Undiagnosed ADHD often plays a quiet but powerful role in shaping mood, motivation, and self-worth. When ADHD goes unrecognized, it can create patterns that slowly wear a person down. Over time, this can lead to the development of mental health issues like depression. This connection affects children, teens, and adults alike. It also shows up differently across generations, especially for those who grew up when ADHD was poorly understood or narrowly defined.

While depression alone does not always lead to suicidal thoughts, certain risk factors make some individuals more vulnerable. Understanding these risk factors is an important step toward prevention, support, and healing.

Depression is a complex condition that affects mood and brain function. It can cause chemical imbalances, structural changes, and cognitive impairments that make it harder to manage emotions and complete daily tasks. Therapy provides essential tools and strategies that help rewire the brain's neural pathways, offering long-term skills for managing depression that extend far beyond symptom relief to create lasting emotional resilience and personal growth.