One-in-five people being treated for drug and alcohol addiction have symptoms of ADHD, new research has uncovered.

This rate increases to over one-third amongst people using benzodiazepines.

The report also shows that the highest rates of ADHD overall were found amongst women using these drugs.

The research was carried out by the Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign - providing up-to-date estimates on the prevalence of neurodiversity among people accessing addiction services.

The campaign is looking for extra training for addiction staff so they can learn how to deal with neurodiverse addicts in a better way.

An Overview of ADHD. Image: Alamy

Professor Catherine Comiskey authored the report alongside members of Trinity College Dublin’s School of Nursing and Midwifery.

“Our team reviewed evidence from 32 countries around the world from 1997 to 2024 with a total sample of almost 57,000 people,” she said.

“Our review of this data revealed that the overall estimate of the prevalence of ADHD within the population of people using drugs and alcohol was 21%.

“When comparing rates of prevalence across substances, the data showed that over one third of benzodiazepine users display ADHD symptoms.”

Narcotics addiction - alcohol, drugs and cocaine. Image: Alamy

The research for this report also involved a study of qualitative interviews with service providers.

“We found that the majority of them did not have any formal education or training in neurodiversity,” Prof Comiskey said.

“In fact, managing the needs of neurodiverse service users has been learned ‘on the job’ using a trial-and-error approach.”

Prof Comiskey also highlighted some other issues that emerged from the research with service providers:

• Working to meet and understand the needs of neurodivergent people provides major challenges for service provider staff.
• Some service users with neurodiverse conditions can take years to find an effective treatment programme that addresses their needs.
• The lack of a formal referral pathway in the Irish health system for adults seeking a formal diagnosis of neurodiverse conditions is a barrier to effective treatment;
• Providing appropriate support for service users with neurodiverse conditions who also have mental health and alcohol problems has been found to be a major challenge.

Adult suffering from ADHD. Credit: Sven Hoppe/dpa/Alamy Live News

In terms of addressing these issues, Prof Comiskey and her team set out a number of recommendations.

“It’s important that all services and settings for people using drugs and alcohol address the issue of neurodiversity as part of their comprehensive assessment process,” she said.

“In addition, immediate training needs to be provided to staff at all levels in these services and this training should be extended to ’ family members’.

“To ensure that such training is sustainable, it is recommended that a module on neurodiversity be provided in all relevant educational programmes in health and social care.”

A man poses with cannabis products as he waits for customers in downtown Lisbon, 27-4-14. Image: Associated Press / Alamy

The report sets out a number of other recommendations:

• The processes and practice of services for people using drugs and alcohol need to be modified to ensure that they adopt a neurodiverse informed and non-stigmatising approach.
• The HSE needs to provide appropriate assessment, screening and interventions for people with ADHD and this needs to be coordinated with addiction services.
• There is an ethical onus on the Department of Health and professional bodies to disseminate and implement the care recommended by the international consensus statements on the diagnosis and treatment of people using substances and who have ADHD.

ADHD Ireland CEO Ken Kilbride added: “On behalf of ADHD Ireland, I would like to highly commend Citywide for commissioning this research, which highlights the severe impact ADHD can have across someone’s lifespan when not suitably supported.”

Main image: Caring female doctor comforting young woman patient at meeting. Image: Alamy