ADHD vs. Anxiety
Mood and Mind Counseling | Cara Cancio, MSW, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP | St. Petersburg, Florida
I specialize in supporting young adults and teens who feel like their brain just won’t slow down—who are tired of feeling stuck in their head, scattered in their day, or exhausted from trying so hard to “keep it together.”
Whether it’s anxiety that never seems to turn off or ADHD that makes even the simplest tasks feel like climbing a mountain, I’m here to help you untangle what’s going on underneath it all —with kindness and zero judgment.
ADHD vs. Anxiety: How Can You Tell the Difference?
Therapy can help you explore these patterns, develop coping strategies, and address the anxiety or self-criticism that may be adding to the stress. A thorough assessment by a qualified professional is needed to determine whether ADHD or an anxiety disorder is present.
With ADHD…
you might struggle to focus because your attention shifts, tasks feel difficult to initiate, or it's hard to organize your thoughts and priorities.
With anxiety…
your attention might be pulled toward worries, uncertainty, or the fear that something will go wrong.
You might procrastinate because you're unsure where to start, underestimate how long a task will take, or struggle to maintain attention. You might also put things off because you're afraid of making a mistake, getting something wrong, or not meeting expectations. Sometimes, both are happening at once.
Over time, the experience of struggling to keep up can create anxiety of its own. You might worry about forgetting something important, feel pressure to over-prepare, or rely on perfectionism to compensate for difficulties with organization and follow-through.
For Example
If you’ve ever thought, “It’s like my brain is doing too much and not enough at the same time,” you’re not imagining things. ADHD and anxiety can show up in really similar ways—especially in women and teens. It’s no wonder you’re overwhelmed trying to figure it out.
This is a side-by-side breakdown to help you start untangling what might be going on.
Disclaimer: The above chart is intended to be informative. All thoughts or questions in response to the above information should be discussed with a qualified professional. This is not intended for diagnostic purposes.
And sometimes? It’s both.
Anxiety and ADHD love to play off of each other—one triggering the other until you feel stuck in a loop you can’t quite name.
“You don’t need a diagnosis to know something’s not working. You just need support that fits your lived experience.”
You don’t have to untangle it all by yourself.
You’ve likely spent a lot of energy trying to “just figure it out.” Maybe you've read all the books, followed the right influencers, or bounced between anxiety hacks on TikTok—only to end up feeling even more overwhelmed.
You don’t have to untangle it all by yourself… Therapy gives you a space to pause, breathe, and finally be with what’s going on underneath the surface—with someone who gets it.
My approach is…
Warm and collaborative
You’re the expert on your experience. I’m here to help you make sense of it —not to “fix” you, but to walk alongside you with care and curiosity.
Rooted in evidence-based approaches
I draw from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior
Therapy), and IFS (Internal Family Systems) to help you understand patterns and shift the ones that are no longer serving you.
Mind-body connection matters
We’ll also work with the nervous system—because sometimes the anxiety
isn’t just in your thoughts, it’s in your body. That’s where mindfulness and somatic tools come in.