Addiction and ADD
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Addiction and ADD
Addiction and ADD
By John Penrice
©1998 Penrice Publishing
If your life has been touched by ADD, there is a fairly good chance it has also been touched by alcoholism or some other addiction. Is this coincidence? According to the experts, it is not. Consider these statements by David Miller and Kenneth Blum, Ph.D. in their book "Overload: Attention Deficit Disorder and the Addictive Brain."
Significantly more children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) develop problems with alcoholism or drug addiction than do children without ADHD.
Alcoholics frequently have a history of childhood hyperactivity.
People who become alcoholics show a much higher frequency of symptoms of ADHD as children than those who do not become alcoholics.
Children of alcoholics have been shown to perform poorly on tests measuring attention, memory, perceptual-motor coordination, motor speed, spatial sequencing and language capacity.
Many people with ADHD are children of alcoholics, and ADHD is common among the relatives of ADHD children.
Miller and Blum concluded from this and other evidence that there must be a genetic connection between ADD and addiction.
David Comings, M.D., a leading expert on genetics and human behavior, has conducted extensive research that suggests a wide spectrum of behavioral disorders, including ADD and alcoholism, may have a genetic origin. While Dr. Comings' research over nearly twenty years has focused on Tourette Syndrome, he has learned a great deal about ADD in the process. How genetics determine the intimate details of a human being's makeup is far beyond the ability of most of us to comprehend. Suffice it to say that there are behavioral traits that can be passed from one generation to the next, just as physical characteristics are inherited. So, just as a child may inherit his build, eyes and hair color, he may also inherit his brain chemistry. And brain chemistry, as we shall see, has a lot to do with behavior.
The human brain is one the most amazing of all God's creations. It is an incredibly complex network of hundreds of millions of cells, called neurons, that control and regulate every function of the human body. Each neuron, according to Miller and Blum, is "as complex as a computer." These cells are in constant communication with each other about conditions inside and outside of the body. They manufacture chemical compounds, called neurotransmitters, that act as messengers between neurons. In response to signals received from the nervous system, a neuron will send neurotransmitters containing a chemical "message" to another neuron, which will pass it on in the same way. In this network, each neuron is connected to thousands of other neurons, allowing a single message to pass through millions of brain cells.
This process controls our emotional life as well as our physical activity. It is through neuron to neuron communication that we react with pain, pleasure, joy and sadness. Our mental functions, such as attention and impulse control, also depend on our neurons and neurotransmitters. Consequently, when this communication network does not function properly, physical, emotional and mental processes can be affected.
Many different neurotransmitters have been identified, and each appears to have specific functions. One of them, dopamine, has been the focus of research related to many conditions, including ADD and alcoholism. Neurons that produce dopamine can be found in the prefrontal lobe, the area of the brain that regulates attention, impulse control, the ability to analyze one's own behavior, motivation and goal directed behavior. All of these tend to be problem areas for people with ADD. Dopamine is also crucial to what Dr. Comings calls the "reward pathways." Simply put, the reward pathways are the means for the brain to "reward" the individual. They are crucial to a sense of well being, satisfaction, accomplishment and self- esteem. Without proper level and functioning of dopamine, this process is incomplete.
There are a number of ways to stimulate the reward pathways. Amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol all can have this effect, and therefore may be particularly attractive to someone with malfunctioning reward pathways. They can also be stimulated by certain behaviors, including gambling, spending, sex, work and various forms of risk taking and thrill seeking.These behaviors can be as stimulating, not to mention as addictive, as any drug. In any case, these attempts to self-medicate, whether by substance abuse or behavior, are ultimately self-destructive. Addiction specialist Wendy Richardson, M.A. calls it "putting out fires with gasoline." Richardson offers a less technical, but no less compelling explanation for self-medication of ADD:
"Living a life with untreated ADD can cause you to feel frustrated, ashamed, and full of rage. You may have lived with these powerful feelings and had no idea that ADD was a contributing factor. If your attempts to alleviate your ADD have in turn caused you more problems or become new addictions, your self esteem may have fallen lower than you ever thought possible. Eventually, shame may have become the foundation of your life."
Addictive behavior may be used to deal with the pain and shame many people with ADD feel after experiencing one failure and humiliation after another. This kind of self-medication is also sometimes used simply to quiet the restless, racing ADD mind, or to slow down a hyperactive body. The ADD tendencies toward impulsive behavior, thrill seeking and risk taking make it harder to stop and think before engaging in potentially addictive behaviors.
Children in families with a history of ADD or addiction should be educated about the fact that they are at risk. Alcohol is the most obvious potential addiction. While we don't condone it, we recognize that a high percentage of young adults drink alcohol, many to excess. We also see that most of these do not become alcoholics. But you can be sure that a high percentage of the young people who do become addicted come from families with a history of addiction and/or ADD.
Our children need to understand the risks and totally avoid potentially addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. Many behaviors are also addictive. There are some, such as gambling, that one can abstain from entirely. But what about shopping, eating or taking prescribed medication? These are potentially addictive behaviors that, in their proper perspective, are normal and healthy, not to mention necessary, parts of life. It is in these areas that we must be particularly diligent in educating and monitoring our children.
For many, it is too late for prevention. People who have already become addicted need a different kind of help. As most of us know, the first step to recovery is admitting the problem exists. Addicts typically live in denial. As long as that is the case, they will not recover, even if they refrain from the addictive substance or behavior for extended periods of time. The first step of Alcoholics Anonymous says "we admitted we were powerless over alcohol-- that our lives had become unmanageable." Once the addict truly believes this, the process of recovery can begin.
Many recovering alcoholics describe themselves as "cross-addicted." This simply means they are addicted to alcohol and at least one other substance, such as cocaine or amphetamines. To be successful in recovery, they need to address both addictions simultaneously. The same principle applies to people who have both ADD and an addiction. Addressing one without the other is not likely to be successful. We have heard of many people who were in and out of various 12-step programs for years. They found that they were not able to put their addictions behind them until they also got help for their ADD.
By John Penrice
©1998 Penrice Publishing
If your life has been touched by ADD, there is a fairly good chance it has also been touched by alcoholism or some other addiction. Is this coincidence? According to the experts, it is not. Consider these statements by David Miller and Kenneth Blum, Ph.D. in their book "Overload: Attention Deficit Disorder and the Addictive Brain."
Significantly more children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) develop problems with alcoholism or drug addiction than do children without ADHD.
Alcoholics frequently have a history of childhood hyperactivity.
People who become alcoholics show a much higher frequency of symptoms of ADHD as children than those who do not become alcoholics.
Children of alcoholics have been shown to perform poorly on tests measuring attention, memory, perceptual-motor coordination, motor speed, spatial sequencing and language capacity.
Many people with ADHD are children of alcoholics, and ADHD is common among the relatives of ADHD children.
Miller and Blum concluded from this and other evidence that there must be a genetic connection between ADD and addiction.
David Comings, M.D., a leading expert on genetics and human behavior, has conducted extensive research that suggests a wide spectrum of behavioral disorders, including ADD and alcoholism, may have a genetic origin. While Dr. Comings' research over nearly twenty years has focused on Tourette Syndrome, he has learned a great deal about ADD in the process. How genetics determine the intimate details of a human being's makeup is far beyond the ability of most of us to comprehend. Suffice it to say that there are behavioral traits that can be passed from one generation to the next, just as physical characteristics are inherited. So, just as a child may inherit his build, eyes and hair color, he may also inherit his brain chemistry. And brain chemistry, as we shall see, has a lot to do with behavior.
The human brain is one the most amazing of all God's creations. It is an incredibly complex network of hundreds of millions of cells, called neurons, that control and regulate every function of the human body. Each neuron, according to Miller and Blum, is "as complex as a computer." These cells are in constant communication with each other about conditions inside and outside of the body. They manufacture chemical compounds, called neurotransmitters, that act as messengers between neurons. In response to signals received from the nervous system, a neuron will send neurotransmitters containing a chemical "message" to another neuron, which will pass it on in the same way. In this network, each neuron is connected to thousands of other neurons, allowing a single message to pass through millions of brain cells.
This process controls our emotional life as well as our physical activity. It is through neuron to neuron communication that we react with pain, pleasure, joy and sadness. Our mental functions, such as attention and impulse control, also depend on our neurons and neurotransmitters. Consequently, when this communication network does not function properly, physical, emotional and mental processes can be affected.
Many different neurotransmitters have been identified, and each appears to have specific functions. One of them, dopamine, has been the focus of research related to many conditions, including ADD and alcoholism. Neurons that produce dopamine can be found in the prefrontal lobe, the area of the brain that regulates attention, impulse control, the ability to analyze one's own behavior, motivation and goal directed behavior. All of these tend to be problem areas for people with ADD. Dopamine is also crucial to what Dr. Comings calls the "reward pathways." Simply put, the reward pathways are the means for the brain to "reward" the individual. They are crucial to a sense of well being, satisfaction, accomplishment and self- esteem. Without proper level and functioning of dopamine, this process is incomplete.
There are a number of ways to stimulate the reward pathways. Amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol all can have this effect, and therefore may be particularly attractive to someone with malfunctioning reward pathways. They can also be stimulated by certain behaviors, including gambling, spending, sex, work and various forms of risk taking and thrill seeking.These behaviors can be as stimulating, not to mention as addictive, as any drug. In any case, these attempts to self-medicate, whether by substance abuse or behavior, are ultimately self-destructive. Addiction specialist Wendy Richardson, M.A. calls it "putting out fires with gasoline." Richardson offers a less technical, but no less compelling explanation for self-medication of ADD:
"Living a life with untreated ADD can cause you to feel frustrated, ashamed, and full of rage. You may have lived with these powerful feelings and had no idea that ADD was a contributing factor. If your attempts to alleviate your ADD have in turn caused you more problems or become new addictions, your self esteem may have fallen lower than you ever thought possible. Eventually, shame may have become the foundation of your life."
Addictive behavior may be used to deal with the pain and shame many people with ADD feel after experiencing one failure and humiliation after another. This kind of self-medication is also sometimes used simply to quiet the restless, racing ADD mind, or to slow down a hyperactive body. The ADD tendencies toward impulsive behavior, thrill seeking and risk taking make it harder to stop and think before engaging in potentially addictive behaviors.
Children in families with a history of ADD or addiction should be educated about the fact that they are at risk. Alcohol is the most obvious potential addiction. While we don't condone it, we recognize that a high percentage of young adults drink alcohol, many to excess. We also see that most of these do not become alcoholics. But you can be sure that a high percentage of the young people who do become addicted come from families with a history of addiction and/or ADD.
Our children need to understand the risks and totally avoid potentially addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs. Many behaviors are also addictive. There are some, such as gambling, that one can abstain from entirely. But what about shopping, eating or taking prescribed medication? These are potentially addictive behaviors that, in their proper perspective, are normal and healthy, not to mention necessary, parts of life. It is in these areas that we must be particularly diligent in educating and monitoring our children.
For many, it is too late for prevention. People who have already become addicted need a different kind of help. As most of us know, the first step to recovery is admitting the problem exists. Addicts typically live in denial. As long as that is the case, they will not recover, even if they refrain from the addictive substance or behavior for extended periods of time. The first step of Alcoholics Anonymous says "we admitted we were powerless over alcohol-- that our lives had become unmanageable." Once the addict truly believes this, the process of recovery can begin.
Many recovering alcoholics describe themselves as "cross-addicted." This simply means they are addicted to alcohol and at least one other substance, such as cocaine or amphetamines. To be successful in recovery, they need to address both addictions simultaneously. The same principle applies to people who have both ADD and an addiction. Addressing one without the other is not likely to be successful. We have heard of many people who were in and out of various 12-step programs for years. They found that they were not able to put their addictions behind them until they also got help for their ADD.
Administrator
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: a better place
Posts: 4,047
Thanks Done. I'm going to share this with one of my Naranon friends. Her son had been addicted since his early teens and has ADD. He's had such a tough journey and she has too. He's better than he was, but still not clean...I am amazed at her strength, love and grace...He lives with her and she is able to work program while still facing active addiction. Hugs...I'm so glad to see you 
On a tear
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Volcano Country!
Posts: 3,221
Wow.
Son was diagnosed with ADD a few months ago... curious about his meds, I went online and then ended up taking a few assessment tests. When I shared this with my doctor, she grinned... turns out a lot of parents get diagnosed with ADD only AFTER their kids do!
We are alcoholic on both sides of mine and Mr. Big's family - for a loooooonnnnng way back. Both my kids are addicts, and my sis, my son, my daughter and me are all on one or another antidepressant (which my doc says can help with the synapses between the nerves).
What a thing!
Addiction is a huge condition... and it seems to get larger the more we study it!
Thanks for this, Done! (((hugs)))
Son was diagnosed with ADD a few months ago... curious about his meds, I went online and then ended up taking a few assessment tests. When I shared this with my doctor, she grinned... turns out a lot of parents get diagnosed with ADD only AFTER their kids do!
We are alcoholic on both sides of mine and Mr. Big's family - for a loooooonnnnng way back. Both my kids are addicts, and my sis, my son, my daughter and me are all on one or another antidepressant (which my doc says can help with the synapses between the nerves).
What a thing!
Addiction is a huge condition... and it seems to get larger the more we study it!
Thanks for this, Done! (((hugs)))
Still learning...and seeking!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: ohio
Posts: 58
Hi Done,
Thank you for this post!
Luke, my RAS, has just stated that he believes he needs some type of medication, to help with a lot of the symptoms, this article describes.
Personnally, I believe HIS problems, mainly, stems from a "lack of Dopamine". As you may remember, he was involved with meth, and I believe, self-medicating.
From my readings, a change in the Dopamine level, is what occurs when using meth.
My hope is that he will now, after "recognizing" the problem, seek medical attention. This may not happen, instantaneously, he will first have to accept that this is not a "weakness"!
By the way....his recovery is still "intact"!
Lena
Thank you for this post!
Luke, my RAS, has just stated that he believes he needs some type of medication, to help with a lot of the symptoms, this article describes.
Personnally, I believe HIS problems, mainly, stems from a "lack of Dopamine". As you may remember, he was involved with meth, and I believe, self-medicating.
From my readings, a change in the Dopamine level, is what occurs when using meth.
My hope is that he will now, after "recognizing" the problem, seek medical attention. This may not happen, instantaneously, he will first have to accept that this is not a "weakness"!
By the way....his recovery is still "intact"!
Lena
Bridge CLOSED
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: No ones business
Posts: 1,497
My XABF has ADD or ADHD... the terms seem to change a lot.
Anyway, back when he was a kid they decided he was "********" and put him the the "dumb kids class." What a great thing.. talk about ways to make a kid feel bad about themselves.
To fit in with "someone" he started using drugs at age 12. He is still using them and dealing them today at age 53. I do not believe he will ever get clean but that is not my problem. It is his (and he doesn't much like it when ppl say this.)
He has used a LOT of drugs and Cocaine was his DOC for many many years. He has since replaced iit with Pot but his actions when he was with me said he still had a line here and there.
He is actually a very bright guy and can grasp concepts he is interested in very very fast. He just cannot force himself to do thing that require concentration and are boring to him (like work or learning a skill at work that doesn't interest him). Hence, he has great ideas but, between the incessant use of pot and God Knows What else, he has NO follow thru. Currently he is sucking off his new CoDependent GF and likely has another one "on the side."
Back when he was a kid no one recognized ADD or ADHD. Kids who had this were just "stupid" or "lazy' and were put in the "dumb ids" classes.
IMO it is too late for him today and since he is not interested in recovery.. he likes being hi way too much and has liked it for too many years.. he is likely to die a drug addict.
Not my Problem and certainly not anything I care about as far as he is concerned.
Anyway, back when he was a kid they decided he was "********" and put him the the "dumb kids class." What a great thing.. talk about ways to make a kid feel bad about themselves.
To fit in with "someone" he started using drugs at age 12. He is still using them and dealing them today at age 53. I do not believe he will ever get clean but that is not my problem. It is his (and he doesn't much like it when ppl say this.)
He has used a LOT of drugs and Cocaine was his DOC for many many years. He has since replaced iit with Pot but his actions when he was with me said he still had a line here and there.
He is actually a very bright guy and can grasp concepts he is interested in very very fast. He just cannot force himself to do thing that require concentration and are boring to him (like work or learning a skill at work that doesn't interest him). Hence, he has great ideas but, between the incessant use of pot and God Knows What else, he has NO follow thru. Currently he is sucking off his new CoDependent GF and likely has another one "on the side."
Back when he was a kid no one recognized ADD or ADHD. Kids who had this were just "stupid" or "lazy' and were put in the "dumb ids" classes.
IMO it is too late for him today and since he is not interested in recovery.. he likes being hi way too much and has liked it for too many years.. he is likely to die a drug addict.
Not my Problem and certainly not anything I care about as far as he is concerned.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Nearby
Posts: 231
My father, myself and my son were all diagnosed as ADD by our individual physicians following the suggestion that we be tested by our group therapist. In terms of degrees my father is the worst, frequently changing topics mid sentence, etc. My son is next and I'm the least effected. But then girls are taught to be compliant and I probably just learned coping skills earlier.
What interests me is that my Dad is a raging 80 year old alcholic (dry drunk for 40 years) and he's the one the most effected by add. I'm the least and I'm in recovery, having been diagnosed by my physician as just self medicating (could be but when you drink when you don't want to it's hard to call it anything but alcholism).......
And my son, the only one of the 3 of us treated medically for ADD is the only one of the 3 to abuse illegal drugs. Is it just a sign of the times we live in? Could be, but I grew up in the 60's/70's and never touched anything. Or could it be that the prescriptions activated some unseen trigger? Not looking for excuses for his abuse, but if I were going down this road again, I'd probably be less apt to put him on medication that first time.
What interests me is that my Dad is a raging 80 year old alcholic (dry drunk for 40 years) and he's the one the most effected by add. I'm the least and I'm in recovery, having been diagnosed by my physician as just self medicating (could be but when you drink when you don't want to it's hard to call it anything but alcholism).......
And my son, the only one of the 3 of us treated medically for ADD is the only one of the 3 to abuse illegal drugs. Is it just a sign of the times we live in? Could be, but I grew up in the 60's/70's and never touched anything. Or could it be that the prescriptions activated some unseen trigger? Not looking for excuses for his abuse, but if I were going down this road again, I'd probably be less apt to put him on medication that first time.
rozied
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PA, USA
Posts: 1,292
Thank you Done, I read your post with alot of interest. Both of my sons were diagnosed with ADD, and or ADHD when they were very young. My older son who has been addicted to coke since he was 20 was diagnosed with Hyperactivity when he was in 1st grade. My younger son was diagnosed with ADHD when he was 16.
I do believe alot of people who are addicted have other problems and are self-medicating.
Diane
I do believe alot of people who are addicted have other problems and are self-medicating.
Diane
Ak1302
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Milford, Ohio
Posts: 32
I have been "diagnosed" with ADD/ADHD and underwent many many tests.....I also was using oxycontin and marijuana every single day while these tests were goin on but i have been through them. I do not feel like a different person just because i have been affected by this "terrible terrible disorder"....but thats just me
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