New research has shown adolescents with ADHD, the hyperactive disorder, are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol that teens without ADHD reports Daily Mail on Feb. 12. The research found that kids taking drugs for ADHD such as Ritalin were more likely to abuse their prescription drugs for the purpose of getting high as well as having a higher likeliness to begin drinking alcohol at a younger age and smoking pot to help calm themselves to a level that they felt was appropriate rather than allowing the prescribed drugs to put them in a comatose state. Teens were also nine percent more likely to begin smoking cigarettes to help calm their nerves of the stress that everyday tasks brought about as well.
The study performed looked at 600 kids over an eight year period to determine whether drug use and abuse was more common in a child with hyper manic tendencies. 35 percent of the people studied gained a drug dependency to cigarettes or pot, some went on to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. The study found that drinking among teens age 17 and older is common practice in general whether an ADHD diagnosis is given or not.
Currently, the test is the most accurate in terms of association of drug abuse and ADHD medication. It is said that ADHD affects two percent of children worldwide, symptoms often include a short attention span, the ability to be easily distracted, and restlessness. Many teens that were tested state that they smoked pot because they felt like it helped even them out and made them feel less restless.
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