Recently, I blogged about the power of AWARENESS as an ADHD alternative treatment. Awareness of the impact of diet…of the full range of treatment options…of the damage of unchecked negative self-talk…of your own strengths and weaknesses, etc. All things that can empower you if you have greater awareness.
Well, you can add to that list, awareness of the frightening statistical friendship of ADHD and substance abuse…
Some Hallucination-Inducing ADHD Statistics
Did you know that those with ADHD are six times more at risk for substance abuse than the general population, and will suffer from the abuse for a longer time? It gets uglier…
- Up to 45% of adults with ADHD are alcohol abusers.
- Up to one-third abuse illegal drugs.
- Between 35% and 71% of all alcoholics are also ADHD!
- Between 15% and 25% of drug abusers are also ADHD.
- ADHD adults are disproportionately represented among patients in treatment centers (not to mention also among the prison population, which I blogged about from the 2012 ADHD Coaches Organization conference).
Wow, not lookin’ so good for us!! And that’s not all – don’t forget all the behavioral issues that result from these abuses: drunken driving, arrests, failed relationships, poor career prospects…and on and on. As if the ADHD alone weren’t bad ENOUGH!!!
But wait! There’s more! Then we of course have to contend with the frequent ADD/ADHD co-morbidities of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, oppositional defiance disorder, and so on, which make matters worse, as well as confounding proper diagnosis and treatment.
WHAT is Going ON Here?!?
Well, as a former alcohol and drug abuser myself, I’m not surprised at all by these ugly stats and the isolation of substance abuse as one of the most prevalent adult ADHD symptoms.
Looking back at my teen years, it’s pretty clear how I got my start. They say marijuana is the gateway drug – but I feel regular old cigarettes are a bigger gateway for ADDers. And sure enough, we ADDers start smoking earlier than the average kid smoker – and are less likely to quit. And the gateway effect is aided and abetted by the gravitation to permissive peers and like-minded others who’ll accept us and our behaviors, making for a snowball effect. Here are some of the whys that Dr. Teplin touched on…
- Both we ADDers and substance abusers tend to lack sufficient amounts of dopamine. Abuse, just like all risky behaviors, counters that dopamine deficit. (Hmmm. Is THAT why they call it dope?)
- Nicotine is a mild stimulant. Its mild ‘upper’ effect probably contributes to the attraction and difficulty in quitting.
- Alcohol and marijuana are both depressants that might have a calming effect on hyperactivity.
- As ADHD sufferers, we’re likely to be defined as failing, outcasts, not up to par – all great reasons to go have a drink!
But back to the awareness lesson here. Whether or not we are grappling with some substance, having the knowledge about this dysfunctional relationship can help our overall mission of greater understanding, facing new challenges, and maybe even equip us to help a fellow ADDer in need. If someone you suspect of having attention disorders also has this most pernicious of adult ADHD symptoms, approach gently….
Bless!!
-APB
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