text: does being an adhd teenager lead to a higher tendency towards drug abuse?   yes, those with adhd have a greater tendency to abuse drugs and alcohol according to statistics.  it has nothing to do with the fact that they already take prescribed drugs.  they want to escape their issues like so many kids today.  why they end up abusing drugs is because they don't get "high" like kids without adhd do.  the drugs have a reverse affect on them.  so, they end up taking higher and higher doses trying to achieve that high that their chemically unbalanced brain just doesn't get.  that is why they often add alcohol into the mix and end up addicted to alcohol and drugs.  educated parents can make all the difference in preventing their child from getting into the drug and alcohol cycle.  i get so angry at those (like the first responder) who assume that add/adhd doens't exist and that all kids with it are drug abusers.  if you have a child with add/adhd, you know it really exists.  i hope those who scoff are someday "blessed" with an adhd child.  to those who are so under-educated, please do your research...you may learn something.  also, brain scans have shown a completely different thermal makeup in an add/adhd brain compared to that of a child without add/adhd.