Addiction and ADHD
Research has shown that about 21% of boys and men with ADHD and 13% of women and girls with ADHD abuse drugs or alcohol.
There is compelling evidence that the source off addiction is not to be found in genes but in the early childhood environment, We’re hurting people for having been hurt. Then they act out this hurt and we blame them for it rather than understand what it’s all about. There is also twin studies evidence for 50% heritability with addiction.
Decades of research show that genes play an vital role in the etiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its comorbidity with other disorders. Family, twin, and adoption studies show that ADHD runs in families. ADHD’s high heritability of 74% motivated the search for ADHD susceptibility genes.
Why is ADHD linked with addiction?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects a personis abilicy to pay attention, control impulses, and regulate behaviour. It IS associated with low levels of coparipe, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in the reward system of the brain. This means that individuals with ADHD may have difficulty experiencing pleasure and may be more likely to engage in impulsive behaviours to seer out stmulacon ADHD is often accompanied by other mental heath conditions, such as andiety and depression.
These conditions can lead to feelings off frustration, low self-esteem, and emotional dysregulation, which can increase the risk of develocing a substance use disorder
People with ADHD may use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their symptoms, Stimulant medications like Adderall and Ritalin, which are commonly prescribed for ADHD, can produce a sense of caliness and focus.
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