ADHD and Social Anxiety: 9 Important Differentiators, Plus 6 Evidence-Based Tips for Growth

Young girl sitting on steps with her backpack, struggling with both ADHD and social anxiety.

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Navigating daily life with mental health conditions can feel like climbing a mountain without an end in sight, particularly if you are confused over what exactly you are experiencing; it helps to know where you are going and why.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), also known as social anxiety, are two commonly misunderstood and frequently stigmatized conditions that can add hidden burdens to your day-to-day experience.

Understanding these conditions—and especially their distinct manifestations—could be crucial to managing their influence and making your path to growth as clear as possible. While learning more about them may not solve your problems immediately, it could provide you with the map and tools you need to move forward.

That is the focus of our article today: raising awareness around ADHD and social anxiety, encouraging self-compassion, and pushing you (as far as you are comfortable) to engage with practical tips and a support network you can trust, potentially including a licensed therapist committed to caring for you on your growth journey.

Understanding ADHD and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Although ADHD may emerge early in life, it can affect your academic performance, professional achievements, and social interactions well into adulthood.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), commonly known as ‘social anxiety’, presents with debilitating feelings of intense fear, anxiety, embarrassment, self-consciousness, and negative judgment by others. In behavioral terms, SAD can manifest itself through the excessive minimization or even total avoidance of social interactions.

Common symptoms of ADHD

If you struggle with ADHD, you might find that you:

  • Have difficulty focusing or maintaining attention;
  • Forget things often, and struggle with organizational skills;
  • Are impulsive (acting without considering the consequences of your choices);
  • Often feel hyperactive or restless, and find yourself fidgeting constantly;
  • Are easily distracted by external stimuli;
  • Have difficulty completing tasks or following instructions;
  • Interrupt conversations with others frequently; and
  • Struggle with time management.

Common symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder 

With social anxiety, the symptoms have a different emphasis; typically, SAD presents itself through:

  • Intense fear of social situations;
  • Excessive worry about the prospect of embarrassment or humiliation;
  • Physical symptoms including sweating, trembling, and an elevated heartbeat (in social settings);
  • Conscious and unconscious avoidance of social interactions and gatherings;
  • Persistent self-consciousness and feelings of inadequacy;
  • Extreme anxiety when speaking publicly or meeting new people;
  • Difficulty making eye contact; and
  • Repeatedly replaying social situations in your mind after interactions.

If you are struggling with social anxiety, you might often find yourself trapped in what can feel like a never-ending cycle of fear, struggle, and self-reinforcement.

Makin Wellness infographic detailing different stages in the cycle of social anxiety.

9 Differences between ADHD and Social Anxiety Disorder

Even the most basic definitions and symptom lists for ADHD and social anxiety (like the ones above) demonstrate behavioral distinctions and indicate disparate causation. What is interesting about ADHD and social anxiety, however, is that they often come with a high chance of comorbidity; that is, they are likely to overlap.

Given their high correlation – and the resulting confusion that people who suffer from both conditions can experience when trying to work out what exactly is affecting their lives – we have provided a side-by-side comparison to crystallize their differences, with further analysis where it might be helpful.

1. Origin of symptoms 

  • ADHD: Neurodevelopmental, related to brain structure and functionality.
  • SAD: Emotional and psychological, stemming from anxiety and fear responses.

Generally speaking, the difference between ADHD and SAD is that of nature and nurture: ADHD is shaped primarily by your brain biology, while SAD is formed through years of social interactions, memories and pivotal experiences.

2. Reaction to social situation

  • ADHD: Difficulty focusing, often leading to missed social cues or misunderstandings.
  • SAD: Avoidance or severe anxiety in social situations due to fear of judgment or embarrassment.

In other words, ADHD involves a generalized inability to focus, whereas SAD is rooted in the situational fear you experience when contemplating what might happen in your interactions with others. The former is a neurological feature, while the latter is rooted in specific, contextual emotions.

3. Behavioral patterns 

  • ADHD: Impulsive behaviors driven by deficits in attention and control.
  • SAD: Behavioral avoidance fueled by anxiety rather than impulsivity.

4. Physical manifestations 

  • ADHD: Constant movement, restlessness, inability to remain still.
  • SAD: Physical anxiety symptoms like blushing, shaking, nausea, or rapid heartbeat specifically triggered by social contexts.

If you have ADHD, you are likely to experience these physical manifestations whether or not you are with others, and when it comes to SAD, your symptoms are likely to be triggered in social interactions or when contemplating them.

5. Focus of concern 

  • ADHD: Predominantly concerned with attention and organizational deficits.
  • SAD: Hyper-focused on perceived social judgments and potential embarrassment.

6. Response to mistakes 

  • ADHD: May overlook or fail to recognize mistakes due to distraction.
  • SAD: Intensely impacted by mistakes, heightening feelings of embarrassment or shame.

7. Age of onset 

  • ADHD: Typically emerges during early childhood.
  • SAD: Often develops during adolescence or early adulthood, although earlier onset is possible.

8. Effect on relationships 

  • ADHD: Relationships strained by forgetfulness, inattentiveness, and impulsive actions.
  • SAD: Relationships difficult to form due to avoidance and anxiety in social situations.

When you struggle with ADHD, the relational impact has more to do with others’ actual experience of your symptoms (friends and family reacting to your forgetfulness, inattentiveness, etc.) than is the case with SAD, where any strain on the relationship occurs primarily on an internal, psychological level.

You could characterize this struggle as an internal wrestling over perceived social responses (what you believe others think about you) rather than anything those around you are actually thinking or expressing in your social interactions with them.

Another way to describe this is to say that SAD symptoms may well have a harmful impact on your relationships, with the cause stemming from within, rather than from others reacting to your outward symptoms (as can be the case with ADHD). 

9. Treatment focus 

  • ADHD: Management centered on improving attention, impulse control, and organizational abilities.
  • SAD: Treatment aimed at reducing anxiety, enhancing confidence in social interactions, and progressively confronting fears.

Beyond the general treatment focus, you are also likely to find that ADHD and social anxiety require different modalities for effective outcomes

With ADHD, a psychiatrist may prescribe supplementary medication to support exercises aimed at improving organizational abilities and focus, whereas with SAD, treatments including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy – both of which tend to be administered within the confines of a therapeutic relationship – are more common.

Overlapping symptoms of ADHD and Social Anxiety Disorder

Confused young woman watching papers pass across the room in a blur, unsure what is going where – much like the experience of trying to disentangle ADHD and social anxiety symptoms.

While ADHD and social anxiety are distinct conditions, there are a few, potentially overlapping symptoms:

  • Difficulty concentrating in certain contexts;
  • Anxiety or stress related to social interactions;
  • Avoidance or withdrawal from social activities;
  • Challenges developing or sustaining meaningful relationships; and
  • Frustration or emotional distress due to social struggles.

You might notice that all of these shared symptoms are focused on social interactions, and that while it is possible to find an overlap, there are many ADHD symptoms (like the ones listed earlier in this article) that present beyond and outside of those settings.

Practical tips to challenge and overcome symptoms

  • Mindfulness practices: Regular meditation and mindfulness activities can help you improve self-awareness and manage impulsivity and anxiety.
  • Structured scheduling: Developing structured routines can help you manage attention issues and reduce uncertainty around social interactions.
  • Gradual exposure: Slowly engage with social situations, starting with less intimidating scenarios, then intentionally building up to more challenging ones, to build up your confidence over time.
  • Positive affirmations: Regularly challenge negative self-perceptions using affirmations and realistic evaluations of yourself. If you find it helpful, you might even practice this using positive affirmations and evaluations from friends or family you trust, as an even more direct method for challenging your relational beliefs.
  • Support systems: Speaking of family and friends, actively engaging with people you trust (also including specialized support groups) can provide emotional and practical assistance during difficult moments, and provide long-term social stability. When leaning on these support systems, it is important to be open and honest about what you are struggling with, especially given the symptoms associated with both ADHD and SAD.

Professional guidance: Finally, you might find that seeking consistent support from another human source – trained mental health professionals including psychotherapists and psychiatrists  – can offer direct, effective treatment solutions for both the symptoms you are experiencing and their root causes.

Evidence-based reasons to seek professional help

As the last bullet point in our list above implies, seeking guidance from licensed professionals, including those at Makin Wellness, can give you access to scientifically validated techniques for effectively managing your ADHD and SAD symptoms. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for instance, has proved to be highly effective for addressing distorted thought patterns and reinforcing practical coping strategies.

Research consistently validates professional interventions as highly effective in addressing both ADHD and social anxiety, significantly enhancing overall life quality and equipping individuals with essential strategies for thriving in daily life.

Breaking the Ice: Taking the next step

Two ice-breaking ships paving the way for others to follow, as a visual metaphor for the impact therapy can have on your ADHD and social anxiety symptoms.

Much like the thought of entering a crowded room and worrying what others will think about you, you might be afraid of reaching out to a licensed therapist. That’s why breaking the ice – taking the first step – is so important; nobody else can make that choice for you.

At Makin Wellness, we believe in empowering you to build self-awareness, practice compassion for yourself and others, and proactively engage with healthy support networks. Clearly naming your experiences and gaining a precise understanding of your symptoms can be powerful first steps toward lasting healing and personal growth.

If you or someone you care about is facing challenges related to ADHD, social anxiety, or both, there’s no need to delay; simply connect with one of our trained therapists to get started on your healing journey today.

Additional resources:

Picture of Sara Makin MSEd, LPC, NCC

Sara Makin MSEd, LPC, NCC

All articles are written in conjunction with the Makin Wellness research team. The content on this page is not a replacement for professional diagnosis, treatment, or informed advice. It is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before making any decisions or taking action. Please refer to our terms of use for further details.

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