In America, there is an increasing population diagnosed with ADHD every year. ADHD can be diagnosed at any age but is often found and treated starting in childhood. Like anyone else, a person with ADHD may seek to cope with their symptoms through substance use. They may feel less bored or lonely when they drink or get high. Some people who use substances will become addicted or be diagnosed with substance use disorder.
Symptoms Of ADHD In Adults
ADHD is a neurological disorder that can cause a person to experience symptoms and exhibit different behaviors resulting from the disease.
People with ADHD can be impulsive, get bored quickly, and have difficulty sitting still. Many of them have trouble completing projects and may not flourish in all work environments. People with addiction and ADHD often describe feeling like outsiders. They may have trouble making friends or feel insecure about their condition.
Some people with ADHD experience high sensitivity to feeling rejected, called Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, so much that the fear dominates their thoughts. Using drugs or alcohol to numb the pain and anxiety dysphoria causes is common.
Substance Use Disorder and ADHD
Many people with ADHD are first introduced to substance misuse when they have been prescribed a stimulant such as Adderall. A small percentage of people prescribed a stimulant for ADHD may abuse it and take the wrong dosage regularly. College students may misuse opioids to cram for exams or stay awake after a night of partying.
After this, they may move on to more problematic stimulants like speed or crystal meth. Stimulants tend to be highly addictive, and it doesn’t take long to become addicted.
Many people with ADHD describe experiencing other disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder. They may experiment with drugs or alcohol to help them relax or be more social.
Most people who continue to use drugs after experimenting with them do it because they like how it makes them feel. At the same time, drug use changes how a person’s brain reacts to certain situations. It also depends on a particular drug dose to “feel normal.” Of course, this is why the cycle of addiction can be so difficult to break without proper treatment and help.
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