5 Addiction Healing Tips for People with ADHD

People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a heightened risk of experiencing addiction. ADHD brains, according to experts, don’t process dopamine as effectively as neurotypical brains. Because many addictive substances boost dopamine, resisting these substances can be especially difficult for those with ADHD.

Likewise, addiction recovery has some unique challenges for this demographic. Healing from addiction requires patience, focus, and emotional regulation skills. ADHD causes difficulties in all of these areas.

If you have ADHD and are starting your recovery journey, or if your client experiences both ADHD and addiction, here are some tips that may help you along the way.

NOTE: This website does not provide medical advice. Talk to you doctor before starting any new health program. See the end of this page for full medical disclaimer.

Addiction Recovery Tips for People with ADHD

Below are five addiction recovery tips for people with ADHD. Remember that every person with ADHD is different. Tips that work for some people may not work as well for others. Don’t be discouraged if only a few of these tips work for you. You might choose to experiment with these strategies and keep the ones that help the most.

1. Consider Contingency Management Strategies

Contingency management is a type of addiction therapy that rewards people for progress. For example, a person might receive prizes like movie vouchers in exchange for negative drug test results. It has been proven effective, especially for the treatment of cocaine addiction.

What makes it so effective? The answer is simple: dopamine. 

Dopamine is a brain chemical. It’s in charge of focus and motivation. This explains why those with ADHD, who may not access dopamine effectively, struggle with certain tasks. 

Dopamine is also a reward chemical, meaning that it prompts feelings of happiness and wellbeing. When the brain releases dopamine, the person feels good, so they will likely repeat the dopamine-releasing activity in the future. 

Small prizes also release dopamine, so people can stay motivated during their recovery. 

There’s just one problem, though. In spite of its effectiveness, contingency management isn’t 100% legal for mental health practitioners to perform in the US. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t use the same principles on yourself. People with ADHD are often very reward-motivated. You can use this to your advantage. 

Start by figuring out the types of rewards that would motivate you the most. It could be seeing a movie, buying a treat, or any number of things. Then, think about recovery milestones. These could include things like: 

• achieving sobriety for a certain number of days, weeks, months, and years 

• attending a certain number of support group meetings 

• doing any “homework” your therapist provides 

• achieving any 12-step milestones 

Keep in mind that ADHD can cause impulse control problems. This means that you may end up giving yourself the reward before you’ve reached the milestone. If that’s the case, consider enlisting the help of a friend. You might convince someone to withhold your prizes from you until you can provide proof of your accomplishment.

2. Gamify Recovery

Many people with ADHD use “gamification” to add novelty and excitement to tasks they would otherwise find boring and difficult. For example, a habit tracking game, in which a player earns points for completing tasks, can help people with ADHD stay on track. 

The same strategy can be applied to recovery, and it may work especially well when paired with contingency management.

3. Scale Back Your Goals

Addiction recovery is a long-term goal. Long-term goals can be daunting for people of any neurotype, but those with ADHD may find them particularly difficult. 

If you or your client have ADHD, consider focusing on smaller goals, and celebrate small victories such as maintaining sobriety for a week, or discovering favorite non-alcoholic beverages. 

Understand that people with ADHD often experience “all or nothing” thinking, meaning that small setbacks may impact you or your client more heavily than they would impact a neurotypical person. When this happens, focusing on small milestones can keep motivation elevated.

4. Look for Dual Diagnosis Treatment

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a large number of people with substance use disorders also have a co-occurring condition, or dual diagnosis. The most effective forms of addiction treatment address both the addiction and any overlapping conditions, as these conditions may contribute to one another. 

ADHD is one of the most commonly found co-occurring disorders among people dealing with substance abuse. If you experience both ADHD and substance abuse, consider an addiction treatment program that offers dual diagnosis care. This type of program can help you understand how your addiction and ADHD may impact each other, as well as how you may address both effectively.

5. Seek Accountability and Structure

Many people with ADHD, with or without a substance use disorder, benefit from structure and accountability. For instance, some people with ADHD use “body doubling,” or partnering with another person, to stay on task. 

This type of strategy may also benefit recovery. For example, attending individual therapy or group therapy, or regularly checking in with a sponsor, can help you or your client maintain sobriety.

DISCLAIMER: MINDFUL PHOENIX DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. The site owner is not a doctor. All information provided by Mindful Phoenix is for informational purposes only. It should not be used as a replacement for legitimate medical care, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified medical professional if you have healthcare concerns or require a diagnosis or treatment. Do not delay or avoid medical treatment because of something you read on this website. Do not ignore, alter, or disregard advice or treatment from your healthcare provider due to information on this website. By using this website, you agree that neither Mindful Phoenix, its owner, or any guest writers are liable for any risks or effects associated with using the information on this site.

Sources:

Frontiers in Psychiatry — Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Relation to Addictive Behaviors: a Moderated-Mediation Analysis of Personality Risk Factors and Sex

Health Direct — Dopamine

Mayo Clinic — Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Psych Central — Meeting Your Goals When You Have ADHD: 9 Helpful Tips