http://www.helpforadd.com/2003/march.htm (reviewing research on substance abuse by children treated with ADHD. Contrary to what has been suggested, the research shows that there is a reduced risk of substance abuse by those who have been treated with stimulants vs. those who have not received such treatment.)
This month’s edition of Dr. Rabiner’s Attention Research Update is not yet available from the archive site, but in it Rabiner discussed the research (albeit limited) that has been done into the question of who it is that abuses stimulants. It appears that most stimulant abusers at elementary, highschool and college levels are not those for whom the medication has been prescribed but rather those who obtain it illegally. He concludes that the biggest risk for kids who have been prescribed stimulant medication is not that they will abuse it but rather that they will be approached by others seeking to buy or “borrow” meds. Of course, that is a very worrisome issue and one which those of us whose children take stimulants need to deal with in a way appropriate to the age and circumstances of the child.
Andrea
My son is ADHD and on meds…I also have a soon to be ex husband who is ADHD and never dx until he was almost 40 (concurrently with my son-big surprise). Since he was never dx, he was never medicated, however he did have issues with substance abuse in his teens, and this was mainly stimulants. He was basically self-medicating though he did not know he had ADHD. He did better in school when he did “crank” but unforunately using illegal drugs leads to using other drugs that did not help his ADHD. He was lucky and did not continue down that path for long.
What I feel is that a child with ADHD who is not being treated (whether it is with meds or not) is going to have more issues with self esteem and identity and will be more likely to fall into drug usage to “dull the pain”.
Hopefully as more information exists, more children (and adults) will be treated (like I said before-with or without meds) and this cycle will not continue. Information is power.