Cocaine And ADHD: Treatment Options

The Links Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Cocaine and How to Get Help

Many people don’t know that there is a link between cocaine and ADHD. That might not be the most obvious connection at first, but this page will look at why cocaine addiction and ADHD are often connected and how treatment in a professional facility can help confront the problem.

Cocaine use is extremely dangerous for many reasons. While all substance use disorders can come with disastrous consequences, cocaine dependence is known for its significant health risks. If you have fallen into a pattern of cocaine abuse in your life, getting help as soon as possible is critical to turn things around.

As an important first step, get in touch with the team at South Shores Recovery today. We have experience with cocaine use disorder, as well as ADHD patients, and will build a customized treatment plan to chart a clear path for your future. It would be an honor to serve you.

Understanding ADHD and Cocaine Abuse Occurring Together

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It can impact both adults and children. There are a number of different symptoms commonly associated with ADHD, including difficulty focusing, impulsivity, restlessness, disorganization, and difficulty completing tasks in a timely manner.

The symptoms demonstrated by individuals with ADHD are often connected to imbalances in brain chemistry. There are chemicals in the brain like dopamine and norepinephrine that are responsible for mood, motivation, and attention. If those chemicals are out of balance, the brain might feel like it is running too fast or out of control.

A number of different treatments can be used to help people with ADHD. There are medication management options available, as well as behavioral therapy techniques.

Those tactics have been proven to be effective for many people, however, if ADHD symptoms are left untreated over time, those with this condition are more likely to turn to self medication solutions like cocaine use.

Why People with ADHD Are More Vulnerable to Cocaine Use

Research has shown that there is a strong ADHD cocaine connection. But why would that be the case? These two things don’t seem particularly closely connected on the surface. However, a closer look at cocaine use disorder and the realities of living with ADHD starts to bring this matter into focus.

Specifically, the reasons listed below can speak to why people with ADHD are at an increased risk to self medicate with cocaine.

Dopamine Dysregulation

A calling card of ADHD is low dopamine activity in parts of the brain. Of course, cocaine is known for the flood of dopamine that it creates – so there is a natural pairing here. People who want to alleviate ADHD symptoms may find that they have a pleasurable response when using cocaine, including gaining focus and ‘better’ control over their minds.

Of course, this is certainly not a healthy strategy for improved mental health, but it is easy to see why many people have taken this path.

Impulsivity and Risk-Taking

Living with ADHD can come along with an increased level of impulsivity as compared to the general population. This is particularly true with young adults. With adult ADHD, there will often be a higher risk tolerance, and that could include being willing to experiment with drugs like cocaine.

The risk factors that might cause other people to pass on trying cocaine at a party, for example, might not stop someone with ADHD from doing the same thing.

Self Medication

ADHD medications like Adderall don’t always work as expected. Or, they might offer some treatment improvement, but not as much as the individual was hoping to experience. So, cocaine could be seen as a self medication option that will deliver more powerful results.

As mentioned above, the boost in focus and concentration can be significant, although it is short-lived. This can wind up causing a vicious cycle where the individual uses cocaine more and more often – and in higher and higher doses – to achieve the desired effects.

Overlapping Environmental Factors

The relationship between ADHD and cocaine dependence isn’t always as direct or straightforward as what was discussed above. Sometimes, it’s more of a downstream effect. For example, someone with ADHD might struggle in school, or on the job, due to their challenges around focus and concentration.

As a result of those struggles, they could have low self-esteem or become depressed, and cocaine may wind up being a coping mechanism to deal with those mental health difficulties. Even if they have tried stimulant medications in the past, cocaine can be powerfully compelling for a variety of reasons.

How Cocaine Impacts the ADHD Brain

We’ve already touched on this important topic somewhat, but let’s look a little closer here at what cocaine addiction does to the brain of someone with ADHD. As mentioned, dopamine levels will rise when cocaine is used, creating a high and allowing for intense focus. In the immediate aftermath of using the drug, it seems like it has solved the ADHD symptoms completely.

But this is just a mirage. Those impacts only last for a short time and the crash can be particularly harsh. Soon, a powerful depression may set in, and attention deficits may be even worse than they were before.

The person can also deal with irritability and anxiety and will likely begin seeking more access to cocaine to return to the fleeting high that they enjoyed. The reward system of the brain wants to get back there, and having enough self control not to return to drug use will be a challenge.

The Cycle of Cocaine Dependence

You can already see how a cycle of dependence on this drug can quickly develop. It starts with either undiagnosed or untreated ADHD. Once an individual in that situation turns to cocaine for a solution without thinking about the long term consequences, they will experience an incredible rush for a short time.

After that rush crashes, they’ll be willing to do just about anything to get back to it. Only the next time, they’ll likely take even more cocaine, hoping to get the high to last longer or to be more powerful. This cycle continues until the person is using large amounts of cocaine and they feel like they can’t operate or even get through a day without it.

Of course, as doses increase, so do the risks that come along with using cocaine. Things like seizures and overdoses become entirely possible as this pattern continues.

Why Treating the ADHD Alone Is Not Enough

If it is true that ADHD is the underlying cause that has led a person to the repeated use of cocaine, it would stand to reason that properly treating the ADHD would be the right tactic. Once the ADHD is under control, the need for cocaine would fade and the drug wouldn’t require so much impulse control to resist. Right?

Not really. Once this pattern has started, simply treating ADHD alone is unlikely to solve the problem. At this point, getting into a cocaine detox program is the first step that will be required.

Before ADHD can really be treated, the use of cocaine needs to be stopped safely under the supervision of a medical professional. We’ll talk more about the cocaine detox process in the next section.

Building a bright future where cocaine use is in the past and ADHD symptoms have been treated is going to require integrated care. This won’t be solved overnight, but it can be successfully treated one step at a time until each side of the dual diagnosis has been correctly handled.

A Safe Cocaine Detox Process

Drugs like cocaine and other illicit stimulants are particularly hard to quit. That’s because the rush or high they provide is so intense and pleasurable that the body wants to get back there again and again. Also, people who use drugs like cocaine heavily for an extended time have built up a tolerance and the body has come to expect the substance. When the substance stops being used, a long list of symptoms is sure to follow.

That’s why a proper medical detox is the right way to go. When symptoms like depression and suicidal thoughts start to arise, you need to have a professional by your side to weather the storm. Likewise, when the difficult physical symptoms like exhaustion and intense cravings land, you need someone who can treat those and help guide you through.

Trying to detox and find recovery from cocaine abuse on your own is dangerous and more likely to lead to a relapse than anything else. Enter medical detox to ease your symptoms, have support from a trained team, and be ready to move right into treatment for your ADHD and other mental health concerns after the detox process has been completed.

Put an End to Cocaine Abuse and Get Real Help Today

The combination of ADHD and cocaine dependence is powerful and harmful, but so are many other addictions. Prescription stimulants can be harmful, for example, as can any other highly addictive substance.

Don’t try to break the addiction that you are facing on your own. It’s extremely difficult to break free from the draw to the euphoric high that many drugs offer when you don’t have a team of professionals behind you. South Shores Recovery would love to play a key role in your journey back to a healthy and prosperous life.

Let’s start taking the negative effects of cocaine out of your life today. Call our admissions coordinators to talk about your drug use and learn more about the services we provide. Our understanding team will never judge the situation you are facing – we are only here to help. We hope to receive your call today.