adhd riskThere are two new studies out that further confirm what many researchers already thought they knew regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis in children and adolescents and the effect it has on the risk for substance abuse issues later on in life. Mainly, that, for a number of reasons, childhood ADHD in both boys and girls significantly raises the risk for subsequent substance abuse problems.

The first study, conducted by Harvard Medical School, ruled out a family history of substance abuse problems as the reason more teens diagnosed with the issue have substance abuse problems and smoke cigarettes than teens who were not diagnosed. This study also discovered that the combination of ADHD and “Conduct Disorder” diagnosis more than tripled someone’s risk of abusing drugs, alcohol, or tobacco.

The second recent study, conducted by the University of Helsinki in Finland, found that, generally, girls diagnosed with the problem were more at risk than boys for substance abuse issues. Researchers involved in this study found that at age 14 girls diagnosed with the problem that already showed signs of tendency towards substance abuse issues whereas boys at this age did not. As time goes on and adolescents grew into teens, the respective rates of risk for substance abuse among boys and girls diagnosed with ADHD evened out some, although girls with ADHD symptoms continued to be more likely to have substance abuse issues than boys.

What Is The Connection Between ADHD And Substance Abuse

The question, of course, is why children, adolescents, do and teens who receive a diagnosis of ADHD become more likely to have a substance abuse issue with drugs, alcohol, or tobacco?

The answer to this question, many experts agree, is multifaceted and complex. For example, take the issue of ADHD medications—amphetamines and stimulants like Ritalin and even prescribed medical methamphetamine—and their alleged involvement in either creating or preventing substance abuse issues in the people who use them. Some experts might argue that the act of taking these prescription medications can potentially lead to dependency on those medications and a dangerous familiarity and comfort in takings drugs in general.

Others experts might argue that these medications in fact help the problem and could stop the risk for substance abuse in teens and adolescents. However this hypothesis has been disproved by a number of studies that found ADHD medications had no effect on substance abuse rates among people diagnosed.

Some experts hypothesize that teens diagnosed with ADHD who take medications suffer from a number of negative effects on their lives because these medication—poor performance in school, difficulty in making lasting, healthy and supportive friendships, and poor decision making abilities, to name a few— and that all these things make it more likely that they might get into a position where drugs, alcohol, or tobacco might seem like a good way to help them to temporarily ‘deal with’ problems.

What The Research Means Going Forward

The first thing, researchers and health care officials say, is to acknowledge the link between this issue and increased risk for substance abuse and to realize that treatment of the drug or alcohol problem can’t begin until the symptoms of ADHD are treated.

This can be done in a number of ways, but given the research about ADHD medications and their ineffectiveness in preventing substance abuse issues and their potential to encourage substance abuse problems, alternative, non-medical therapies and treatments seem to be a good place to start.

There are plenty of natural solutions to this problem; including nutrition and increase in the focus on different wants of learning and education.

For more about Narconon or this topic call 800-468-6933.

Source: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/drake-institute/drake-institute-reviews/sbwire-222804.htm