Other Possible Adhd Causes Of Fatigue
- Worry. Everyone worries from time to time, but someone with a Wandering Mind or ADHD brain might do this just a bit more. When we worry, or simply use our brain, we use a lot of energy. Are we unable to turn off our thinking mind? Is it difficult for us to achieve deep relaxation in between activities? Then there is a good chance that we will get tired or exhausted.
- Medication. ADHD medication can also cause exhaustion. Even the best medication can cause side effects. Medications such as Ritalin, Methylphenidate and Dexamfetamine helped me improve my concentration. But when the medicine wore off at the end of the day, I experienced the rebound and felt completely exhausted. Fortunately there are also natural supplements that can help us manage our ADHD symptoms. In general, we will experience fewer side effects, because these supplements support the natural process in our body.
- Working overtime. Our performance society is not really designed for people with ADD. Burning the candle on both sides to make ends meet and additionally trying to be a good mother, partner or friend can be destructive to our health and our balance. Since we are hyperactive with our ADHD brains’ and regularly use our hyperfocus, we are particularly vulnerable to these effects.
Treating Comorbid Fibromyalgia And Adhd
How should clinicians approach medication for comorbid fibromyalgia and ADHD? Dr. Goodman noted that, While the and cognitive symptoms with fibromyalgia may respond to a stimulant medication we would use for ADHD, the stimulant doesnt seem to have any effect on other fibromyalgia symptoms .
See also, chronic , ad emerging links between
I think if emerging research can demonstrate this comorbidity, then fibromyalgia needs to be part of the clinical assessment so that cognitive symptoms of ADHD can be differentiated from cognitive symptoms of fibromyalgia , said Dr. Goodman, who believes that clinical education needs to be for both adult psychiatrists and the physician.
At this point, more investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms of neurotransmitters and the impact of cognitive disorders in people with fibromyalgia syndrome, aiming to develop and adhere to pharmacotherapeutic treatments.¹
According to the South African study noted above, the presence of adult ADHD with FM is indeed expected to have therapeutic implications. The researchers determined that cognitive impairment from ADHD improved with dopaminergic stimulants, such as methylphenidate, and since individuals with chronic pain tend to have lower dopamine activity, they may benefit from a similar medication.¹
Tip 3 The Right Nutrition To Fight Exhaustion
Our diet has a major impact on almost every aspect of our health. Nutrition plays a crucial role in ADHD/ADD symptoms such as fatigue. If you just put junk in your body such as refined sugar, refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, pizza and cookies, sweets and other processed foods and junk foods you will not only worsen your ADD/ADHD symptoms, but you will also get tired faster.
Eating regular and healthy meals such as meals with fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, other legumes and other unprocessed foods will have a positive influence on your ADD symptoms such as fatigue.
Read all about ADD and nutrition and the influence of coffee on ADD here.
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Strategies And Treatments Can Help
According to the nonprofit organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, there are strategies people with ADHD can use to compensate for some of their cognitive problems.
Some of these include systematically organizing your work space to cut down on distractions or dividing each task into smaller steps and rewarding yourself when you complete each one.
Adults with ADHD often benefit from having cognitive behavioral therapy or hiring a personal coach to help set manageable goals.
Medications such as stimulants or antidepressants can help with ADHD. Van Rensburg notes that some case studies suggest that the psychostimulant Ritalin not only improves the cognitive symptoms, it also seems to benefit fibromyalgia pain. Clinical trials are required to confirm this, but you might want to talk to your doctor about this medication.
Possible Reasons For Fatigue Caused By Adhd Or Add
- Hyperactivity. Our bodies and minds are only able to handle a certain amount of activity. If we continuously use a lot of energy, due to hyperactivity, we get tired or exhausted faster.
- Hyperfocus. Working in the hyperfocus also expends a lot of energy. In addition, the hyperfocus can make us forget to eat or take a break. Our body does not get the chance to recover from all the work we do .
- Sleeping problems, insomnia. Many children and adults with ADD suffer from sleeping problems. I myself had sleeping problems all my life, until I received some guidance for this. Thanks to various tools that I was given, and alternative therapies such as aromatherapy and Reiki, I learned how to sleep’. When we don’t get enough sleep, our body misses the opportunity to recover, and to replenish the energy. If you have sleeping problems, it is essential to do something about it. Read all about natural sleep supplements here, which may support you in your sleep.
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What Causes Sleep Disturbances
There are several theories as to what causes sleep disturbances, and thus fatigue, in people with ADHD.
Some experts believe that sleep disturbances are a manifestation of ADHD itself. This means that they believe that the sleep issues are a part of the disease process of ADHD.
Another theory is the circadian rhythm or rather, a lack thereof. According to ADDitude, the lack of an accurate circadian clock may also account for the difficulty that many with ADHD have in judging the passage of time. Their internal clocks are not set. Consequently, they experience only two times: now and not now.
Add/adhd And Tiredness A Downward Spiral
While everyone experiences fatigue and exhaustion from time to time, some of us suffer from extreme fatigue and prolonged exhaustion. In some cases, this can even lead to burnout. Earlier, I wrote an article about the connection between ADD and burnout. Because it happened to me. When I was 26, I suffered from burnout, and soon after I got diagnosed with ADD. I did not feel exhausted for a day or a week, but the fatigue lasted for months, even years.
If you don’t manage your ADD symptoms , you could end up in a downward spiral. The fatigue makes it even more difficult to concentrate or to start things, for example at work or during your studies. The ADHD symptoms, together with the fatigue, make you lose all your energy.
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Finding A Long Term Solution To Adhd And Fatigue
Ultimately, most of us will have to address ADHD all of our lives. While some people show fewer symptoms as they get older or eventually show no symptoms at all, most people with ADHD have symptoms well into their adult years. This means that you might need to learn to manage your symptoms over a long period. While you need to maintain ADHD management, you shouldnt necessarily have to constantly fight against feelings of fatigue.
Instead of being plagued by fatigue all the time, you need to identify simple solutions that add up to a long-term solution for ADHD and fatigue. All of the strategies in this article point to and concern your life as a whole. These tips and tools seek to encourage you to look at your life holistically and seek a balanced daily routine. For addressing ADHD and fatigue well, you really need to consider all parts of your life and routine.
We hope that in reading through this post, one or more of the above factors stood out to you. Maybe you dont have an issue with your diet, but you can identify with stress in your life. Whichever category stands out most, start with addressing that area of your life first. After you have a good handle on that issue, move to another area until you feel you have a good management approach for all areas. While it might take time, you will find that with perseverance that you can get control of ADHD and fatigue and help manage your life overall.
Tip 2 Improve Your Sleep
When we don’t sleep well , it affects all facets of our lives. I know from experience. Until my ADD diagnosis, I never fell asleep before 2am. A night with 4 hours of sleep, was a good night. I was always tired. Stress affects our sleep, but our ADD can also make it difficult for us to fall asleep or to sleep through the night.
So make sure you sleep well. In an earlier blog post, I shared my tips for better sleep. Developing an evening ritual was essential for me to be able to sleep well. Are you considering taking sleep medication? You may want to try natural sleep supplements first.
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Tips For Tiredness As An Add Symptom
If you show signs of ADD whether diagnosed or not and you’re fatigued, it’s important to do something about it. In this way, you avoid ending up in the downward spiral, where fatigue and ADD negatively reinforce each other. You may even become chronically fatigued or burned out.
The following tips, which we share with you from our own experience, will help you get to grips with your ADHD symptoms and your energy level.
Tip 4 Get Plenty Of Exercise
Not only sleeping well and eating well are crucial if you want to tackle ADD and ADHD symptoms such as fatigue. It is also important to get enough exercise every day. When we are tired, we often think that we have no energy to exercise or exercise. At such a moment we plop on the couch, and we turn on a Netflix series.
But it’s important to be active if you regularly feel tired. Fatigue as a symptom of ADHD often has a mental character. You may have enough energy physically, but because you are mentally exhausted, you think you need rest physically as well.
Exercise releases endorphins in our brains, which help us focus better and make our body feel and function better in general. If we exercise regularly, we also sleep better. This benefits your energy level.
So make time for sports or exercise. You really don’t have to go to the gym every day and run a marathon every week. Taking a daily walk can make all the difference for your ADD symptoms such as fatigue.
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Other Diseases Can Come Along For The Ride
Fibromyalgia is not well understood, but one thing researchers know is that it is often accompanied by other medical conditions. Those that are known include depression, anxiety, interstitial cystitis , and irritable bowel syndrome.
Thats where this study comes in. Researchers from the University of Pretoria in South Africa began noticing that some adults with fibromyalgia suffered from extreme forms of impaired cognition and inattention. They wondered if this, too, could indicate a co-occurring condition rather than a symptom of the disease.
Roland van Rensburg, a physician with the university, wondered whether those people with fibromyalgia who had more extreme fibro fog symptoms might actually have undiagnosed ADHD.
In both conditions, patients have problems with thinking, remembering, focusing, or sustaining attention, which is generically termed dyscognition or cognitive impairment, he says.
Why Fatigue Is So Common With Adult Adhd
The purpose of this discussion, though, is to focus on dealing with adult ADHD itself as a source of fatigue. I lifted the subtitletwice as hard for half as muchfrom the late Steve Copps, a physician who specialized in adult ADHD before it was widely recognized. The phrase was the title of one of his presentations that he generously shared with me when we first met. Although there are many equally apt descriptions of adult ADHD, Ive not yet come across a better one.
The relevance of the quote for a discussion of fatigue is that the time, effort, and energyespecially brainpowerthat goes into managing a day is probably greater for adults with ADHD than other individuals. Brain operations are physical and use up energy. Thus, regular matters, such as the internal debate of whether to hit the snooze button , go to class or skip, or how to motivate oneself to do what one should do rather than what one wants want to do, all burn up mental fuel.
The concept of cognitive loadthe strain on ones working memoryis a useful one, as working memory is one of the main areas of difficulty in adult ADHD. Working memory is like the brains holding and sorting station, taking in information and deciding what to do with it. Short-term memory is one component, but so are and emotional managementboth up- and down-regulating feelings and motivation are intimately connected with emotionsand all of these processes guide behavior, including task initiation, persistence, and/or switching.
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Prescription Stimulants For Me/cfs
Some healthcare providers prescribe attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs for their patients with ME/CFS and say they’ve seen positive results. There is a growing body of evidence to back this up, although more research is needed.
These drugs are classified as neurostimulators, which means that they stimulate brain activity. They’re used for ADD/ADHD because, paradoxically, they have a calming effect on ADD/ADHD brains. Given that, it makes more sense that they’d be helpful in a condition defined by fatigue.
The most popular stimulants prescribed for chronic fatigue syndrome include:
- Ritalin and Concerta, which contain methylphenidate
- Dexedrine, which contains dextroamphetamine
- Adderall, which contains amphetamine and dextroamphetamine
- Vyvanse, which contains lisdexamfetamine
Why Adhd Brains Need To Recharge
Its like my car battery. If I leave my car lights on overnight, the battery will use all of its energy to keep them burning, but will eventually run out of power. Once I jump-start it, the battery will recharge with regular, smaller boosts generated by the engine.
If I permit my ADHD to leave me mentally exhausted, I need a large boost of outside support in this case, a change of medication. But if I get smaller, regular boosts from taking my medication every day I can operate normally .
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Early Research Into An Adhd And Me/cfs Link
Research is emerging on ADHD fatigue. For example, in 2007, a study led by J. L.Young looked at a possible connection between ADHD , ME/CFS, and fibromyalgia. According to the abstract:
“In an outpatient psychiatric clinic, a number of adult patients who presented primarily with symptoms of ADHD, predominately inattentive type, also reported unexplained fatigue, widespread musculoskeletal pain or a pre-existing diagnosis of CFS or FMS. As expected, ADHD pharmacotherapy usually the core ADHD symptoms of inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Less expected was the observation that some patients also reported of pain and fatigue symptoms.”
This finding led to increased interest in the use of ADHD medicationssuch as Ritalinto relieve some of the cognitive challenges related to ME/CFS and other kinds of chronic fatigue.
Study Suggests Screening Patients With Fibromyalgia Syndrome For Adhd
A recent study found patients with fibromyalgia syndrome have a higher rate of co-occurring adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .
A recent study found patients with fibromyalgia syndrome have a higher rate of co-occurring adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .
FMS is a chronic pain disorder that impacts a patients functioning. Symptoms may include musculoskeletal pain, chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, and cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment, or dyscognition, may include symptoms such as difficulty with concentration and attention, forgetfulness, and problems with word-finding and word fluency. These issues, sometimes called fibro-fog, may be more disabling than the chronic pain, but they are mostly under-recognized, the study authors wrote.
Patients with FMS have altered neurotransmitter activity involved in pain sensitivity, such as dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. Likewise, ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder also associated with impaired cognition and altered neurotransmitters.
Of the 123 participants, 44.72% screened positive for adult ADHD. Participants with both FMS and a positive adult ADHD screening test scored higher on the FIQ-R score . Self-reported cognitive impairment was rated higher in the combined group .
Reference
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The 4 Types Of Sleep Disturbances Associated With Adhd
There are a variety of types of sleep disturbances out there, but there are four types that are most common with ADHD. A sleep disturbance can likely cause fatigue. Here is a short discussion about the four common sleep disturbances:
Adhd And Chronic Pain
A number of studies over the past several years have suggested that certain types of chronic pain and ADHD may be highly correlated. In fact, one study found that 37.8% of people experiencing widespread centralized chronic pain were found to also have ADHD.
In particular, researchers have found that adult patients with fibromyalgia syndrome have a higher co-occurrence of ADHD. FMS is a type of chronic pain disorder whose symptoms may include musculoskeletal pain, chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, and cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment may include difficulty with concentration and attention, forgetfulness, and problems with word-finding and word fluency. Patients with FMS frequently report that this cognitive impairment may often be more disabling than the chronic pain they experience.
The underlying mechanism for both FMS and ADHD may have to do with altered activity in neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline. Other medical conditions that often co-occur with FMS and ADHD include depression, anxiety, interstitial cystitis , and irritable bowel syndrome.
There is some indication that medications and cognitive behavioral therapy used as part of an ADHD treatment plan can provide relief for chronic pain symptoms as well.
Dr. Michael Lenze Fibromyalgia and ADHD
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