DeepSummary
The podcast episode features Dr. Marilee Hernandez discussing the effects of cannabis use on ADHD symptoms and sleep in adolescents. She explains that while cannabis can help with falling asleep initially, frequent use leads to poorer sleep quality and duration. Dr. Hernandez highlights the risks of cannabis use, including potential for substance use disorder, cognitive impairment, and mood disorders like depression and psychosis.
Dr. Hernandez emphasizes that adolescents with ADHD are at higher risk for substance use disorders and tend to start using drugs earlier than their neurotypical peers. She suggests strategies for engaging teens in reducing cannabis use, such as understanding their motives, challenging them to quit for a period, making it inconvenient to access, and treating underlying issues like anxiety or sleep problems.
The presentation covers the importance of sleep for those with ADHD and potential interventions to improve sleep habits, which can reduce cravings and substance use. Dr. Hernandez stresses the need for open communication, setting boundaries, and involving teens in finding collaborative solutions to promote healthier behaviors.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Cannabis use, especially frequent use, can lead to impaired cognition, sleep disturbances, and increased risk of mood disorders like depression and psychosis in adolescents with ADHD.
- Adolescents with ADHD are at higher risk for substance use disorders and tend to start using drugs earlier than their neurotypical peers.
- Improving sleep habits and treating underlying issues like anxiety or depression can help reduce cravings and substance use in individuals with ADHD.
- Open communication, setting boundaries, and involving teens in finding collaborative solutions are essential for promoting healthier behaviors and reducing problematic cannabis use.
- Even after chronic cannabis use, abstinence and interventions can lead to improvements in cognitive function and overall well-being.
- Understanding the motives behind cannabis use in adolescents with ADHD is crucial for developing effective interventions and engaging them in treatment.
- Externalizing strategies, such as making access to cannabis inconvenient, can support individuals with ADHD in reducing or abstaining from cannabis use when willpower alone is challenging.
- Addressing sleep problems and improving sleep quality can help reduce cravings and substance use in individuals with ADHD.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Even if you already start smoking or using as a teen, your brain gets wired from all these things, but it's not like all is lost. Even if you're a chronic smoker, even 24 hours of abstinence can repopulate some of the receptors or can normalize some of the CB one receptors or cannabinoid receptors in your brain and lead to some improvements.“ by Marilee Hernandez
- “If you don't get enough sleep, you may not have enough executive function or, I don't know, it's harder to withstand cravings. And so this has also been shown in the research that if you have sleep problems, the following sleep problems, the following day, you have your cravings for alcohol and cannabis are higher, you crave it more and maybe more likely to use.“ by Marilee Hernandez
- “I think addiction kicks you when you're down. If you're already kind of deprived of the good things and you're already feeling bad, the substances are much more salient and using them more regularly seems like it's more likely, it's more likely that you would be drawn to those if you're already not feeling great.“ by Marilee Hernandez
- “Teens may not be able to do that, so you may have to gauge with your teen, in terms of as a parent, what boundaries you're going to set for the behavior until they can kind of do that for themselves.“ by Marilee Hernandez
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Episode Information
ADHD Experts Podcast
ADDitude
5/28/24
Mariely Hernandez, Ph.D., helps caregivers understand the effects of infrequent and frequent cannabis use on cognition and sleep health in teens with ADHD, as well as how to engage youth in reducing problematic cannabis use.
Teens with ADHD, Sleep, and Substance Use Disorder: More Resources
- Download: Sleep Disorders Linked to ADHD
- Get: The Parents’ Guide to Raising a Teen with ADHD
- Learn: SUD Risk Is Elevated by ADHD
- Q&A: “My Teen is Smoking Marijuana and Changing Before My Eyes. What Do I Do?”
Access the video and slides for podcast episode #504 here: https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/weed-adhd-symptoms-sleep-teens/
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