Hi Friend
This is a connection I have looked into deeply and am seeing more of in my clinic practice. If you have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, there is a good chance that ADHD, or at least some of its hallmarks, feels familiar. The racing thoughts, the difficulty regulating attention, the emotional intensity, the chronic overwhelm. And if you have ADHD, you may have spent years wondering why your body also feels like it is working against you — why you are always tired, always in pain, always struggling with things that seem effortless for other people.
This is not a coincidence. Research is increasingly showing that EDS and ADHD co-occur at rates far higher than chance, and that the relationship between them is likely biological rather than incidental. Understanding that connection can be genuinely life-changing — not just because it validates what you have been experiencing, but because it changes how both conditions need to be managed.
What the research tells us
Studies have found that individuals with hypermobile EDS have significantly elevated rates of ADHD compared to the general population, with some research suggesting that anywhere between 40 and 60 percent of people with hEDS meet criteria for ADHD. That is not a small overlap. That is a pattern that demands explanation.
Several mechanisms have been proposed. The first involves the connective tissue itself. Connective tissue is not just in your joints — it is in your brain, your nervous system, your blood vessels. When connective tissue is structurally different, as it is in EDS, the impact on the central nervous system may affect neurotransmitter regulation, particularly dopamine and noradrenaline — the very neurotransmitters implicated in ADHD. The brain in EDS may simply be working differently at a structural and biochemical level.
The second mechanism involves the autonomic nervous system. Most people with hEDS have some degree of dysautonomia — the autonomic nervous system does not regulate itself properly. This affects heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, digestion, and crucially, cerebral blood flow. When the brain does not receive consistent, well-regulated blood flow, cognitive function suffers. Concentration becomes difficult. Working memory becomes unreliable. Emotional regulation becomes exhausting. These are not personality flaws or laziness — they are physiological consequences of an under-perfused brain.
The third mechanism is mast cell activation. MCAS, which is extremely common in people with EDS, involves the inappropriate release of inflammatory mediators throughout the body, including the brain. Neuroinflammation driven by mast cell activation can profoundly affect cognition, mood, and attention. Many patients find that when their mast cell symptoms are better controlled, their cognitive and emotional symptoms improve alongside them.
At the mend clinic we specialise in connecting the dots and treating patients as a whole!
Why this matters for diagnosis and treatment
One of the most damaging things that happens to people with this combination is that the two conditions are treated in isolation — or worse, one is used to dismiss the other. ADHD symptoms are attributed to anxiety about chronic illness. Chronic illness symptoms are attributed to the chaos of living with unmanaged ADHD. Neither diagnosis gets properly addressed and the patient is left trying to hold everything together with no real support for either.
Getting both diagnoses named and understood is the starting point. From there, treatment needs to be joined up. ADHD medication can be genuinely transformative for people with EDS, but it needs to be chosen carefully — stimulants affect heart rate and blood pressure, which matters enormously in someone with dysautonomia. Low doses, careful titration, and close monitoring are essential. In some patients, non-stimulant options are more appropriate.
Managing the EDS and associated conditions — stabilising the autonomic nervous system, controlling mast cell activation, addressing pain — can in turn improve ADHD symptoms significantly. These are not separate battles. They are different expressions of the same underlying biology, and treating them together rather than in silos is where the real gains are made.
What this looks like in practice
Many patients with this combination describe a life that has been defined by being told they are not trying hard enough, that they are too sensitive, too dramatic, too disorganised, too much. The reality is that they have been navigating two complex, interacting, poorly understood conditions — often without a single clinician who could see the whole picture.
If this resonates with you — if you have EDS or suspect you might, and you also recognise the ADHD experience in yourself — please know that this is real, it is recognised, and there is a growing body of clinical understanding to support you. You are not failing at being a person. You are managing a genuinely complex physiological picture, often with very little appropriate support.
Over the next 3 emails I walk you through associated chronic conditons’s, how they are linked and how we treat them.
At the mend clinic, this all starts with a very detailed intake form followed by a doctor review to ensure we dont miss anything and formulate a accurate and clear plan. Appointments are open again, book here.
Stay Well
Dr Ahmed
Mend Clinic Clinical Director
Disclaimer
The content shared in this newsletter is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical guidance from a qualified clinician who knows your individual history and circumstances.
Mend Clinic is a specialist private clinic and the information we share reflects current clinical thinking and emerging research in our field. However, medicine is an evolving science and individual presentations vary greatly — what applies generally may not apply to you specifically.
If you have concerns about your health or recognise symptoms discussed in our content, please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, contact 999 or attend your nearest A&E immediately.
Nothing in this newsletter should be taken as an endorsement of any specific treatment, product, or approach without appropriate clinical assessment.
