Neighbor News
Is it ADHD? Depression? Or Both?
Dr. Clatch writes about the symptomatic overlap between ADHD and depression.
Children and adolescents that seek help for psychiatric issues often have a number of general complaints that can be difficult to diagnose. For instance, if a 10-year-old seeks help for symptoms of agitation, difficulty concentrating, insomnia and forgetfulness, professionals may at first believe that the child is suffering from attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
All of the symptoms noted here are hallmarks of the disorder and, in the absence of other issues noted by the child or parents, may be considered grounds for diagnosis. Although ADHD may be a viable diagnosis, it is important to remember that the symptoms reviewed here are also commonly noted when patients describe experiences with depression. This prompts a most important question: Is it ADHD, or is it depression? Due to the difficulty of diagnosing one or the other because of symptomatic overlap and comorbidity, there is a chance that the answer might be “both.”
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