Young People with ADHD Use Illegal Substances Earlier Than Their Peers

Credit: Comrade Foot on Flickr

A study from the University of Florida reports that people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or ADHD use illegal drugs 1 to 2 years earlier than their peers. 

"The take-home message of this study shouldn't be that children with ADHD are more likely to become drug users. Rather, seemingly 'normal' teenage behavior, such as experimenting with tobacco or alcohol use, may occur at younger ages for individuals with ADHD," lead author Eugene Dunne, a doctoral student in clinical and health psychology, said in a university news release.

Over 900 adults participated in this study of which 13 percent reported a prior ADHD diagnosis. Those with ADHD reported:

• Using alcohol at age 13 - 1.5 years earlier than their peers without the disorder
• Injecting cocaine at age 22 -  2 years earlier than those without ADHD

Credit: TMAB2003 on Flickr

One explanation for the earlier use of illicit drugs is that young people with ADHD are trying to relieve their symptoms.

“Stimulant drugs such as nicotine and cocaine might be used to counter symptoms of inattention, while alcohol and marijuana may be used to counter feelings of hyperactivity or impulsivity,” said Dunne.

The study, ADHD as a risk factor for early onset and heightened adult problem severity of illicit substance use: An accelerated gateway model, is published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action