Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder and the Prospect of Substance Abuse

ADHD and the Prospect of Substance Abuse Reaction Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common childhood disorder whose symptoms consist of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. Individuals diagnosed with ADHD often experience difficulties being able to focus on a particular task and controlling their behavior. The disorder is also associated with lower academic success, delinquent behavior, and difficulty maintaining stable employment. These problems are the results of the inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which are the symptoms used to measure ADHD (Breyer, Lee, Winters, August, & Realmuto, 2014). I selected the topic of ADHD because it is a disorder that I have witnessed directly. My older brother had severe ADHD and was diagnosed at the age of 6. Being only thirteen months apart, we were very close growing up and he always had an immense amount of energy. He was prescribed Adderall, which helped relieved his symptoms. Being a teenager, he often avoiding taking his medicine because he enjoyed being the funny, energetic person he was without it. When he did take his medicine, he was able to focus better in school and was more in control over his behavior. On the days where he did not take it, he had difficulty paying attention in school and his behavior was out of control. He did however, grow out of ADHD and his symptoms did not persist into early adulthood. I think that ADHD is an important disorder to discuss because it has a worldwide prevalence and can persist into one’s adulthood. It also has the potential to disrupt one’s academic achievement at a crucial time in one’s life. . that is often associated with several characteristics that persist into adulthood. Such char... ... middle of paper ... ...ubstance dependence disorder causes further interference, making it an important subject to address. I think that further research is required however, to explore the impact that stimulant medication has on the likelihood of a continued substance dependency into adulthood for those with ADHD. I think that the reason the persistent ADHD group had higher dependence rates is because they probably have been exposed to stimulant drugs for an extended period of time. I think that would be an interesting subgroup to add in to the research to allow a better understanding for the long-term effects of the medication. References Breyer, J. L., Lee, S., Winters, K. C., August, G. J., & Realmuto, G. M. (2014). A longitudinal study of childhood ADHD and substance dependence disorders in early adulthood. Psychology Of Addictive Behaviors, 28(1), 238-246. doi: 10.1037/a0035664