|
ADD and Addiction
I worked with chronic alcoholics/addicts for years who struggled with staying clean. I'm also a recovering alcoholic and then -- at the age of 60 I was diagnosed with ADD. I was a good clinician but had trouble keeping up with paperwork and documentation. Being incessantly curious, I started to research ADD and addiction. There are various numbers, but it is probable that 30 - 40% of substance abusers have undiagnosed ADD. And now, when any teen or adult is newly diagnosed as ADD, questions should also be asked about substance use or other addicitions like gambling, over spending, etc. You can find information about this in the Ned Hallowell books, Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction. I like Wendy Richardson's book, ADD & Addiction.
Unfortunately, AODA treatment programs know very little about ADD and may even object to patients taking stimulant medications. However, the fact is that those addicts who take their prescribed stimulants are less likely to use or relapse. This information is all out there online and in several good books. Hope this helps.
Quote
|