To most people, depression means feeling blue or down in the dumps. This is an almost universal experience for people with ADHD. At some point in their lives, they feel down due to the frustration and demoralization of trying to fit into a neurotypical world that makes little effort to understand or accept them. Often this is called secondary, or reactive, depression.
The two disorders have much in common:
- Decreased memory and concentration
- Irritability
- Sleep disturbances
- Sadness
- Hopelessness
- Pessimism
Distinguishing Between Depression and ADHD:
1. Age of onset, 2. Consistency of impairment and symptoms, 3. Triggered mood instability, 4. Rapidity of mood shift, 5. Duration of mood shifts, 6. Family history.