It’s not uncommon for mental health providers to misread symptoms — to mistake signs of anxiety or mood disorder for ADHD, or conversely to misdiagnose a learning disability or autism spectrum disorder as ADHD. We call these “differential diagnoses.” To complicate matters, ADHD may also co-exist with nearly any disorder.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be the most difficult co-occurring or differential diagnosis for clinicians to recognize and treat alongside ADHD. Seasoned professionals struggle to decipher the differences and overlap between the two conditions. Misconceptions about both amplify this confusion. Therapists and prescribers often get caught up in their own theories and don’t look beyond what they think is obvious.

https://www.additudemag.com/ptsd-symptoms-adhd-diagnosis-difficult/