ADHD and depression
Symptoms, causes, treatment and support in Australia
Discover why ADHD and depression often occur together, how to tell them apart, and how to find the right support in Australia.
ADHD and depression are different conditions, but they commonly occur together.
Challenges linked to ADHD can affect self-esteem, emotional wellbeing and mood over time.
Difficulty concentrating, low motivation and sleep problems can be signs of either condition.
ADHD symptoms usually begin in childhood, while depression can develop at any stage of life.
Getting the right diagnosis can help you access the most effective treatment and support.
Treatment may include therapy, medication, practical strategies and lifestyle changes.
ADHD can present in different ways. Some people mainly experience difficulties with attention, others with impulsivity or restlessness, and many experience a combination of both.
According to the DSM-5, ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people focus, manage impulses, organise tasks and respond to emotions.
It involves ongoing patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity–impulsivity that can make everyday tasks, relationships, work or study more challenging.
For some people, ADHD mainly affects attention. For others, it may show up as restlessness, acting quickly without thinking, or feeling driven by a sense of urgency. Many people experience a mix of these.
Common ADHD symptoms include:
Difficulty focusing or staying organised
Forgetfulness and losing track of tasks
Restlessness or feeling constantly “on the go”
Acting quickly without thinking
Struggling to manage time or priorities
Finding it hard to get organised, even when you're trying
For a diagnosis, symptoms:
Usually begin in childhood
Are present in more than one setting (such as home and work)
Continue over time and impact daily life
ADHD is not caused by laziness, lack of effort or low intelligence. It reflects differences in how the brain manages attention and behaviour.
With the right support, people with ADHD can better understand their experiences and find practical strategies that work for them.
While ADHD is recognised as a neurodevelopmental condition, for many people, it’s also part of their identity – a different way of thinking and being and better understood as a natural variation in how brains process information. The term ‘condition’ doesn’t capture their experience.
Ultimately, the key is focusing on understanding and support, while noting that whether ADHD shows up as a difficulty or a strength often depends on the environment.
If ADHD, depression or both are affecting your life, support is available.
A good place is start in your GP. They can:
Talk with you about what you're experiencing
Help create a Mental Health Treatment Care Plan
Refer you to a psychologist
Refer you to a psychiatrist if needed
If you're seeking an ADHD diagnosis or considering ADHD medication, a psychiatrist is usually involved in assessment and prescribing.
Telehealth services have made support more accessible across Australia.
Consider reaching out if:
You feel overwhelmed most days
Daily tasks feel hard to manage
Your mood or energy has changed significantly
You're finding it difficult to cope
You feel stuck or unsure where to begin
You don’t need to wait until things feel severe. Support can help at any stage.
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Even though ADHD and depression are different conditions, they can affect many of the same parts of daily life.
Understanding how they affect each other can help you find the right support for you.
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulse control, executive functioning and emotional regulation.
Depression is a mental health condition that affects mood, energy and motivation. It can make everyday life feel heavy or harder to manage.
While these are different conditions, they often overlap.
Many people with ADHD experience depression at some point in their lives. This isn't a personal failure. Living with ongoing challenges, feeling misunderstood or experiencing repeated setbacks can affect emotional wellbeing over time.
If this is your experience, it’s important to know this is not a personal failure.
Understanding why ADHD and depression often occur together can make a real difference in finding the right support.
When both conditions are recognised, treatment can focus on:
Reducing daily ADHD challenges
Supporting emotional regulation
Improving mood and self-esteem
This integrated approach can help break the cycle and create a more sustainable path forward.
ADHD and depression can sometimes look similar, but they are different conditions with distinct causes and treatment approaches.
While both ADHD and depression can affect concentration, motivation, and daily functioning, ADHD symptoms are typically ongoing from childhood, whereas depression often involves a noticeable change in mood, energy, and interest in activities that were once enjoyable.
Understanding these differences can help individuals seek the right support and develop effective strategies for managing their symptoms.
ADHD and depression can share similar symptoms, which can make it difficult to tell them apart.
You might notice:
Difficulty concentrating
Low energy or fatigue
Disrupted sleep
Reduced motivation
Trouble starting or completing tasks
Because these experiences overlap, it’s common for one condition to be mistaken for the other, or for both to be present at the same time.
Understanding how ADHD and depression differ may help guide the next step toward support.
| Feature | ADHD | Depression |
| Onset | Begins in childhood (before age 12) | Can begin at any stage of life |
| Pattern over time | Ongoing and consistent | May come and go in episodes |
| Motivation | Changes depending on interest or urgency | Reduced across most activities |
| Attention | Difficulty regulating focus | Slower thinking or "brain fog" |
| Emotional experience | Intense, fast-changing emotions | Persistent low mood or numbness |
A mental health professional may look at both your past and current experiences to understand what’s most accurate for you.
This is a helpful question to explore, especially if treatment hasn’t worked as expected.
Sometimes depression can mask ADHD, particularly in adults. Low energy, withdrawal and emotional flatness can make ADHD harder to recognise.
At the same time, ADHD can make it harder to notice depression, especially if the focus is on attention or organisation challenges. Many people, especially women, are first treated for depression or anxiety before ADHD is identified.
If something about your experience doesn’t feel fully explained, it’s worth discussing this with a mental health professional.
It’s also common for both conditions to occur together.
Signs this might be the case include:
Difficulties with long-term attention or organisation alongside a more recent change in mood
Ongoing struggles with motivation, combined with feelings of sadness or hopelessness
Treatments for one condition only helping partially
When both ADHD and depression are recognised, support can be better tailored to address the full picture.
Understanding whether you’re experiencing ADHD, depression, or both can make a meaningful difference to treatment.
It can help:
Explain patterns that may have felt confusing
Guide more effective treatment options
Reduce self-blame and increase self-understanding
If you’re unsure, speaking with a GP or mental health professional can be a helpful first step.
ADHD and depression can make everyday life more challenging, making it harder to manage tasks, maintain focus, and stay on top of responsibilities.
Living with ADHD, depression, or both can make everyday tasks feel more challenging.
People may find it difficult to stay organised, manage responsibilities, or maintain focus at work, school, or home.
When these conditions occur together, the impact on daily functioning can be even greater, affecting productivity, relationships, and overall wellbeing.
Years of ADHD-related challenges can affect how you see yourself.
You may have heard messages like:
“You have potential, but…”
“Why can’t you just…?”
Over time, this can build into a sense of shame.
It's important to remember that these feelings of shame do not define who you are. With understanding and support, this can change.
Checking in with yourself can help you better understand your mental health and wellbeing. Our Self Care Check is a simple tool that can help you reflect on how you're going and discover practical ways to support your wellbeing.
When ADHD and depression occur together, starting tasks can feel especially difficult.
You might:
Know what needs to be done
Want to begin
Feel unable to start
This isn’t laziness. Both ADHD and depression can affect motivation, energy and executive functioning.
Fear of rejection, low mood or difficult past experiences can lead people to pull away from others.
Over time, this can increase isolation and deepen depression.
Connection is an important protective factor for mental health, and rebuilding relationships and seeking support can be an important part of recovery.
Treating ADHD and depression together often leads to better outcomes.
Because ADHD and Depression conditions can affect each other, support works best when it considers the full picture.
Focusing only on depression may not address underlying ADHD challenges
Focusing only on ADHD may not address low mood or negative thinking
A mental health professional can help develop a treatment plan that suits your needs.
Helpful approaches include:
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for mood and thinking patterns
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) for emotional regulation
ADHD-adapted therapy for structure and daily skills
ADHD coaching may also support routines, planning and accountability.
These approaches can help with emotional regulation, practical skills and coping strategies.
Small, consistent steps can make a difference:
Regular exercise to support mood and focus
Consistent sleep routines
Balanced nutrition for energy and concentration
These strategies are a part of treatment, and not about being perfect or adding extra expectations.
Recovery often involves a shift in perspective:
From: “Something is wrong with me.”
To: “This is something I can understand and work with.”
This shift can bring both relief and grief. Both are valid.
People with ADHD also have many strengths, such as creativity, empathy and resilience.
With the right support, these can become clearer again.
If things feel overwhelming, starting small can help:
Focus on one simple first step
Use reminders or visual supports
Working in short time blocks
Build small, achievable wins
Try working alongside someone else
Small actions can help you feel more connected to the people and communities around you.
Explore practical ways to build meaningful connections at your own pace.
If sleep has been difficult lately, you're not alone.
Our interactive Sleep Checklist can help you understand the habits and behaviours that may be affecting your sleep and provide ideas for positive change.
Movement can be a simple way to support your mental health and wellbeing.
Explore practical ideas, tips and inspiration to help you stay active in a way that feels manageable and sustainable.
Taking small actions every day in ways that work for you leads to long-term wellbeing – our PACE: Daily wellbeing app helps make it easy to build and maintain healthy habits.
