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Land Acknowledgment - Freedom From Addiction

ADHD and Addiction Concurrent Treatment

At Freedom from Addiction, we understand that substance abuse problems are normally intertwined with and affected by a mental health disorder. This is why we approach recovery with concurrent, trauma-informed treatment to simultaneously reach sobriety with our patients and understand the driving force behind their addiction.

Understanding the Link Between ADHD and Addiction

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is common in Canadians. Many of our patients with substance abuse issues have a mental health disorder that affects their judgment and cognitive function, such as ADHD. Individuals with ADHD are at higher risk of using substances due to the following reasons:

Self-medicating ADHD: People with ADHD sometimes self-medicate to help with nerves, hyperactivity, and focus. Alcohol is a common choice. Since it’s a depressant, it gives them a calm feeling. Another outcome is ADHD medication addiction, as users reach the feeling they’re looking for.
Impulsivity and risky behaviour: These are common traits for someone with an ADHD diagnosis. They may be more likely to take risks with alcohol, abuse drugs, and make rash decisions without thinking of the outcome.

This research outlines how ADHD and addiction are connected:

Young adults with ADHD are most likely to abuse alcohol (36%), followed by cannabis (23%)
Young adults with ADHD are three times more likely to abuse illicit drugs than young adults without ADHD
Young adults diagnosed with ADHD as children were more likely to use cannabis and cocaine but not alcohol
50% of substance abusers have ADHD
20% of individuals with ADHD have a substance abuse problem

This is why it’s important to seek concurrent treatment to treat ADHD alongside drug abuse or substance use disorders.

Symptoms of ADHD

ADHD usually presents itself through the following symptoms:

Inattention: It’s difficult for the mind to focus on one specific task, as opposed to being scattered over a few unrelated tasks. It can be difficult to retain details and important information.
Hyperactivity: ADHD can feel like huge amounts of energy that can’t be contained, which is why it can present as fidgeting, irritability, restlessness, and constant movement. It can be difficult to sit still and be calm or listen.
Impulsivity: Partly due to hyperactivity, people with ADHD can be impulsive. They usually act without thinking of the whole process or possible outcomes. They won’t necessarily see the risks or future, just the present and what they want now. This can make it difficult to accept delayed gratification.
Anxiety and depression: ADHD can make it difficult to deal with new demands and societal pressure. This stress can lead to anxiety and depression. This is why many people will resort to self-medicating ADHD.

It’s necessary to understand the root cause of a person’s addiction to properly help them. We like to think of addiction as a symptom of a mental health disorder. You don’t treat a symptom to recover; you treat the illness or injury. ADHD and substance abuse feed off each other so they must be approached as a unit.

The Importance of Behavioural Health Care In Addiction Recovery

ADHD has a profound impact on a person’s health:

It can shorten life expectancy by up to 22 years
It can take over eight healthy years away
Over 30% of students with ADHD don’t graduate high school
Adults with ADHD are 20% less likely to be employed
33% of Canadian inmates have ADHD
People with ADHD are 45% more likely to be in a vehicle accident
People with ADHD are ten times more likely to visit a physician
Adults with ADHD are twice as likely to get divorced and are less satisfied in life

It’s clear that ADHD is a powerful mental health disorder, and one that affects more than addiction. It affects a person’s satisfaction, relationships, safety, and likelihood of participating in illegal activity.

These are also all reasons a person resorts to substance abuse. ADHD and drug addiction or alcohol and ADHD should be specially treated to prevent relapse. If ADHD tendencies are left unchecked, addiction is as well.

Our Comprehensive Concurrent Treatment Programs

To properly address ADHD and drug addiction, or alcohol and ADHD, we take our patients through a concurrent treatment program where we use trauma-informed care to determine how ADHD is instigating an addiction.

Our personalized plans integrate both clinical and holistic methods to address ADHD and addiction, because we know they aren’t separate entities. We’ll share our resources with you, which include nurses, addiction counsellors, and therapists who specialize in ADHD and substance abuse.

This is a non-judgmental, caring environment where the emphasis is on recovery, education, and relapse prevention. At Freedom From Addiction, our concurrent treatment includes the following outlined below.

Medical Detox

Our patients start their journey to recovery with a carefully monitored and assisted medical detox. Our medical professionals manage dangerous withdrawal symptoms as individuals undergo treatment for ADHD medication addiction or other substances.

Drug Addiction Treatment

We combine expert-supervised medical detoxification with a holistic approach to health and behavioural therapies. Patients participate in treatment relevant to them, depending on the drug they’re addicted to. These could be:

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

In the case of an alcohol addiction, patients can spend 30 to 45 days in the alcohol addiction program, or longer, depending on the patient’s progress. This can lead to severe anxiety and seizures. Rest assured that our team of professionals will provide support and medical care as needed.

Mental Health Treatment

We know that everyone will recover at different speeds, and they will respond to different mental health treatments. That’s why our counsellors and therapists use multiple modalities during both individual and group sessions. Some programs include:

Long-Term Recovery Support for ADHD and Substance Abuse

ADHD can’t be cured. As a mental health disorder, it can only be treated. This is why we must understand how ADHD affects our patients individually, so we can help them develop better coping mechanisms and behaviours. This also means ADHD lasts forever, which is why we must provide continuing care.

To further support our patients with ADHD, they’ll have access to our Relapse Prevention program and our Life Skills program. Relapse Prevention offers education on understanding and avoiding relapse. Life Skills equips participants with the tools and skills they need to better maneuver through their mental health disorder and reach long-term success.

Get Started on Your Journey to Recovery at Freedom from Addiction

Whether it’s yourself or a loved one coming to us for help, know that family can and should be along for the process. Family and friends can provide the support and motivation that help patients through their toughest moments. Our Intervention and Lifelong Family programs are some ways we create a community of healing.

It’s time to make a change for the better. Get immediate access to our services for the support you need, when you need it. There is no long waitlist to worry about.

Our team is ready to help you rebuild connections, relationships, and resilience.

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