How ADHD Leads to Depression

# Why Do People with ADHD Often Develop Depression? A 2025 Study Has New Answers

A major new study published in 2025 in the *[Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2024.11.015)* looked at an important question:

**Why are people with ADHD more likely to become depressed as they grow up?**

Researchers followed over **30,000 children and teens** from two big UK studies—[ALSPAC](https://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/) and [TEDS](https://www.teds.ac.uk/)—to figure out what emotional and mental patterns link ADHD and depression over time.

![ADHD and Depression Study different ages of children](/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Copy-of-Yellow-and-Pink-Playful-Vibes-Stress-Free-in-3-Steps-Instagram-Post-14.png){.alignnone}

What they found helps explain *how* ADHD may lead to depression—but how we understand the results depends on our point of view.

Let’s break it down in a way that’s easy to understand.

---

## What Did the Study Look At?

The researchers wanted to find out what’s happening *between* having ADHD and developing depression later. These “in-between” experiences are called **mediators**.

They studied:

### 1. **Emotional Symptoms**
- **Irritability** (often feeling cranky or easily upset)
- **Anxiety** (worry and stress)

### 2. **Thinking and Attention Skills**
- **Emotion recognition** (understanding how others feel)
- **Working memory** (holding things in your mind)
- **Focus and self-control** (staying on task and stopping yourself from acting impulsively)

### 3. **Negative Thinking Patterns**
- **Feeling like you have no control over your life**
- **Blaming yourself or expecting failure**

They also studied how these things changed between childhood, teen years, and young adulthood.

---

## Two Ways to Understand the Same Results

The study showed that many of these challenges—especially **irritability, anxiety**, and **negative thinking**—help explain why people with ADHD are more likely to get depressed.

But here’s where it gets interesting: the same findings can be understood in **two totally different ways**.

---

## 1. The Traditional “Clinical” View

This is the view most doctors use. It sees ADHD as a disorder with symptoms that need to be fixed.

| **What Was Measured** | **How the Clinical View Understands It** |
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| 😠 Irritability | Poor emotional control; needs behavior help or meds |
| 😟 Anxiety | A second disorder to treat separately |
| 🧠 Emotion Recognition | A problem with reading people; needs social skills training |
| 🔁 Focus & Memory Issues | Cognitive deficits; needs therapy or tutoring |
| 😔 Negative Thinking | Distorted thoughts; use CBT to challenge them |

**This approach asks:** *“What’s wrong, and how do we fix it?”*

---

## 2. The Neurodivergent-Affirming View

This newer view sees ADHD as a natural brain difference—not something broken.

It says many problems come from living in a world that isn’t built for neurodivergent people.

| **What Was Measured** | **How the Neurodivergent View Understands It** |
|------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| 😠 Irritability | A sign of sensory or emotional overwhelm; needs safety and co-regulation |
| 😟 Anxiety | A natural response to constant stress, rejection, or unpredictability |
| 🧠 Emotion Recognition | A difference in communication style, not a deficit |
| 🔁 Focus & Memory Issues | Struggles that depend on the environment; not always present |
| 😔 Negative Thinking | Often caused by years of being corrected or misunderstood |

**This approach asks:** *“What’s this person going through, and how can we support them better?”*

---

## What Changed by Age?

The study also found that:

- **Irritability and emotion recognition** mattered more in **childhood**
- **Anxiety** was a risk **throughout life**
- **Negative thinking and memory problems** became more important in the **teen years and early adulthood**

---

## So, What’s the Big Takeaway?

This research shows that depression in people with ADHD often develops over time, shaped by:
- Emotional stress
- Negative thinking patterns
- Attention struggles
- And the environments they live in

But how we *respond* to those findings matters most.

We can either:
- Try to fix what we think is “broken”

**or**

- Create environments that make neurodivergent people feel safe, supported, and understood

The study gives us the data. It’s up to us to decide the story we tell with it.

### Check Out More Links on This Page related to ADHD and Depression you might be interested in

[8 ways to improve your self-confidence when you have ADHD](https://www.kristen-mcclure-therapist.com/8-ways-to-improve-your-self-confidence-when-you-have-adhd/)

[ADHD Masking vs. Autistic Masking in Women: Understanding the Differences, Similarities, and Impacts](https://www.kristen-mcclure-therapist.com/adhd-masking-vs-autistic-masking-in-women/)

[ADHD and depression](https://www.kristen-mcclure-therapist.com/adhd-and-depression/)

[How ADHD Shows Up Differently in Women: New 2025 Study Reveals Key Gender Gap](https://www.kristen-mcclure-therapist.com/how-adhd-shows-up-differently-in-women/)

[ADHD Girls Support: A Parent’s Framework for Growth and Empowerment](https://www.kristen-mcclure-therapist.com/adhd-girls-support/)
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