Binge drinking, sugar, TV, ADD, and addiction

In my ongoing examination of the "Dopamine Problem", it has become clear to me that attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and addiction are intimately linked. Why? Because people with ADD are chronically low on the all-powerful dopamine that motivates them to act and become "engaged" in their actions. People with ADD procrastinate, have difficulty getting organized, and lose interest in tasks rapidly, and this is almost surely because they lack the visceral engagement and focus that a nice hit of dopamine delivers.

It is common to treat kids with ADD and AD/HD with stimulants like Ritalin, d-amphetamine, and Adderall, giving them the pharmaceutical equivalent of the speed you might buy on the street. This works well for many kids, as it did for me (while I was on it). But what happens to the ADD kids who are not properly diagnosed? How do they cope?

It is my belief that there are many people in my generation (and probably all generations) who are walking around with undiagnosed ADD, and that this problem has led them throughout their lives towards passive stimulation like TV; risky behaviors like stunting, gambling, and petty crime; sugar addiction; binge drinking; risky sex; and yes, drug use and addiction. All of these behaviors indicate a desire to stimulate dopamine response, and it is a life-long problem, not something that can be cured with some guidance counseling or a stint at rehab.

Although it is easy to diagnose a hyperactive child, it is somewhat trickier to diagnose non-hyperactive ADD, as they do not always go together. The AD/HD kid will actively seek out the novelty they desire, going through every drawer in the house or running in circles until they get that dopamine "hit" they are looking for. The non-hyperactive ADD child, on the other hand, may be emotionally removed and unresponsive, too unmotivated to do anything more than seek out food, sugar, or passive stimulation like TV to keep them engaged. And a kid who wants snacks, treats, and TV all the time sounds like just about every kid in America, doesn't it?

This "stimulus seeking" behavior is a genetic trait; we are all wired for it in some capacity. However, the ADD person feels little or no reward on the tail end of finding that stimulus. Instead, the ADD person wants to do it over and over, and rarely stays satisfied for more than a few minutes at a time. And that's where drugs come in. If the ADD person is properly diagnosed they can be given drugs that keep them focused and engaged for up to a few hours at a time, but as studies have shown, taking speed on a daily basis can put undue wear on the heart and vascular system.

But for those of you who think you might be living with ADD undiagnosed, here are lifetime indicators to look for:

• Lack of motivation, poor grades in school
  
• TV addiction
  
• Sugar addiction
  
• Stunting and risky behaviors
  
• Binge drinking and alcoholism
  
• Drug use and addiction
  
• Risky sexual behavior
  
• Gambling and impulsive behavior
  
• Inability to find a job you enjoy

There are other social indicators that are more subtle, but these are the ones I see most often in people who would deny up and down that they are ADD yet exhibit all of the signs.

Personally, I have gone through all of these indicators, even though I knew I was ADD and at risk. Although I was medicated with Ritalin as a child, I was taken off Ritalin as a teen and these behaviors began to manifest almost immediately.

Before I was old enough to score alcohol (about age 16), I was addicted to sugar and caffeinated cola beverages. Once I started drinking I was your classic binge drinker, and that lasted for years. I was a big physical risk taker, and enjoyed cliff diving off sixty-foot waterfalls and bombing huge hills at insane speeds on my skateboard (and have the scars to prove it). I was unmotivated in school. And though I was smart enough to stay away from gambling and risky sexual behavior, I watched many of my peers fall prey to these impulsive temptations.

It was only in college, after I had first tried LSD, that I started to understand there was something "not quite right" about me. You see, while other people were overwhelmed by the LSD experience, for me it was like I was "awake" for the first time in my life. Everything snapped into focus; I could suddenly carry a train of thought for more than a few seconds at a time; I was engaged in what I was doing and thinking "clearly" in a way I had never felt before. Something clicked in me, and I realized that my normal waking mode was somehow lacking in the focus I desired.

Since having this realization many years ago, I have seen numerous reports and research studies which link ADD to excessive TV use, sugar addiction, over-eating, binge drinking, gambling, risk taking, and drug use, and none of them seem that surprising to me. What is surprising, however, is the constant need for science to blame one of these things for the disorder, as if watching TV and eating sugar could make a non-ADD person suddenly develop ADD.

No, I think it is the other way around. I think you are either born with ADD or not, those with ADD will instinctively seek out these stimulating behaviors because they make you feel more engaged in your own life, a life that you may often feel like you are watching in the third-person. With that said, I think it is probably only a matter of time before the underlying genetic factors of ADD are discovered, and it is my hunch that scientists will pinpoint genes that code for dopamine receptors or enzymes that assist in the production of dopamine. It is the logical conclusion.

For those of you out there who think you have ADD, there is no easy coping solution. We all get by with what we can. I have tried many medications and have found that caffeine, marijuana, and alcohol (in moderation) work best for me, but they are obviously not the best solutions due to the wear and tear on the body. Speed is just too speedy, and I am wary of trying new pharmaceuticals, so I live knowing that some days will be up days and others will be down. If I really applied myself I might be able to find a better solution, but some days it just seems like too much work.

And for parents who think their kids might be ADD, know the warning signs and try to steer your child away from risky behaviors. While medication may seem like the best answer, there are other ways to cope as long as you don't expect your child to be "perfect", which all parents do in some way or another. ADD can result in "problem" behavior, but it can also result in unorthodox and ingenious behavior, so you have to learn how to nurture the good and minimize the bad. Remember, there is no easy solution, it is a life-long struggle to find what works best.