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Childhood ADHD, depression increases risk for addiction

Children with ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, and depression were significantly more likely to develop subsequent substance-related disorders, according to recent findings.

“We know that ADHD in childhood increases the risk for later substance-related disorders, but until now, no systematic evaluation of other childhood psychiatric disorders had been conducted,” Annabeth P. Groenman, PhD, of University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands, said in a press release. “Our findings show that not only ADHD increased the risk of addictions, but that other childhood psychiatric disorders also increased risk. This indicates the importance of early detection of mental health problems in a wider group. Addiction is a major cause of immense personal, familial, and societal burden, and prevention is therefore an important goal.”

To assess risk for substance-related disorders after childhood mental health disorder, including ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety disorder, and depression, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 37 studies among 762,187 participants. Of these, 22,029 had ADHD; 434 had oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder; 1,433 had anxiety disorder; and 2,451 had depression.

Analysis indicated a significantly increased risk for addiction in ADHD (n = 23, OR = 2.27; 95% CI, 1.98-3.67); with specific odds ratios of 2.15 (95% CI, 1.56-2.97) for alcohol, 1.52 (95% CI, 1.52-5.27) for drugs; 2.52 (95% CI, 2.01-3.15) for nicotine; and 2.61 (95% CI, 1.77-3.84) for substance use disorders.

Participants with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder also had increased risk for addiction (n = 8, OR = 3.18, 95% CI, 1.97-5.8), with specific odds ratios of 1.73 (95% CI, 1.51-2) for alcohol; 4.24 (95% CI, 3.21-5.59) for drugs; 4.22 (95% CI, 3.21-5.55) for nicotine; and 4.86 (95% CI, 3.09-7.56) for substance use disorders.

Depression was associated with significantly increased risk for addition as well (n = 13; OR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.47-2.81), with specific odds ratios of 1.1 (95% CI, 1.02-1.19) for alcohol; 2.56, (95% CI, 1.89-3.48) for nicotine; and 2.2 (95% CI, 1.41-3.43) for substance use disorders.

Risk for addiction was not significantly associated with anxiety disorders.

“Now that we have firmly established children with psychiatric disorders as a high-risk group for later substance-related disorders, the next step is to make parents, clinicians, and the government aware of these risks and work together in reducing the risks for addiction and its debilitating consequences,” study researcher Jaap Oosterlaan, PhD, of Emma Children’s Hospital AMC, Netherlands, said in the release. - by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.