Background
The links between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorder (SUD) have been the subject of many studies, showings a high prevalence rate of ADHD in substance-abusing population as well as an increased risk of SUD in patients with ADHD that may be independent of other psychiatric conditions.
Objectives
We tried to estimate the frequency of adult and childhood ADHD in patients with SUDs attending Minia Hospital for Mental Health and Addiction Treatment.
Results
We included 119 patients diagnosed with SUDs. Three-quarters of our sample were polysubstance users, the most common substance used as reported by patients was tramadol (68.9%), and the most severely affected domains according to Addiction Severity Index among subjects of the study were drug use, family/social, and psychiatric problems. Overall, 10.1% had alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis in addition to their substance use. The duration of substance uses in the whole sample ranged from 1 to 27 years, with a mean of 10±5.5 years. The mean age for the first-time drinking alcohol was 18.7±4.9 years, ranging from 9 to 40 years, and for using drugs was 19.2±6.2 years, with a range from 6 to 43 years. Childhood ADHD was diagnosed in 30(25.2%) patients, whereas adulthood ADHD was diagnosed in 28(23.5%) patients of our sample as measured by Conner's Adult ADHD Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV.
Conclusions
Adulthood ADHD and childhood ADHD were frequently co-occurring conditions among patients with SUDs. ADHD diagnosis contributed to an increased addiction severity among adults with SUD.