Title: ADHD Commonly Co-Occurs With Other Mental Health Diagnoses | Psychology Today
Headings: ADHD Commonly Co-Occurs With Other Mental Health Diagnoses
Joel L. Young M.D.
ADHD Commonly Co-Occurs With Other Mental Health Diagnoses
Looking at a recent Comparative Psychiatry study

Content: The study's findings showed a significant connection between ADHD and other mental health conditions. Patients who had ADHD were more likely to experience social phobia, impulse control disorders, borderline personality disorder, alcoholism, and eating disorders. They were less likely to experience adjustment disorders or major depressive disorder. Patients with ADD—the inattentive type of ADHD without a hyperactivity component—were more likely to have eating disorders and social phobia. The Connection Between ADHD and Mental Illness
The study did not explore and does not specify why ADHD is a predictor of other mental health issues. A number of factors could be at play, and it is unlikely that just one explanation accounts for the full spectrum of mental health issues associated with ADHD. Some possibilities include: • Genetic influences that lead to ADHD are similar to those that lead to other mental health disorders. • The challenges of life with ADHD. ADHD makes everyday tasks challenging, and environmental factors can contribute to a number of mental health issues.