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Visual Abstract
Estimates on Heavy Drinking and Drug Use in ADHD
Comorbidity of alcohol and substance dependence with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Martin D. Ohlmeier, Karsten Peters, Bert T. Te Wildt, Markus Zedler, Marc Ziegenbein, Birgitt Wiese, Hinderk M. Emrich, Udo Schneider
Reviewed by Charles Li, MD
November 14, 2022
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Researchers found that many alcoholics and drug addicts have symptoms of adult ADHD.
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According to this study, many may have had ADHD as children as well without knowing it at the time.
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One theory is that alcoholics and drug addicts may have been trying to self-medicate their undiagnosed ADHD.
Background
ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric conditions. It impacts daily functioning and can get in the way of normal life.
It’s also associated with a higher risk of addiction. Scientists have seen a link between ADHD and risky behaviors, such as substance abuse. Those with ADHD are more likely to drink heavily as teenagers and adults:
This study was conducted to estimate the rate of drinking and drug use among patients with ADHD.
Study Quote
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is of great clinical importance not only because of its high prevalence but also due to the frequent comorbid illnesses that are connected with this disorder. Several studies were able to demonstrate that ADHD constitutes a significant risk...
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Methods
In order to calculate the rate of drug use and heavy drinking among ADHD patients, researchers recruited 152 adults who were either alcoholics or had multiple drug addictions.
They then tested the adults for ADHD and asked them about ADHD symptoms they may have had as children.
To screen for adult ADHD, researchers used CAARS, a common ADHD assessment that evaluates the presence and severity of ADHD symptoms.
What is the CAARS?
Study Quote
We conducted a study on 152 adult patients with alcohol dependence (n = 91) or multiple substance addiction (n = 61) to determine whether or not these patients were affected by ADHD. For retrospective assessment of childhood ADHD, the WURS-k was used as well as the DSM-IV symptom checkli...
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Results
Study Quote
20.9% (WURS-k) or 23.1% (DSM-IV diagnostic criteria) of the alcohol-dependent patients showed evidence of retrospective ADHD affliction in childhood. With the help of CAARS, ADHD was proved to be persistent in 33.3% of the adult patients. In the group of substance-addicted patients 50.8%...
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Among heavy drinkers, around a third may have adult ADHD, according to the CAARS test. While this isn’t a full medical diagnosis, it does estimate how common ADHD symptoms are among heavy drinkers.
23% of heavy drinkers may have had ADHD as children. While it’s difficult to accurately diagnose ADHD retroactively, researchers were able to come up with this estimate by asking them questions about their childhood.
Their answers were then compared with the official diagnostic criteria of ADHD.
While this is only a rough estimate, it does provide evidence that many heavy drinkers today may have had ADHD as children, ADHD that may have gone untreated.
Do Alcoholics Have ADHD? A study estimated that many chronic today may have ADHD as adults, and may have had it when they were children as well.
ADHD may be even more common among drug addicts. Around 65% of drug addicts in this study showed ADHD symptoms as adults.
Similarly, around 54% remembered having symptoms similar to ADHD as children.
Like alcoholics, many drug addicts today may have had undiagnosed ADHD.
Do drug addicts have ADHD? More than half of drug addicts studied showed signs of ADHD as adults and may have had ADHD as children as well.
Discussion
Study Quote
These results reveal that habit-forming illnesses can be associated with a high comorbidity with ADHD, expressed in the form of alcohol abuse and also in consumption of illegal drugs. The results underline the great importance of early and adequate diagnostics and therapy of ADHD for the...
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There are some theories about why this relationship between ADHD and addiction exists.
One possibility is that the hyperactivity and impulsivity that comes with ADHD may increase the chances of someone trying risky behavior, such as binge drinking or an illicit drug. This can, over time, lead to a lifetime of addiction.
Another possibility is that ADHD patients may be trying to self-medicate. Many people with ADHD go undiagnosed. Someone with undiagnosed ADHD may feel that something is not working well inside them; they don’t know what it is and don’t know how to fix it.
The clinical findings show that the affected patients reported a so-called improvement in the ADHD-specific symptoms when applying “self-medication” in the form of cannabis and cocaine.
These results are consistent with other studies that have found higher rates of substance abuse and heavy drinking among adults and teenagers with ADHD: