Can Ritalin and Adderall improve anxiety in ADHD?

Stimulants are some of the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD. They have been shown to be highly effective in treating ADHD symptoms.

ADHD, however, also occurs with other conditions and effects outside of the core ADHD symptoms. For example, ADHD has been linked with a higher risk of anxiety. Studies suggest that 25-33% of those with ADHD may also have an anxiety disorder.

Because of this link, researchers have conducted studies on the effects of stimulant medications on anxiety symptoms.

While Ritalin isn’t approved as an anxiety treatment, small studies have suggested that it can, in some cases, reduce anxiety, particularly during difficult tasks.

One small study found that a single dose of Ritalin reduced anxiety during a cognitive test in healthy individuals but only for those who experienced high anxiety during the test:

This was a small trial and was not designed specifically for ADHD patients. However, the results do suggest that Ritalin can lead to decreases in anxiety in some cases.

The effect of Ritalin on state anxiety, shown in the study above, is consistent with the research on Ritalin and test anxiety.

A study found that adults with ADHD experienced less anxiety on a cognitive test when taking Ritalin.

The study was designed to examine the effect on short-term anxiety, but it suggests that stimulants can potentially reduce anxiety during difficult tasks.

One trial in children with ADHD compared Ritalin and Strattera, two commonly used medications for ADHD, to see how effective they were in reducing ADHD symptoms.

The study found that participants randomly assigned to take Ritalin experienced less severe anxiety than those assigned to take Strattera, suggesting that Ritalin may be an effective treatment for anxiety among those with ADHD.

While the studies above suggest that Ritalin can reduce anxiety in some cases, there’s also evidence that anxiety may be linked to Ritalin being less effective in treating core ADHD symptoms.

A small study on Ritalin and ADHD found that those who had anxiety along with ADHD were significantly less likely to show notable improvement in their ADHD symptoms after taking Ritalin than those who only had ADHD.

While this study was small and more research is needed to confirm the effect, it does suggest that anxiety can alter how we respond to treatments like Ritalin.

Of note, the overall differences in ADHD symptoms after the trial were small. Despite the differences in response rates, many with ADHD and anxiety still saw improvements in their symptoms.

While anxiety may be linked with lower response rates to Ritalin, there is evidence that anxiety may improve responses to behavioral therapy.

One study examining response rates to ADHD treatment found that those with anxiety and ADHD tended to respond well to behavioral therapy, while those who did not have anxiety tended not to respond well.

The best results for those with anxiety and ADHD were found with treatments that combined behavioral therapy and medication:

The studies above suggest that Ritalin may be able to reduce anxiety in some with ADHD. While Ritalin isn't approved as an anxiety treatment, this effect may benefit many who suffer from ADHD and anxiety. Of note, there are effective treatments specifically approved for anxiety. If you have ADHD and/or anxiety, be sure to let your healthcare provider know so you can get the right treatment.