ADHD Migraines Are Real – And They Suck. Here’s How to Cope.

Throughout my time working as a therapist for millennials with ADHD and anxiety, I’ve noticed an interesting trend. More and more of my clients are experiencing migraines. They want to know: does ADHD cause migraines? And if so, what’s the connection?

The scientific data point to a strong link between headaches and ADHD. If you’ve ever experienced a migraine, you know how debilitating they are. What’s more, they can cause skyrocketing anxiety, overwhelm, stress, and increased executive dysfunction.

Signs and symptoms of ADHD can make migraines worse, and migraines can make ADHD worse. Finding ways to reduce your overall level of stress and cope with difficult emotions like anxiety and overwhelm can help decrease the amount and intensity of your migraines.

Does ADHD Cause Migraines?

Scientific studies have found a high rate of comorbidity between ADHD and migraines. Here are some interesting findings from these studies:

• People with ADHD are significantly more likely to experience migraine headaches than people without ADHD. 
• ADHD migraines tend to be worse in women than in men.
• There was an increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse among ADHD migraine patients.
• Adults in the ADHD groups had all been diagnosed with ADHD, but weren’t necessarily being treated for it.

So, does ADHD cause migraines? While I’m not a doctor and can’t diagnose or treat any medical condition, many of my clients have come to me with similar stories and experiences. My answer to this question is: ADHD probably doesn’t directly cause migraines, although the science on that is still unclear. The more likely explanation is that many underlying signs and symptoms of ADHD can trigger migraines.

Additionally, certain ADHD medications can trigger migraines. If you think your meds are causing your headaches, speak with your doctor. It may be worth making a switch.

The Impact of Stress, Anxiety, and Overwhelm on Headaches and ADHD

Many mental health factors have been shown to increase the likelihood of experiencing migraine headaches. These include:

• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Overwhelm
• Pain catastrophisizing
• Fear of migraines themselves
• A history of adverse childhood experiences

Do you resonate with any of these experiences? If you’re like many of my clients, you probably do. In general, people with ADHD are more susceptible to stress, depression, overwhelm, and anxiety than neurotypical people.

This is partly due to impaired executive functioning in an ADHD brain. Executive functions include skills like time management, multi-tasking, focusing, and memory recall.

If you have ADHD, you know how tough it can be to get to work on time, concentrate on a menial task, or pay close attention when someone is talking. In the world we live in, tasks like these are important for maintaining healthy relationships, holding down a job, and feeling productive and successful.

In the world of someone with ADHD, the struggle to perform everyday tasks without tremendous effort can make you feel like a failure. It can have a huge impact on your mental health and your overall life. The more you struggle with daily tasks, the more likely you are to struggle in your relationships, feel stressed out, engage in negative self-talk, and feel behind in life and unable to catch up.

All these life stresses can add up and trigger ADHD migraines. Quality of life factors like poor sleep and inability to manage your anxiety can also cause migraines. 

How ADHD Migraines Can Worsen ADHD Symptoms

ADHD symptoms can trigger migraines. And unfortunately, the reverse is also true: migraines can aggravate ADHD symptoms.

If you experience a debilitating migraine, you may be out of commission for a day, a week, or more. Dealing with regular migraines is hellish. Not only do you have to endure the pain and discomfort of a migraine, but you also have to figure out how to cope with the impact of that migraine on the rest of your life.

Your migraine will likely cause you to fall behind on work, house chores, and general life maintenance. You may miss important events. Your sleep quality will probably be reduced. Your relationships might suffer. Healthy stress-relieving habits like a good diet and exercise regimen may disappear.

A migraine is also more likely to further impair your already impaired executive functioning. The haziness and pain of a migraine will more likely lead you to forget things, have trouble concentrating, and be unable to focus.

All of these problems are likely to compound, making your ADHD even worse. They also are more likely to lead to additional mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, loneliness, and feelings of resignation or helplessness. 

Treating Headaches and ADHD

Finding treatment for headaches and ADHD can be a challenge. It may be very difficult to find a doctor who is well-versed in ADHD and understands the ADHD-migraine connection. If you can find one, though, they may help you rule out other potential causes for your migraines. Hormonal changes during menstruation, for example, may be one non-ADHD related cause of migraine.

Treating your ADHD may help reduce your migraines, or at least lessen the impact of your migraines. Working on managing your anxiety, overwhelm, sleep, coping mechanisms, and overall stress levels can greatly reduce migraine frequency and severity. 

ADHD medication is one route to consider when thinking about treating your underlying ADHD. Medication can make a big difference in your ability to function and perform everyday tasks more easily.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is another useful way to tackle the underlying symptoms that may be your migraines. This type of therapy helps you learn solutions and problem-solving skills for your specific challenges.

Therapy and Coaching Can Help You Find Relief From Your ADHD Migraines

Dealing with migraines on top of ADHD is shitty. No one should have to navigate this on their own. If you’d like support figuring out how to reduce the impact of your ADHD migraines, I'm here to help.

Together, we'll help you find specific strategies for your difficulties. We’ll set goals to improve your relationship to stress, come up with healthy coping tools for mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and overwhelm, and work through your challenges as they arise.

Our work together will help you feel empowered, knowing you’re able to take charge of your life and curb painful and unwanted symptoms of ADHD.

I’m ready if you are. Reach out today to get started.