turn nervousness into excitement
06:36 Is an adult more likely to have ADHD or anxiety?
08:06 Does ADHD or anxiety cause lack of concentration?
10:30 The most common difference between ADHD and anxiety
11:17 Immediate strategies for ADHD and/or anxiety
#adhd #anxiety #psychology #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters
Want access to 900+ videos like this one, live workshops, and free content? Check out our Membership options: *bit.ly/3yCvJyv*
But what's not being taken into account is that the 30% of adults diagnosed with anxiety might actually have ADHD as their primary and anxiety as a symptom of it but are bing misdiagnosed.
Yeah I wonder about this
Yep
I think a distinguishing factor can be if a person already has been diagnosed with anxiety. Living with it and tried meds for it and it's still not done anything. SSRIs don't work on U etc.
Another distinguished factor is school grades. In anxiety they might be more sporadic and there are more balanced dislikes and likes of classes .
In ADHD it's more clear that there is one or two aptitudes that are greatly enjoyed and the grades are great. (For me I got all A's in art and once got a b in physics but everything else was an F )
Not always because the overlap is the latter . Where because of anxiety or because of ADHD the grades are low and good in one area or none at all.
Meltdowns would be the third factor . If they are prevalent in adulthood and how they represent. Because the recovery time is potentially longer in ADHD . Or meltdowns might not even happen in anxiety .
A thing I read the other day is that neurotypocals shed 50%of neuro-pathways over their lifetime versus neurodivergent people only shed about 16%.
@@Ibis-of-Equilon yep! Relatable
I tried to talk to a therapist about my anxiety and even told them I thought I had ADHD around a year ago and he told me that my weed consumption was the cause... I told him I had been anxious my entire life. Turns out I just had ADHD. Adderall instantly changed my life in an astonishing way. My weed usage is almost zero now and my anxiety is gone
When I was originally diagnosed with anxiety, nothing worked. And when I was finally diagnosed with ADHD, after treatment my anxiety all but disappeared! For me, ADHD was the root and exacerbated everything else.
Exactly! My ADHD causes my anxiety. This doctor obviously doesn't get it.
ADHD meds did more to calm my anxiety than any anxiety medication ever did. If I by chance still have anxiety after taking meds then I know that was something that is truly causing anxiety. Perfect example would be if I'm having an argument with my wife. That unease does not go away. The overwhelm I feel from trying to negotiate different tasks completely go away.
This is what I'm starting to think may be the case with me. I've always been told it's chronic anxiety but nothing works and only recently have I even considered ADHD. It's not something I'd ever have considered but I started reading about it in relation to my youngest son. I can't bring myself to go and ask about it though. But I can't manage life either. I don't know what to do.
I absolutely get into a feedback loop where the ADHD causes me anxiety, and then the higher anxiety exacerbates the ADHD. I do believe that ADHD is the root for me.
@@kellymcbride5054 oh thank goodness I am not the only one who sees that this doctor doesn't get it. I was getting so mad about this interview getting it so wrong.
I'd be very annoyed if I was diagnosed with anxiety and the possibility of ADHD was discarded straight away.
Yeah, this just happened to my daughter. I even tried to ask the doc about that, and she said she wants to treat depression/anxiety first and see if it resolves the "symptoms." But ever since my child started to walk, I've figured she had ADHD... I just never bothered to get her diagnosed until she was a teen and was begging for an eval. Both of us were really unsatisfied with the eval outcome, but she's trying the SSRIs. It's only been 2 weeks, but I'm not sure I see improvement with the forgetting to do or turn in her homework, with the forgetting key things while driving a car, with the interrupting and manic-sounding speech.
I've always wondered if I have it too, the inattentive kind, but never bothered to seek diagnosis either. I have mega coping strategies, including even wearing a small notepad on my beltloop to make up for my horrible memory. (Now there are smart phones though, smart phones are my savior.) But I shake my foot (for my entire life), and hold tension in my body, so this video is saying it might be anxiety? I don't really see it.... not worried about anything, I'm actually one of the most chill people I know when it comes to worry and fear, or even excitement! I barely get excited about things... not in a depressive way, but just in a stoic way I guess?
That happened to me just today. That's what I get for going to an urgent care clinic for mental health care!🙄
Life with ADHD can be very anxiety provoking.
right? "resolve the anxiety symptoms first" is really basically nonsense for folks with adhd. some good stuff here but that came across fairly problematic.
...and depression too, :-/
Not JUST ANXIETY PROVOKING....
IT'S STRESSFUL, TRAUMATIC TOO...
PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND...WHEN MY BRAIN 🧠🧠
IS LITERALLY OFFLINE....
@@bethanyreilly2809 YEA, AGREE ....
THE SYMPTOMS OVERLAP...
Can't believe they listed possible combinations of the two in the beginning and left this out! Discrediting.
When your anxiety is caused by the constant struggle of living with untreated adhd, then only treating the anxiety symptoms is like just putting a bandaid on the problem instead of actually fixing it. It treats the surface symptoms, but doesn’t treat the root of the problem. I have struggled with anxiety and depression my whole life, been on meds for it most of that time, and it wasn’t until college that I finally got an adhd diagnosis. And guess what, when the adhd was treated, the other issues went away because I was actually able to do things that needed to be done without having to fight with myself. Everyday tasks were no longer impossible. I could do my homework without waiting until the last minute, and I understood things like I never have before. Everything suddenly became clear, like the fog had lifted. Now 10 years later I’m back in school without adhd meds because I don’t have health insurance anymore. I’m only able to get anxiety and depression meds from one of those online services, so I’m back to just treating the surface issues. I’m not anxious, I’m not depressed, and yet I still can’t get my work done. My head is foggy, my thoughts are jumbled, and I can’t focus. Even though the anxiety is being treated. Hmm. Doctors don’t know everything, evidently.
Your symptoms sound exactly like mine. How did you get a diagnosis and what do they use to treat ADHD? I hope you are able to get your Rx back b/c getting through life in a constant state of confusion is terribly difficult 😢
Rooting for you ❤
I got told I had severe anxiety disorder for ten years then I realised I had adhd and got diagnosed and I realised I had been living with adhd my whole life with out knowing and people just blamed my anxiety for all my problems. Videos like this frustrate me
Not a bad video, helpful for anxiety folks. But those with ADHD that are self-aware, know that lots of Anxiety stems from untreated ADHD. The keyword that I didnt hear is Comorbidity of those with both. Heard alot about how anxiety exacerbates ADHD, but not enough about how ADHD exacerbates anxiety from executive dysfunction. Anyway.. thanks for the post!
right! cause when she says a person with ADHD who is distracted is quite calm, i disagree. Sure in essence the distraction might not come from anxiety, so it’s more neutral. but when repeated distraction and executive dysfunction like not prioritizing well and bad time management has your deadline moving closer and closer - you will grow anxious eventually, perhaps even get avoidant of the task. it becomes a bit of a chicken or egg hunt.
@@TirsaTalks this!
@@TirsaTalks if you actually have anxiety you’d resonate with what she said cause it’s anxiety within itself. & adhd meds tend to increase anxiety so I don’t really disagree with the approach to treat anxiety first
@Everything AuDHD That’s fair, well I had some anxiety today lol so..still goes with my point. If you just started meds, that could explain the control you currently have
@Everything AuDHD I said “if you just started” so how is that presumptuous? Us adheres aren’t trying to poke, also it looks like yr liking yr own comments?
It's wild how in 2 decades my diagnosis went from depression, to anxiety and panic attacks, to finally ADHD with anxiety. Once i got to ADHD, it made a lot more sense looking back.
"Both". And one leads to the other.
But don't forget about the depression silently building up due to permanent anxiety, due to permanently feeling behind.
Yup, or permanently messing up or not meeting one's potential :(
One minute into this video and they’re talking about how anxiety can cause ADHD… in my case, my 2nd psych started to question the cause of my anxiety/panic attacks (because no therapist could find a root) and said he thought my adhd might be the cause. I was scared to take stimulants for fear my anxiety would worsen, but considering my paradoxical reactions to most meds and said ADHD meds should actually calm me- AND HE WAS RIGHT all these years I was on loads of different anxiolytics and benzos which barely did anything, then after starting stimulant adhd meds my panic attacks went from 2-5x daily (no meds), to 2-4 attacks a week but constant low level anxiety (on daily anxiety meds) to only 1-2 panic attacks every 3-4 months on stimulant meds.
I feel calm, relaxed, more clear headed, and no longer suffer from anxiety spirals, intrusive thoughts, constant worry, or the constant low level dread. It’s even helped my digestive system! I used to have IBS triggered by anxiety, as soon as I started meds I could eat and poop normally again. So please consider that while anxiety might mask as some adhd symptoms, it can also BE one of the most debilitating symptoms of ADHD.
This is a very significant comment. Thank you for your story and experience. My boyfriend has adhd and through so many different trials; benzos etc. like you, I see that only vyvanse helps him. But when he's happy, he's afraid it's only temporary. I suggested a change of doctor and we'll see what happens. Can you tell me more about how your anxiety manifests itself and that you have any ways to calm down?
I feel bad for her patients, seems like anyone who mentions anxiety but who has ADHD is going to get slapped with an anxiety label instead.
I got slapped with anxiety and depression because I was a good student but once I got in high school I couldn’t keep up and got burnt out and skipped for a month. I didn’t know what was wrong so once I finally saw the psychiatrist I was frustrated and cried etc. So ADHD wasn’t even considered.
Fast forward 10 years and I was talking to my older cousin who was diagnosed with ADHD recently and her story was very similar just less severe, everything just clicked as she was talking.
I agree, I couldn't even finish the video.....
Couldn't agree more and have experienced similar
That’s what happened to me. I mentioned anxiety and that was latched onto. I also feel like my anxiety was construed as much worse than it is.
The only thing was, I was told I met the criteria for inattentive type (and I now know I way under reported because I wasn’t fully aware of how adhd presents in girls and women). It took me 10 months to finally get the one little sheet of paper to the psychologist so he could share with my provider. I was blindsided when he told her he didn’t feel I met the criteria for adhd and just have anxiety.
It’s a long story, but the person I saw wasn’t an expert in adhd and it showed. I plan on getting a second opinion and a full evaluation from someone who specializes in adhd.
I can relate and still suffering from this😮💨
Had my book opened infront of me, about to study, and then jumped straight on youtube... now I'm outside on the school football pitch. I just can't connect💔
Yeah, I'm with the comments section here. I experience high levels of anxiety on a day-to-day basis, and I've been treated for anxiety through pharmocoloigical and behavioural interventions for over 15 years. It wasn't until recently that my new doctor ordered proper physciatric evaluation that it was ever considered ADHD, to which I have since been diagnosed.
Ok, this is information about anxiety. This is not a comparative of anxiety vs adhd. You didn’t even discuss how people have both and that adhd is drastically under diagnosed because drs blame everything on anxiety. You didn’t talk about how those with undiagnosed adhd often struggle with anxiety or depression because the underlying adhd is not being treated nor acknowledged.
Pardon me, but it seems like you missed a common situation, people with anxiety that's caused by their ADHD. As in the symptoms of ADHD help put adults especially into situations that anyone would be anxious about. Same with depression.
Yes! I agree! Anxiety can be very specifically situational! Related to a specific ADHD deficit.
They are dreaming stuff up to make these videos.
Anxiety is persistent.
Yep my anxiety is due to my ADHD then the anxiety just makes the hyperactive symptoms worse (I have combined type ADHD)
She literally just said MOST adults actually have anxiety and not ADHD... Too many millennials and especially Gen Z'ers think they have ADHD when in fact it's just Anxiety and overstimulation especially from the prevelance of social media usage amongst these groups. Plus, Vyvanse is more "hip" & "fun" compared to Lexapro...
Anxiety and ADHD here. Medication changed my life.
Once she said ADHD is a concentrational issue, I'm thinking she is not current on what ADHD is. That is not correct and is a mainstream impression that people have. While that is a symptom, that is not what it is and doesn't explain the fact that people who have ADHD also can hyper focus. (ADHD is more of an executive function issue and dopamine issue that can result in some tasks being difficult to do that can appear to people who only see a small time frame or focusing on the negative symptoms to think concentration issue. But when a person also acknowledges the positive symptoms of ADHD, it's painfully clear to not be a concentration issue despite the very misleading name.) Second thing she said that tells me she doesn't understand ADHD is that she tries to rule out anxiety first. Doing that doesn't take account for the human aspect and to me feels like a walking DSM which is not good at all. People like that in the medical field are detrimental and cause devastating harm. ADHD results in a childhood of constantly having people put downs like "what's wrong with you", "try harder", "you're just lazy" and worse things. Not just from peers but those closest and supposed to be supportive like parents. Growing up with that constant message frequently leads to anxiety of getting put down again for yet another failure because the way things are taught do not work for ADHD people, they require a different approach or even medication. Anxiety causing ADHD symptoms, maybe, there is a lot of overlap with all sorts of disorders so nit surprised. However, it is not so difficult to get enough to suspect ADHD and try treatment and skills that work for ADHD. It is also easy to understand people growing up with ADHD frequently develop anxiety because the majority of they world puts them down. Once they start succeeding, wow the anxiety reduces, after years it may go away. But I am sorry, years of growing up getting put down when you know you're intellgent doesn't get erased in weeks or months. Treatment for anxity for ADHD is treatment of symptoms and not the cause. Sure you can teach calming blah blah, but it doesn't work as well and due to that it just gets worse and feels like yet another failure on top of all the failures. She sounds like someone who would delay someone with ADHD from getting the help they need for another span of years in the approach I've heard. People are not machines, you have to consider their history and emotions too.
Yeah I have to agree about anxiety. If you grew up with malignant parent who used and abused, you'd be anxious. Every moment you were to be in their company, which was potentially alway, you'd be anxious, worried when they would strike, gaslight, rage, collude, etc.
imagine having to go through that all while having adhd….
I wasn't really abused, but experiencing the wild moments of fear amid my parents multiple attempts to divorce since I was a child probably is why I got anxiety- I used to not be like that😶
Good video but it annoys me that all of this is just related to the work place. ADHD is there the whole day and lots of ADHDers actually manage to finish tasks at work but they struggle with it in all other life areas because there‘s no deadline/someone breathing down your neck
This is me, when I have structure and supervision I can focus and get stuff done. But once I’m on my own or having to do group work my mind just drifts and stuff doesn’t get done.
Exactly.
20 years of doctors wrote off my ADHD which was causing extreme anxiety. Don't take these differences lightly, get a psychometric test done the moment it becomes a question.
Disregarding ADHD when the patient has anxiety is similar to disregarding ADHD when the patient also has Autism. Not only does having one condition not mean that the patient has the other, it actually increases the risk of also having ADHD.
First comment! I have diagnosis for both, so it is hard for me to distinguish what symptoms go with what pathology. Thanks for the video. I don't care which symptom goes to which pathology- I just want to be able to work functionally. I struggle every day.
same. what a struggle.
Same!
ADHD and GAD, i feel for you.
@@tormu5189 Me too. ADHD, (distracted type) and GAD, with an underlying major depression (my first diagnosis).
I have a bit of both too. I feel like Dr. Russell Barkley has explained it the best, as far as any videos I have watched. He has an hour long video called the importance of emotion in ADHD. But he said the main difference between ADHD and a mood disorder is that a mood disorder has to be the main emotion for 2+ weeks. ADHD emotions are typically in response to something, and they are rational, just immature. Its been a while since I have watched it, but that was the main take away I got from it. I highly recommend watching it though!
What if you have both??? I've had moments of hyperactivity in my adulthood, used to be worse as a kid, where I'm overexcited, can't sit still, and am talking too much too loud. I've also had moments of anxiety of feeling overwhelmed (currently at my job) where I'm constantly distracted by multiple things thrown at me while trying to handle the current situation and thus getting something wrong - I just got in trouble at work today due to too many errors, and the supervisor knows it's because I'm overwhelmed. But if it's too laxed at work, I will totally daydream and be distracted by all sorts of inner and outer non-work related issues. I feel like I'm just not right for anything.
I have a brain that never shuts up. I just can't stop my thoughts. BUT for me, it isn't necessarily troubling or worrying thoughts. It just doesn't ever shut up. It is exhausting
I'm not a doctor but that's adhd probably
My thought keep complimenting me to point in over eat to look ugly
Everyone has anxiety! Anxiety DISORDER is different.
UGH!!
I feel like the thought of me needing to do a body scan to lower my anxiety contributes to the anxiety itself. I also feel like the things that I'm personally interested in are the only things that are able to keep my focus.
Try Healing Songs and Mantras. Chanting helps wonderfully!
Symptoms of self-centeredness
Same thing happened to me, but my therapist told me another technique of just noticing without thinking. Just notice how your feet feel, for example, or if you are seated, notice how the weight of your body feels against the chair. It has helped me a lot.
The discussion of the bouncing leg immediately took me to the idea of stimming, repetitive motions that we, as autistic people, use to regulate our nervous systems. ADHD and autism co-occur at high rates. Some of what is being ascribed solely to anxiety could have autism at its roots.
I agree with you. It’s also a form of fidgeting and people with adhd fidget. It’s literally a symptom.
I was diagnosed with anxiety for years before my doctor suggested I should get screened for ADHD. The symptoms feel incredibly similar. I think the biggest indicator that ADHD was the better diagnosis is that stimulant medication “cured” my anxiety (as in, improved it so much that I now typically only experience anxiety symptoms in “normal” circumstances that would make most people anxious).
Anxiety is not the only symptom of ADHD.
@@janehobson2355 @flawlix is writing about anxiety disorder, not the symptom of "anxiety."
@@janehobson2355 I've got fybromyalgia symptoms from it or the Asperger's to with hypomobility or just anxiety they all bring
What symptoms do you have
I agree with Carl Brown that a common situation was missed, one that is extremely important to include in this conversation- anxiety created by trying to function in a world with severe ADHD. For the ‘medical expert’ to not call this out and include this in a discussion causes me to question the accuracy and validity of anything else this ‘expert’ says in this video. Listeners be warned.
Can we stop with the Cbt gaslighting? Calling anxiety excitement doesn't make my migraine any more enjoyable, I'm still incapacitated. Or help when my nervous stomach throws diarrhea into my 'exciting' plans. This is right up there with 'try harder' as a useful response.
So if u cant do task because its too boring and require a lot of energy to sustain the task and u need to wait till the last moment for the sense of urgency to kick in to be able to start the task, thats adhd?
Social anxiety w/ adult selective mutism makes me fail every single job interview I go on. It doesn’t matter how brave I am or how hard I try. The physiological symptoms of anxiety prevent me from speaking or being able to think clearly. When I am able to speak it sounds very forced and uncomfortable to listen to. I record the Zoom interviews to try and troubleshoot my problems but I can never improve. The feedback I get every time is that I need to work on my communication skills. As a result, I have a master’s degree in engineering but I work as a test technician making less than half of what I should be making as an engineer with my degree. The company I was contracted to work for wouldn’t even hire me on as a full time technician despite the fact that I’ve been doing the job successfully for a year now on account of my communication skills. I’ve even been working more efficiently and accurately than the other technicians they did hire on so that was extremely discouraging and such bs. With communication skills being extremely important when it comes to engineering, I know that getting a job in engineering is a snowball’s chance in hell for me. It doesn’t matter that I graduated with highest honors from the honors program, I never worked as an engineer a day in my life. I never even got so much as an internship. I keep interviewing but failure is inevitable. Normally there are 3 rounds of interviews but I never made it past round one. I got my master’s degree when I was 23. Now I’m 25 and still not working as an engineer. I’m barely able to make enough money to not default on my loans and living out of my mom’s house. My life sucks because of this and I just wish the world would end already and everyone dies.
Wow! this made me teary-eyed! You're still so young! You have so much time to develop and improve. Trust me, you will get there. I am almost 30 and often feel like the biggest loser in the world. NO COLLEGE DEGREE or anything- was terrible in school. I recently discovered I have ADHD! and my life just started to make sense... Remember its baby steps! Just promise me you WON'T GIVE UP ON YOU!💪💪🧡💚
@Bimmer Won
Thank you for sharing your story. 💙 rooting for you. Im a little older than you and feel the same way. I get jobs, but can't keep them. Which makes for a very chaotic resumé. Can't even remember all the jobs ive had.
I get tired of trying sometimes. But, for now im going to keep going.
Your post is well written and obviously you have the communication skills to get your masters so it sounds like the issue is just the interview itself. Learning to remain calm in moments of stress is something you can learn. Try meditation or mindfulness training. A good place to start is the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Also, if you want to go the drug route, I find a mild beta blocker like Atenetol good for social anxiety. I used to use it for public speaking and it worked great.
can you ask for accommodations during interviews so you can type answers instead of speaking? I'm not sure what form of mutism you experience, I know sometimes folks aren't able to type either, but just a thought.
I feel the same tho mine get worse, i kinda neglect treatment bcs my work is in the middle of nowhere. You should go to therapy to ease your thoughts and speech. Wish you get better and get the job that you dream of
I don’t really agree with this… I have anxiety BECAUSE of my adhd, it has caused so many problems in my life that cause me stress (years and years worth of living in a world not built for your brain and being told your lazy when really your needs aren’t being met and your having a hard time regulating). The physiological symptoms described are also present for adhders who stim (specifically leg bouncing but also playing with hair, biting cheek etc.). These “physiological” symptoms can also be psychological because adhders are seeking stimulation to help regulate the mind (I stim and it helps me focus when relaxing in bed for example). I also struggle with procrastination but I would suggest that this is due to emotional dysregulation (again a symptom of adhd that presents as anxiety)
On the other hand anxiety has actually HELPED some of my adhd symptoms. For example anxiety around not being late can help me compulsively check the time because my adhd brain struggles with time perception. Anxiety around a deadline for a task that requires a lot of mental effort can help me initiate motivation to start and complete the task quickly. Anxiety about hurting peoples feelings can help me be better at not interrupting people or relating to their struggles by presenting an issue I’ve dealt with that’s similar (I learned neurotypicals don’t like that as it can come off as selfish rather than empathetic). So treating my adhd IS treating my anxiety, whereas treating my anxiety in isolation actually worsens my adhd.
This resonate a lot. I never got diagnosed with ADHD but struggle with anxiety since my teens .it made my life hell in many ways. Leg bounching,and hair playing is something i do a lot.its a weird thing because when i feel anxiety ore hyperactive i need to regulate the feeling with "doing" something.i also have a hard time sitting still for a long time.its overwhelming.i never understood why.sometimes my mind drift away in conversation if i lose focus and people look at me weird. Sometimes i be hyper focusing on something and after i crash. I also lose interest fast in things i dont bother doing. I have a hard time finishing things in general. Can you realete to this? I hope things get better with you day by day,its very lonely and only people with this can understand.i think my mom has ADHD but she never got dignosed and will not talk abouth stuff. I'm also impulsive sometimes too.
I feel like a lot...probably most, of my anxiety and depression is caused by my ADHD.
I have adhd and it causes me a lot of anxiety which only exacerbates my adhd.
This video is absolutely AWESOME! This is exactly what I needed to be seeing at this point in my life. Thank you so much!
I've been diagnosed with ADHD, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety 🙃 so being me is fun
I've been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder twice now in my life. Once in my twenties and then again in my thirties. People, within the past 5 years, keep insisting that I have ADHD but I've been tested and that's been ruled out. When my anxiety is managed, I don't have concentration problems or issues with migraines or many issues with scattered thoughts. I'm just frustrated by people looking online and assuming (and insisting) that I have something that I don't.
Thanks for clarifying especially when you explain the difference.
My distractibilty is not confusion or inability to think it's about something else is suddenly more interesting than what I'm supposed to be doing and I'll shoot off on a tangent and have to drag myself back when I realise it.
Thank you all very much, this content has a huge positive impact on my life.
This is very eye opening! Coming from someone who has both to the extreme. And understanding that being in outer space isn't a choice does help with the shame and guilt that goes hand in hand with the issue
Thank you for this!!! Many need to watch this!!!!
After listening to her for just a few minutes, I now have both
I worked really hard to get past my anxiety, and I'm doing so well. I barely do any negative self-talk, don't stress over things nonstop, accept myself as I am, all of it. And now my ADHD is SO much worse lol. It's like I was pushing myself through ADHD by giving myself extreme anxiety about failure.
Yes! I feel like most of my anxiety is from concentrating so hard on remembering to do basic daily tasks. I can do something at the same day/time every week for years, but if I don't have 20 reminders I'll flat forget it. Honestly, holding myself together is exhausting!
I was just talking with my therapist about this. I am in my 50s, and my adult son was just diagnosed with ADHD, after a lifetime of struggle. I feel so awful that I didn't get him treated earlier. He was/is very smart, and I didn't recognize his symptoms. You know where this is going. I was subsequently assessed and diagnosed with ADHD by my counselor. I saw my GP about it and he brushed it off because I already have a GAD diagnosis. The message this woman is sending is one of the reasons ADHD is so underdiagnosed in women. Notice how this doctor advocates SELF-regulation exercises, rather than considering the dopamine related dysregulation. Breathwork, meditation, body awareness, all of these things that are nearly impossible for a person with ADHD to achieve, exacerbating feelings of failure and anxiety. It's like a doctor telling an amputee to just "walk it off". This is really damaging content.
I am finally starting therapy next week. I'd bet money ive been undiagnosed ADHD my whole life. (so would every single person in my life)
I wish I could come to your clinic. This video articulates so much of what I’ve been feeling and conflicted about in understanding for myself the battle of my combined ADHD and anxiety. After a decade of doctor visits most of what you’ve said here has never been relayed in an office.
I’m taking notes for my next doc Appt.
Great video! Would love to also see some videos about ADHD inattentive type and differential diagnosis, features in adulthood versus childhood, and more illustration of what it means to feel restless either physically or mentally.
So would I. Our family was so dysfunctional. My daughter did very well it English,history,but constantly failed in math. College was too much and a friend took her to a psychologist who diagnosed her but she couldn’t find a doctor who prescribed for a few years. SO I READ and RESEARCHED as best I could in the 80’s and 90’s. I knew SOMETHING was wrong. I took her off sugar and red dyes to NO AVAIL. I finally found books by Dr. Daniel Amen and we spent our Canadian $15 grand to go to one of his clinics in the states. I knew something wasn’t right and took her to many doctors when she was little,,,,even had an EKG done at 18 months, I begged the schools to test her and was laughed at. By the time we got to Seattle I just knew my husband had the same thing. He had had a grand mal seizure but that was laughed at to. My Canadian doctors FINALLY LISTENED and at about 60 years of age my husband was finally put on Dexedrine and my daughter who just turned 50 is also on medication. IT HELPS!!! To everyone struggling to fit in or loses stuff or is unorganized,temperamental, daydreams or hyperactive BUG YOUR DOCTOR To BE TESTED. We actually had a doctor in the family who didn’t clue in either. NEVER GIVE UP. Has it been tough? YES. Is it hard to figure out? YES. STRESS MAKES ADD of all kinds way worse. We live far from a large city and kept the airlines in business but when YOU or a loved one NEEDS HELP you ADVOCATE FOR THEM!!! I’m married 54 years now. I stuck it out. Many don’t. Thank God for TH-cam,,,,,knowledge,education and help is at our fingertips.
Once my ADHD was treated with a stimulant my anxiety vanished, as did alcohol abuse and an eating disorder. This Doc doesn't seem to understand the ADHD brain chemistry. Once you identify ADHD you definitely need to treat it first
I have to disagree with this video. As a therapist and someone with life long anxiety and recent ADHD diagnosis, she is off base on even the symptoms differences and she minimized ADHD. Knee bouncing and time blindness are also ADHD signs, although not listed in the DSM. She talks about a brain offline or shut down as anxiety, however it can also be a sign of sensory overload and overstimulation with someone with autism, sensory processing disorder or ADHD! Distractibility/avoidance is not only anxiety, but again can be a symptom of ADHD as it is an issue with motivation and if a task is boring, someone with ADHD will seek out stimulating and distraction from the boring task.
The last portion about "game time" and practicing these body check-ins NOT in game time were eye-opening. Thank you
Could you please make more videos on managing this anxiety related distractibility?
I don't know if I have ADHD, but I've struggled with anxiety and depression my entire life. I grew up with a decent family and homelife, however my symptoms usually showed up whenever I had to interact with my peers. School could be anxiety provoking, especially in phys.ed. classes where everyone could see how awkward and uncomfortable I was. Loud noises, physical closeness, and ultra-competitiveness are enough to make me want to disappear or shut down. Most of the time, i keep to myself due to feelings of inadequacy. I had hoped I would "grow out of it" but after over 5 decades, I'm still trying to resolve my issues so that I can be a more functional person.
Very interesting and informative. Thank you!
Mushrooms containing psilocybin saved my life. They aided my benzodiazepine withdrawal allowing me to quit illicit pill addiction after three years of heavy daily use before it would’ve become medically dangerous to quit. It has also helped me survive depression.
The Trips I've been having really helped me a lot,I finally feel in control of my emotions and my future and things that used to be mundane to me now seem incredible and full of nuance on top of that I'm way less driven by my ego and I have alot more empathy as well
@Sophia Edith I was having this constant, unbearable anxiety due to work stress. Not until I came across *dr.jeromespore* a very intelligent mycologist. He saved my life honestly
@Sophia Edith You can check him out on. 👇🏻
*l* *G*
@@ohmakure4716 I feel the same way too. I put too much on my plate and it definitely affects my stress and anxiety levels. I am also glad to be a part of this community.
I went to the psychiatrist for an adhd diagnosis, but she diagnosed me with social anxiety. Now the thing is I know I have social anxiety but im also very sure that i have adhd. She basically didnt diagnose me with adhd because of my iq (125), she said I could concentrate on the iq test and score pretty high, but thats not how it goes in daily life. I took that test in an almost completely empty room and because of that social anxiety i feel the need to let everyone know that im not dumb. Also Im pretty sure the anxiety stems from the adhd, because litterally all my life people have told me that im weird or im too hyperactive and they almost always ask if have adhd when they get to know me.
(Sorry for this rant)
I just went through the exact same thing! I’ve been feeling very frustrated and misunderstood. I Got told it’s not adhd and told it’s just anxiety but that doesn’t feel right to me. I don’t understand how all of my symptoms/experiences that strongly align with adhd can be disregarded just because I scored well on the IQ test. I believe the cause of my anxiety is due to possible undiagnosed adhd and always feeling like I don’t fit in or know the right way to speak or act or feeling that I’ll let ppl down due to my forgetfulness. I just know that anxiety alone doesn’t explain the things I’ve been struggling with. Good luck and I hope you get answers.
@@TaylorRocks32 damn that sucks, also scary bc thats exactly how i feel lmao
Oof, ofc some of us can focus on a test like that, because it's novel and expected of us! And IQ has nothing to do with ADHD. I think you need to go to another psychiatrist since she didn't really listen to you or take you seriously enough and seems to follow old stuff she got taught instead of looking at new research *big sigh*
Get a second opinion. Some psychiatrists should be struck off for this BS.
that's so frustrating! Also I have done a lot of research and sometimes high IQ ADHDers are super good at masking - so a high IQ and ADHD can go hand in hand
On top of that, nobody wants to know if you had a malignant mom. Very few would believe a person if they had a malignant parent and when I was growing up every person denied that she was a malignant. It was so anxiety inducing because it was gaslighting and then denial. And then I'd be the person to go home to that alone.
And now it's homelessness. Another Very anxiety inducing situation.
A lot of the interview questions seem related to work but I would love to hear you also balance that with questions about the home life. I find that I’m able to keep it together at work but then fall apart as soon as I am at home.
Same!
Unfortunately capitalism teaches us personal value is based on our production. Not everyone has broken away from this bias.
Your videos are usually really good. This one has me even more confused after watching it.
it's probably not for someone with concentration issues oooops 🤣 I wasn't that interested in the topic and got slightly distracted at one point so I was also a bit confused but whatever 😅
(I don't have ADHD and I only get anxiety in boring situations, when there's a real danger my mind is somehow very rational and focused)
I actually agree - I have terrible anxiety and have been treating it for over a decade, but I'm finally going for a a neurophysiological assessment for possible adult ADHD and I'm trying to read my body and understand what I am feeling before I go in so that I can communicate my cognitive struggles and differentiate them. This made me more confused me though.
Yeah it seems like the best way to determine whether or not your have anxiety or ADHD is to get tested
Agreed, and I was hoping the "one thing" would be much clearer. I don't think most people who have anxiety are self aware enough to know they're consciously avoiding something. I certainly wasn't at first. And with ADHD, I can also tell when I'm avoiding the emotion of something vs the task itself. I think a more complete explanation of how severe anxiety can mimic ADHD symptoms would be most helpful.
@@wolfferoni Have you always had anxiety? No? then it's not ADHD.
I was diagnosed with both adhd and anxiety! I would get distracted while writing essays but I was worried that my essays were going to be late so I wrote all my essays a week in advance and mentally move my due date to prevent them from being late. I was first diagnosed with anxiety at 14 since I would have constant panic attacks without reason sometimes then I was diagnosed with ADHD at 17
I am the total opposite I would procrastinate so much and then rush it last minute and do well. Now I just get so overwhelmed and freeze and can't even start. So wish I could do the overcompensate and be super early but I know that is very exhausting.
@@Verity2true Yea, it's so hard to trick one's own brain
My son had all the symptoms of ADHD. Pretty much started in elementary school. He was forgetting a lot of school work, and his locker and bedroom were always a disaster. We had to remind him about general stuff constantly, and this was from a kid who tested into the gifted program by his school. All of this was giving him and us a lot of anxiety and he seemed a little depressed from it all.
We took him to his pediatrician, and he was prescribed 20mg of Adderall which has helped quite a lot. I can tell you we were not happy about putting him on medication but it has really helped. At 17 he still has some anxiety and only takes the medication on school days. It was the right call for us but it was difficult and we still worry about what will happen when he goes to college. ADHD is hard and even harder to explain to people.
Fellow ADHD person here. I suggest taking meds every day when there are executive tasks to do, including house chores. I did the only school days and have issues from my parents getting mad at me from not doing chores well or at all on the weekends. When I started using my meds daily after moving out and accepted meds are okay, wow what a difference. There are days I don't take meds, but I accept that I won't be productive on those days. I generally do it because I feel more creative and allow my impulsive tendency to go wild to lead to something different in a time and setting that it's okay. Medication is important for me. Also accepting that copi g skills that worked last week won't work this week, so I've learned many and when one is boring I pivot to another. If gamification doesn't work, I switch to short timed tasks, if that stops, I switch to frequent rewards and if that stops, I switch to doing something fun and exciting for a few minutes before jumping to the difficult task. I rotate between a lot of strategies to not get stressed out and to succeed more than fail. It took a lot of time learning from other people with ADHD to develop my toolbox. One thing I did learn is never try to power through, never try to force, never have "try harder" as the answer. I already try harder than most people on the Earth, trying harder won't work ever for someone with ADHD, that's already being done. Trying to do that leads to burnout which takes months or years to recover from. Also, distrust doctors, most are clueless. If they discourage medication, find a new one immediately. If they don't discuss skills specifically for ADHD people and suggest strategies for neurotypicals, replace that doctor. Doctors who don't know what skills and are accepting that medication helps ADHD are dangerous. It's one thing to suggest involving a specialist as that's helpful, it's another to deny and give hurtful advice.
Thank you for giving your son the medical treatment that is improving his life despite your hesitation regarding medication.
@Gana Anas I am glad your son is doing well. That's really awesome.
The idea of "cure" reminds me of some important points. Striving to be neurotypical is exhausting, stressful and at the end of the day, doesn't work long term if at all. Doesn't it sound easier to accept having ADHD and look at things in, "I want this goal, so, what systems and accommodations do I need to achieve my goal." Rather than, "how can I be like other people." Besides, ADHD has some pretty cool things too, creativity, constantly coming up with new ideas, being very enthusiastic.
@Gana Anas another natural herbal remedy you might try is snake oil. Use it atleast three times a day with food.
Masking my ADHD traits over my life, as an undiagnosed person, created in me a chronic state of generalized anxiety - not to my own awareness. My recent ADHD diagnosis was given to me first, but it was in trialling the stimulant medication that helped me identify that anxiety sat alongside my ADHD too. It was only then that I started an SSRI. My anxiety then reduced (as did my masking); and actually my executive functioning challenges then became more pronounced (I was able to differentiate quite clearly between the distracted state rather than my brain "going offline").
I feel like people will often go "is it ADHD OR anxiety?" when actually it should be "which parts are which?" since comorbidities are pretty common anyway. We need to stop viewing ADHD as a disorder, and I hope it moves towards a more spectrum perspective like ASD. For me, ADHD is not necessarily a problem, but rather it sets the context for my anxiety (again, much like how ASD is viewed). I would say that I am someone who has "high functioning ADHD" (similar to how someone might have high-functioning ASD).
I'll add that I am a mental health professional myself, so I have both the lived experience and the clinical understanding too.
Yes! I especially love what you said about asking which parts are which instead of making it a either or question.
This is a fantastic video! I have ADHD and this use of the bodyscan technique is a gamechanger for me. thanks!
but... can't living with undiagnosed ADHD actually be the cause of anxiety? it was this way for me. Once I understood it's my brain and not my fault, the anxiety eased. i had adhd all my life and was FINALLY diagnosed in my 60s. i fought taking the meds but once i found the right ones, not only did they help me focus, they also removed the anxiety because my executive function worked better.
There's two 'types' of anxiety; anxiety caused by ADHD and executive function issues, and clinical anxiety caused directly by a neurochemical imbalance. Some people with ADHD have both, usually depending on lifestyle factors and how severe their executive function issues are.
I thought for many many years that I was just an anxious person, but it turned out that when I started implementing coping mechanisms and strategies for people with ADHD lo and behold my anxiety receded significantly. I still have some anxiety, I still deal with it, but it's so much more manageable now, and what Dr Kristy is saying actually applied a lot to me: once I was able to separate my true anxiety (physiological) from my distractedness or rather my regualtion of my attention and interest, I was able to relax so much more, because before, whenever I was distracted or couldn't focus I'd take it for anxiety and go down a rabbit hole with it, now I just notice it and use some strategies to go back to the task (not always sucessful in that bit, but at least I'm not anxious about it anymore).
I am going in to see my psych nurse next month to talk about medication for ADHD and I have been diagnosed with both. I was having issues focusing on this video (no shock there) but I was waiting for her to say how do you know it's ADHD and not anxiety and we didn't get to that. It was just about anxiety really so I didn't really get that from the video.
Watch dr Russell barkley’s video on the importance of emotion in ADHD. you might find it helpful. Its the only video I have watched that truly explained the emotional side of ADHD and how you know if it is a mood disorder vs adhd. I hope that helps!
@@Plantsandmusicandyarn 'if it's a mood disorder'? You mean like anxiety or depression? These are co-occuring to ADHD, and ADHD rarely, if ever, travels alone. So what he should be saying is 'anxiety', or 'anxiety AND ADHD', not or. Russell Barkley is behind the times, with a very negative mindset surrounding ADHD generally.
Don't take the drug. Look up adverse effects of methylphenidate (ritalin). It is harmful. Look into deficiency in vitamins, look into getting a healthier lifestyle first.
What an enlightening conversation!! Learned sooo much. Thank you, thank you!
As an adult I have adhd and severe waves of anxiety , it truely is a battle . I work in building and construction and that’s the only time I find peace and 100 percent in control. I struggle to make important calls or manage time . Always really early or running late , but very inattentive and have highs and lows of enegery levels , there’s no inbetween . It’s a daily battle..
When my anxiety improves too much... my adhd worsens. Because I don't have enough fear to care about executive functioning 🙃
Facts. Lol. It's like oh great now I can just focus on my hyperfocus/hobby, and then the anxiety creeps up again, so you could graph the anxiety like a wave, up and down, up and down
@@josephsaxe8410 💯💯💯😅
Excellent video.
My anxiety was treated using medication for my ADHD because my anxiety really circled around inability to complete tasks needed and sort out and prioritize needed things. I'm on a very low dose but it does exactly what I need and helped the anxiety a lot!
"Migraine headache"? Don't call it that. Chronic migraine is a neurological disorder that has high comorbidity with ADHD. For many people, there is no headache.
Sure, I would get migraines when anxious... because my life was a hectic mess. I'd also get them when I would go out in the sun, hydrate poorly, ride a roller coaster, have my spine out of alignment.
Some of us bounce our legs because we bounce our legs. We are not necessarily nervous, happy, unhappy, energized, or focused.
I’ve been treated for anxiety for over 10 years but only in this last year have been diagnosed with ADHD. I recognise both symptoms that Dr Lamb describes at different times. I’ve read that it’s common you can have both but in this they’re talking either/or, so I’m a little confused…
Another matter is, with malignant mom who usurped the attention, I never knew when I could get in a word. So perhaps that's why I speak in shorter thoughts, or why I prefer poetry over essay writing.
I have both diagnosis of adhd and anxiety. I lose time with no tense muscles, no sped up breathing. A lot of the things you said people with anxiety do that adhd doesn’t , I don’t feel is true based on myself. I have lots of cross over. Speaking, and spitting out the wrong words, included
A lot of what she said is compleatly incorrect. Time blindness is a hallmark of ADHD and so is fidgeting.
I lost it when she said people with ADHD don't lose time. Like, that's our thing.
@@bentrigg absolutely it’s like our trademark lol
ADHD symptoms GIVES me anxiety lol
All the anxiety management techniques, mindfulness etc. are rubbish if your executive functions are zilch. Believe after 50+ years of trying.
Hmmm, this is interesting 🤔 I feel like I relate 100% to her description of anxiety based instead of adhd based. I experience both pretty strongly, when I reach a certain point of overwhelm I get a stutter and my brain will go “offline” along with a lot of other anxiety symptoms she listed. But I’ve also had all the bells-and-whistle testing and been diagnosed with ADHD by three different doctors. I think comorbidity is a very important point to make here, after watching this I feel like a lot of people could doubt their diagnosis. Idk, I love her careful approach though, instead of just throwing out meds and diagnosis but I’m wondering how she would diagnose me after a couple visits. 🤷🏻♀️
I have been diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety by two different doctors and can not figure out which was right. But at one very stressful event which lasted a week, my brain was so alert and my reactions were so on put, it amazed my friends and they all noticed that I was not like I always am. After the event resolved my soul was so exhausted it could not function properly for about a month and all I needed was to rest and actually to sleep. I'm wondering which of the two conditions (ADHD or Anxiety) could cause such reaction.
I am not a doctor, but someone with ADHD. I feel like I am doing better in extraordinary situations my brain turns on. Like if someone just falls in front of me I know what to do how to do. But also after these moments i fell like i have used years of energy, and feel so tired.
I always used to be Excited and Happy on Mondays, because I always prayed for Employment as per my Educational Qualification, Experience, Key Competencies and Skill Sets.
I had and still have a Symptom of Leg Movement or Restless Leg due to Anxiety and Excitement.
A Short Description of my Mondays in Office
1. Before I got Diagonosed with Mental Disorders -
I used to be Very Happy 😊 to complete ✅ my Work, except some ODD Monday when there used to be an Escalation Email or some Stinker Email to be cleared.
2. After I got Diagonosed with Mental Disorders in the Year 2012
My Work Place Ability is affected because of Voices in my Head (Auditory Hallucination) specifically the Cognitive Derogatory Hallucination which doesn't allow me to Concentrate or Settled down at my Work Place in Office.
I started Experiencing this Daily.
Whenever I used to Enter the Office on Working Days, I used to Keep getting the Cognitive,Derogatory, Persecutory Hallucination and Parallel to this I used to Feel that the Entire Office Staff can Listen to these Cognitive, Derogatory, Persecutory Hallucination and they all are Laughing over Loudly at me.
My Entire Facial Expression used to Change, as if I am back from a Funeral with my Eye's filled with Tears and Heavy Heart.
This State of my Mind used to Occur usually on Monday and sometimes in a Weekday.
I was unable to understand the source, the Neurological reason of these Voices because I was Completely Allien, UnEducated in Mental Health with Medical Terms ADHD, Psychosis, Hallucination, PTSD until I came Across Medcircle Channel in August 2021.
Now as on Present Date of Saturday, 15th of October 2022, I am in the Third Phase of Mental Disorders the "Struggling Phase" with Comparatively Mild Symptoms of Cognitive, Derogatory and Persecutory Voices than Earlier, which creates Lack of Concentration, Anxiety and sometimes ADHD.
These Voices were very Strong from 2012 to Dec 2021, because I was UnEducated in Mental Health. It's after Joining Medcircle, I am able to Cope with My Mental Health.
On a Lighter Note 🎶 🎵,I get very Scared to Look in a Mirror.😱 My Mirror Image is Scary 😆 because of this 10 yrs of Mental Illness and I have Cutdown Drastically 80% in the Normal Verbal Conversation with others.
Commented at 08:49 hrs ⏳ of this Peaceful Saturday, 15th October 2022.
Comment Edited at 20:09 of 18th February 2023, Saturday.
I think I will listen more to bigger experts than this psych because the nuances she brings up seem like adhd traits only from an anxiety perspective when adhd has many more traits than that.
Was misdiagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder, that’s how sever my adhd was. for over 20 years. I cried after finally getting sleep and being able to concentrate
I'm diagnosed with both. My physical symptoms are exacerbated with stimulants but I've learned a lot of coping methods to manage my anxiety. I never heard it described like that before brain is offline but that's exactly how it feels sometimes. I do have avoidance behavior. I also noticed with taking medication regardless of having anxious symptoms I'm no longer forgetting things like medication and I'm on time for appointments. I also take anxiety medication and I'm combination I believe it works best. I am currently having anxiety symptoms but now I know what I need to do to manage it. I am really in tune with my body. At first it was frightening but now it's very helpful.
Wow. I constantly feel anxious. 100% of the time since for as long as I can remember. I’m learning about adhd and it makes sense but having such a hard time finding a professional that can diagnose me. Anyway, for years I’ve been explaining to people how my body feels most of the time. The roller coaster. I explain that excitement and nervousness you’d get in line for a roller coaster is my normal. And it’s exhausting. I explained that as my normal before I even knew or ever heard about anxiety even. First time I’ve heard someone else use that as an example. Ugh. Good luck everyone!
How might one differentiate between losing time (anxiety) versus time blindness (adhd)?
1:30 comment is bang on. If you have adhd and are suffering from Anxiety it exacerbates the ADhd symptoms (sorry phone keyboard) and the emotional disregulation is dramatically enhanced
I've wondered about having adhd. And while my psychiatrist has assured me and helped me understand that it's anxiety...this was such a helpful explanation
So glad you found it helpful 💙
My husband had massive anxiety for years...he recently got an adhd diagnosis (hes off the charts with how bad he has it), his anxiety disappeared when he got medication for his adhd.
ADHD symptoms are normally present before adulthood, so looking at personal history from a young age is a helpful indicator to know if someone is suffering from ADHD, anxiety, or both. Anxiety is very common with ADHD because of emotional dysregulation and problems functioning 'normally'.
Very good video , i think it’s anxiety that I struggle with
I would love to see this with autism as well. Especially for adults that are just learning they are on the spectrum but also have anxiety/panic disorders
My leg bounces when I'm bored. Waiting in line, doctors waiting room etc. Or if I have to sit for too long. I don't feel excited or anxious. So idk, boredom I thought.
As always, extremely well done. Thank you, Kyle and Dr. Lamb.
you guys made a thorough informational video and its unfortunate that i literally cant focus enough to see the whole thing through
Because it's crap content.
Happens to me almost every time and I was diagnosed with anxiety. The meds just make me jittery
Diagnosed aged 2 in 1974... hyperactivity as it was then called. There is HUGE overlap with these two. It can be an advantage with the ability to hyper focus , you just have to learn to manage it.
If you try to treat me for anxiety, but I am anxious ONLY due to adhd symptoms, you will REALLY shut my brain down. My psychiatrist did that to me. And oh please. We have adhd and we know it, and we know the situations where we will do poorly, so we avoid them. Yeesh.
I've been on and off anxiety and depression medication for 13 years. It hasn't really helped. I'm in the process of trying to see a specialist atm
I just had neuropsych testing done, and I have both anxiety and ADHD. They feed off of each other, determining how to treat comes next.
I have an extremely good long term memory for unimportant things like family stories and DOB’s etc. (i don’t know why and how) but when it comes to academics I don’t even sometimes remember (and focus) what I just read but remember novels and incidents’ details and sometimes movies’ dialogues word for word and photographically. Not considering academics important that leads to career and financial security have ruined my life. Is that ADD, ADHD or anxiety or combination of everything? If so, what should I do to mend it?
If I'm feeling anxious, i cannot do that physical body attunement thing.
Exactly, my daughter has anxiety and when she's in panic mode, she can't function anymore, even when I'm there with her, trying to help he focus.... Those technics are good on paper and with people that don't suffer much anxiety I think..
There's also a big difference between general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic attacks. When I was younger and didn't have the understanding and tools I have today, I would be the same way. I'd breathe super fast, sweat, and wouldn't be able to focus on anything but getting out of wherever I was and getting back to a safe spot (usually home).
But it only seemed to happen in social situations where I'd panic. Once I learned to "think my way through" the scenario, I've become better in remembering to practice my breathing, sensory awareness, etc.