Adhd and Substance Abuse - 1392 Words

ADHD and Substance Abuse The Evidence Of Substance Abuse With ADHD The purpose of this paper is to identify the link between ADHD and substance abuse. Substance abuse is a true threat to people who are diagnosed with psychological disorders. Among the questions of precursors to substance abuse, lies the hypothesis that individuals diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Multiple studies have been done to either prove or disprove this hypothesis. This paper will discuss the results of those studies and demonstrate whether this hypothesis stands true†¦show more content†¦Some psychiatrists believe that ADHD alone cannot be compared with substance abuse. It is the belief that a comorbid diagnosis of Conduct Disorder (CD) leads to the evident substance abuse. Several studies have been performed on the relationship between CD/ADHD and substance abuse. Some studies debunk the idea that the two are related, and others prove a direct correlatio n between both disorders. A study done in a large community of adolescent twins found that substance abuse in ADHD was entirely accounted for by a comorbid diagnosis of CD. Another study demonstrated that once the correlation of ADHD and CD was made, the relationship between ADHD and substance abuse alone was almost non-existent. The only downfall of the second study is that it had no group with only CD to test their findings that CD alone contributes to the use of drugs or alcohol. Members of the Department of Psychology of the University of Kentucky conducted a study of symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity-inattention (HIA) and conduct problems (CP). The symptoms are that of ADHD and CD, however are renamed to be sure no to misrepresent the study or its findings. The study took a form of surveys through a ten to twelve year span, and eventually led to laboratory studies at the end of the study. Upon completion, the data wasShow MoreRelatedAttention Deficit / Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd )1166 Words   |  5 Pagesdisorder (ADHD) has become one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorders in children and adolescent. â€Å"ADHD is defined as a chronic condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and sometimes impulsivity.† (Disney, 1999) There is concern about the possible connection between ADHD to substance use and abuse, during childhood and adolescence, since it is such an important developmental stage in life. â€Å"Substance abuse disorder is defined as a physical dependence, abuse of, andRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd )995 Words   |  4 PagesDisorder Lead to Substance Abuse? 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