ADHD and Marijuana Use

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Recommended: Impact of ADHD on children

Question:

What affects does marijuana use have in patients that have ADHD?

Thesis:

It is true that many people who have ADHD also abuse substances and they are miss diagnosed and do not get the proper treatment. This is the most common co-occurring disorder and very difficult to diagnose. Although the cause of ADHD is unknown, it is alleged to be a brain-based biological disorder; substance abuse however is a combination of cognitive, behavioral, and physiologic disorder. This combination also makes it difficult to treat because

People with the ADHD condition have problems with control of impulse behaviors, paying attention and some may be found out to be very active. According to recent statistics, it has been unfolded that a lot of people especially those who abuse substances are not given ADHD treatment. It should also be noted that those patients with ADHD are at a higher risk of using illegal substances and drugs and therefore need to be accorded the attention that they require. It is also apparent that people with drug addiction problems are often misdiagnosed and as per this, they are not given the treatment that they truly deserve. As noted by Millichap (2009), poor or improper treatment leads to impulsiveness which makes the people to turn to substances such as cocaine, marijuana and other hard drugs to console themselves. According to a number of these drug users, they confess that the usage of the drugs makes them feel high and better without knowing of the dangers that they are presenting themselves to.

Types of ADHD and Marijuana Use

The case of children having trouble with focusing or behaving at particular stages in their childhood is considered as normal. However, those children with ADHD never grow to ...

... middle of paper ...

...s is being pinpointed as the cause of the link that exists between ADHD and substance abuse. Similarly, the drugs that are used in treating ADHD link them with the usage of drug abuse. Depression as a result of ADHD causes people to abuse drugs and bury their miseries in these drugs without knowing how detrimental they may be (Millichap, 2009). The only way forward to prevent such abuses is to avoid depression which will also lead to lower chances of developing drug or alcohol abuse.

Works Cited

Brown, T. (2008). ADHD Comorbidities: Handbook for ADHD Complications in Children and Adults. New York: American Psychiatric Pub.

Chandler, C. (2011). The Science of ADHD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Millichap, G. (2009). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Handbook: A Physician's Guide to ADHD. New Yorker: Springer.

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