Alcohol and substance use history among ADHD adults: the relationship with persistent and remitting symptoms, personality, employment, and history of service use.
OBJECTIVE
To profile substance use, personality, service use, and employment in adults with ADHD.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 216 consecutive referrals to an adult ADHD service and classified with ADHD, partially or fully remitted ADHD, or no ADHD. Normal controls (n = 33) were recruited from a general practitioner's center. Participants completed measures of alcohol and illicit substance use, employment, service use, ADHD symptoms, and personality.


RESULTS
High rates of substance use were found in participants with current ADHD diagnoses. ADHD participants showed increased rates of personality trait or disorder scores and unemployment. There was some indication that those with ADHD and substance-related impairment place higher demand on services. Individuals with partially remitted ADHD showed similar substance use to those with current ADHD, whereas those in full remission were comparable with normal controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Although ADHD symptoms may remit with time, individuals retaining persisting or partial symptoms have substantial needs in adulthood.
1King's College London, England.
Zoe
Z
Huntley
Susan
S
Young
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D012008:Recurrence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs