ADHD vs Anxiety

[changernamer8]

I don't know why but ADHD keeps popping up on FB and I usually just scroll past things that don't concern me...
But I had a quick read and I'm interested in how ADHD symptoms are similar (or not) to anxiety.

I have a tenancy to be stressed but I'm a quiet stresser I think. I hide it well usually.
Last year though I quite suddenly started getting really bad anxiety to the point I lost my appetite and lost 3 stone due to feeling nausea and full after eating a tiny bit.
It was a vicious circle as doc wanted me to have all these tests which made me even more anxious.

I really struggled at night time and being alone. I had to call my mum to be with me at night very often.
Had panic attacks, couldn't sleep, thought I was going to die etc...

The worst has passed since being put on Amytriptoline and Fluoxetine.

I'm still a stressed person though...

I can't sit down for any length of time just to relax.

I can't watch movies (feel like I'm wasting previous time doing nothing) Same with sitting down to chat with people.

Don't sit down for meals and usually eat while doing other things.

Lose concentration quickly and often

Can't have a conversation go on for long before I lose focus and get fed up

Get irritated by phone calls or anything that takes me by surprise

Can socialise for short periods but find it very tiring and I just want to be alone after. I'll suddenly reach a point where I get fed up and get up to leave without warning.

I don't really have a social life as its easier and less stress just being by myself ( apart from the period last year which was very out of the norm for me even then it wasn't to socialise I was scared to be alone if sonething happened ).

I am dreadful with numbers and maths. I don't have any patience to work anything out in my head.

When I go places which are unfamiliar I end up rocking or swaying or doing some repetitive movement.

Very short attention span. I don't read instructions and if I ask a question often don't hear the answer.

Learn nothing from someone explaining things to me. I have to learn slowly myself by doing it myself which usually involves making lots if mistakes.

Don't like people becoming to famiar or close to me and don't really like physical contact . That also goes for family apart from my children which I don't mind at all.
I also don't like looking people in the eye. It's very difficult for me to do this and makes me feel intimidated and vulnerable.

I think some of it's my personality as I guess I'm fairly introvert (though I'm quite sociable for a short while to be polite).
Some of it stress /anxiety
Some possibly a response to events in my life

... but I also wondered if there's some traits of adhd in there as well.
How can you tell the difference between stress and ADHD?

I dunno the answer but sometimes I wonder why people are so keen to label themselves. I relate to a lot of the things you mentioned but don’t feel the need to get diagnosed with adhd nor anxiety. What’s the end goal? What would a diagnosis achieve? Is it just not symptoms of a normal busy life?

No, I don't think it's normal when I watch other people do things.
The end goal is being able to cope better with that stressful life I guess.

People with ADHD often have anxiety as well.

Someone I know was diagnosed as an adult. It really helped them to understand themselves. The diagnosis helped them access specialised support to learn how to manage their executive functioning difficulties, support at university, and they chose to take medications they couldn't access without diagnosis, which has helped them hugely. So I guess, for those who are affected enough by the condition, that's the point of the 'label'?

Im not an expert but from what you said i think its probably worth talking it through with your GP and asking to be assessed for adhd and/ or autism.
They are connected ( could be both or either or none!) And frequently go hand in hand with anxiety

Thank you Wanna and Runner.

It's not that I want a label but more to understand why I do the things I do when others act differently and to also be prepared better if this bad anxiety returns.
It's not nice not having close friends and being afraid to get close to people and I don't think that's just 'normal'.
I have felt really lonely at times even if I struggle in relationships.
I'll look through my phone and realise I have nobody to call if I wanted to talk anyway but I know it's because I haven't put effort into making friends or wanting to.

Any updates?