Which medication(s) for anxiety/ depression symptoms in patients with ADHD?

Question from a Member:

Can you share your thoughts on the best SSRI to combine with methylphenidate when treating ADHD with anxiety/depression?

Our colleague’s question is clinically important because depressive disorders and anxiety disorders are common comorbidities in patients with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Faraone et al., 2021; Kessler et al., 2006).

But it will be better to answer it from a broader viewpoint because we shouldn’t reflexively prescribe a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor to treat anxiety or depression symptoms in patients with ADHD. Let me give you my reasons and then provide a series of recommendations about evaluating and treating anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with ADHD.