How does anxiety affect attention and concentration compared to ADHD?

PostedAugust 28, 2025

UpdatedSeptember 8, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

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

Anxiety and attention are closely linked, but the way anxiety impacts focus issues differs significantly from how ADHD affects attention and concentration. While both conditions can cause difficulty staying focused, understanding the underlying reasons and the way they manifest can help distinguish the two and guide appropriate treatment.

Anxiety and Attention

When anxiety affects attention, it’s often because the individual is overwhelmed by excessive worry or fear about something specific, such as an upcoming event or the potential for something to go wrong. This mental preoccupation can make it difficult to focus on the task at hand. People with anxiety may find themselves ruminating about their worries, which pulls their attention away from other activities. In fact, the fear-driven state often results in a lack of concentration as the mind constantly shifts between anxious thoughts.

ADHD and Attention

In contrast, ADHD attention issues are typically driven by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, without the influence of fear or excessive worry. Individuals with ADHD often struggle to stay focused because they are easily distracted by external stimuli or their own thoughts, rather than being consumed by anxiety. Attention deficits in ADHD are characterised by a chronic inability to maintain focus, often jumping from one task to another without completing them.

Key Differences Between Anxiety and ADHD Attention Issues

Here are some brief features that differentiate attention issues in anxiety and ADHD:

Anxiety: Focus issues in anxiety disorders stem from mental distraction due to worry, with physical symptoms such as restlessness or tension.

ADHD: Inattention in ADHD is more about difficulty staying on task, often due to external distractions and impulsivity.

In conclusion, while both anxiety and attention issues and ADHD involve difficulties with concentration, the underlying causes and manifestations are different. Anxiety often causes focus issues due to persistent worry, while ADHD presents with chronic inattention and impulsivity.

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 Differential Diagnosis of 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.