5 Ways ADHD Can Affect Your Teen's Mental Health
Jul 08, 2025
If you or a loved one is living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you know just how difficult it can be for people with ADHD to navigate the world.
ADHD most commonly develops during childhood and can place significant strain on kids as they move through adolescence. Research shows that teens with ADHD often develop other mental health conditions that can complicate their lives even further.
At Greenwich Avenue Psychiatry, we understand just how challenging ADHD can be for both kids and their families. We’re here to help and offer the following information to underscore some of the ways that ADHD can affect a teen’s mental health.
Many kids with ADHD are well aware that their behavior does not fall in line with that of their peers. They can perceive differences in how they are welcomed into social settings or how they are treated in school.
One of the biggest misconceptions about kids with ADHD is that they don’t care about the feelings or thoughts of others. In reality, most people with ADHD are highly aware that their actions cause strife with others.
Over time, this can lead to social anxiety. Just the thought of having to interact with others at school or in social settings can cause a teen with ADHD to feel uncomfortable or awkward.
Most teenagers are affected somewhat by social anxiety, and those with ADHD often face additional struggles.
For teens who live with ADHD, emotional regulation is often a challenge. The highs of life often feel very euphoric, but the lows can also be amplified. Riding these shifts in mood can be difficult for both the teen and their loved ones.
Because teens with ADHD often struggle in school and within social settings, they can feel as though they can’t get anything right. This can cause a pervasive negative sense of self-worth.
Making matters even more difficult is the fact that the impulsive behaviors that often accompany ADHD can underscore a teen’s inability to conform to social norms. This can serve as “proof” that the teen’s low self-esteem is “deserved.”
Kids with ADHD often find it difficult to make calm, rational decisions. They tend to act on impulse, making rash choices that often don’t align with their desired outcomes.
This impulsivity can cause turmoil within the family home as well as in school. Kids with ADHD have a hard time weighing the pros and cons of a decision before taking action. They might also have difficulty fully acknowledging the cause/effect factors of various decisions.
While almost all teens have issues with impulsivity, those with ADHD tend to have a more difficult time with decision-making.
Teenagers who live with ADHD often feel as though others don’t understand them or value their contributions. Because the behaviors that come with ADHD can complicate social interactions, teens with this condition can find it challenging to sustain friendships.
Faced with ongoing difficulty in social interactions, and compounded with frequent inability to conform to their family’s rules and expectations, many teenagers with ADHD feel deeply isolated and alone. This can make it even easier to slip into depression.
Teens and families who are trying to find stability and success with ADHD can face more than one additional mental health challenge. Anxiety and depression are both common among teenagers with ADHD, and it’s possible to experience both.
While there is a great deal of complexity to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, there is also a great deal of hope. Our services include adolescent supportive therapy, which includes strategies for helping teens manage the challenges of living with ADHD.
Our practice can connect with patients in person or through telehealth visits to help them begin exploring treatment options.
If you’re ready to try a new approach in managing ADHD, schedule an appointment at your earliest convenience. Call our office or request an appointment online.