Smoking Linked to A.D.D.

by MHanley on August 14, 2010

Recent studies have shown that people with ADD, ADHD, or ADD/ADHD-like symptoms are 400 times more likely to become addicted to cigarettes.

The reasoning behind this is that nicotine has a similar effect on the brain as Ritalin. So smoking acts almost as an alternative ADD/ADHD medication and helps to focus the mind of people who are exhibiting ADD/ADHD-like symptoms. 

The most interesting statistic I have found is that 96% of people who have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD have smoked at some point in their lives, with 41% of those 96% still smoking today.  On the flipside, only 44% of people who do not have ADD/ADHD have smoked at some point in their lives, while only 17% of those 44% are still smokers today.

No, I’m not telling you to have your child was been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD start smoking three packs a day… 

And I’m not telling non-smokers to start smoking in order to enjoy more focus and clarity…

But if you are a smoker who has been having trouble quitting you may want to take a look into some of the alternative ADD/ADHD treatments as a possible quitting aid. 

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