Substance use disorders (SUD) are one of the leading causes of health problems worldwide. Many addicted patients suffer from additional psychiatric disorders, with an adverse effect on treatment.
This thesis focusses on the presence of ADHD in patients with substance use disorders. First, the prevalence of ADHD in SUD patients is investigated. A meta-analysis and a large international study conclude that the ADHD prevalence is generally high (on average one out of every five SUD patients have ADHD) but differs, depending on for example country and substance of abuse. Moreover, results show that SUD patients with ADHD often suffer from additional psychiatric disorders such as personality disorders and mood disorders.
Next, an integrated treatment with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for both SUD and ADHD is presented. This treatment is especially developed for SUD patients who also suffer from ADHD. It consists of standard addiction treatment, combined with sessions aimed at ADHD treatment in which for example planning skills are trained. In a randomized trial, the integrated treatment is compared to standard CBT for addiction. Results of this study show that the integrated treatment is superior to standard CBT for SUD with regard to the effect on ADHD symptoms. Both treatments are equally effective with regard to the effect on substance use.