Can anxiety worsen forgetfulness and spacing out?

PostedOctober 17, 2025

UpdatedOctober 18, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Avery Lombardi, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

If you live with ADHD and also experience high levels of anxiety, you might notice your forgetfulness and spacing out get worse under stress. That’s no coincidence. The anxiety ADHD overlap is well recognised, and when both conditions are present, their symptoms can feed into each other especially when it comes to memory and attention.

Anxiety puts the brain in a state of hyper-alertness. While that sounds like it would sharpen your focus, it often does the opposite, flooding your system with stress hormones and making it harder to hold onto information or stay mentally present. For people with ADHD, this added strain can tip an already delicate balance, worsening memory issues and increasing the likelihood of zoning out.

How anxiety affects ADHD-related cognitive symptoms

Here’s how the cognitive impact of anxiety can intensify ADHD symptoms:

Working memory overload

Anxious thoughts take up valuable mental bandwidth. When your brain is preoccupied with worry, there’s less space left to remember tasks, conversations, or plans a common frustration for those with ADHD.

Increased distractibility

Anxiety often makes your attention jump from one thought to another. For someone with ADHD, this can amplify existing attention difficulties and lead to frequent zoning out.

Emotional overwhelm

Stress and emotional reactivity both common in ADHD and anxiety can shut down focus altogether, leaving you mentally checked out or foggy.

In conclusion, if you suspect anxiety is compounding your ADHD symptoms, then it is important to address the anxiety ADHD overlap. Treatment may include therapy, lifestyle changes, or medication.

Visit providers like ADHD Certify for personal consultations and expert guidance tailored to your unique situation.

For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape, read our complete guide to Zoning out & Forgetfulness in ADHD.

Avery Lombardi, MSc

Author

Avery Lombardi is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Psychology. She has professional experience in psychological assessment, evidence-based therapy, and research, working with both child and adult populations. Avery has provided clinical services in hospital, educational, and community settings, delivering interventions such as CBT, DBT, and tailored treatment plans for conditions including anxiety, depression, and developmental disorders. She has also contributed to research on self-stigma, self-esteem, and medication adherence in psychotic patients, and has created educational content on ADHD, treatment options, and daily coping strategies.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.