ADHD, Self-Medication & the Signals We Often Miss

When Mamamia, the well known, digital media broadcasting channel reached out to talk about ADHD and self-medication, I knew the conversation was an important one. Not just for teens and their families, but also for adults, workplaces, schools and communities who often misunderstand the deeper emotional landscape behind neurodivergent coping behaviours.

Self-medication isn’t a “teen issue.”
It’s a human issue, one shaped by nervous systems, unmet needs, invisible overwhelm, and the very real gaps in our current ADHD support systems.

In the Mamamia feature, parents and professionals shared stories that were painful, courageous and heartbreakingly familiar. For many families, the journey toward an ADHD diagnosis, and the journey through adolescence is filled with fear, confusion, self-doubt and a sense of being completely out of their depth.

And this isn’t because they’re doing anything wrong.
It’s because our systems are missing the signs.

Below are some of the key themes discussed in the article, alongside my own reflections as an ADHD educator, coach and advocate.

1. When ADHD Goes Unseen, Families Often Reach Breaking Point

One parent described feeling “devastated, scared and completely out of my depth.”
This is not uncommon. Many families spend years navigating misdiagnosis, behavioural interpretations, exclusion, shame and the slow erosion of a child’s confidence.

A young person may appear high-achieving, creative or well-behaved on the surface, yet internally feel overwhelmed, dysregulated or unable to keep up. When that inner chaos goes unnoticed, distress grows quietly in the background until it erupts into something more visible.

For some, medication is life-changing.
One teen described it as “the static radio in my brain finally turning off.”

That line hit me hard, because so many people with ADHD understand exactly what that “static” feels like, myself included. 

2. Why Some Teens Turn to Self-Medication

The ADHD brain is wired to seek dopamine. It’s not a character flaw.
It’s neurology.

Without appropriate medication, support or emotional scaffolding, some teens instinctively reach for whatever makes the noise stop, whether that’s nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, or in some cases, stimulants obtained unsafely.

The statistics from the article highlight what many clinicians already know:

• People with ADHD are almost three times more likely to develop nicotine dependence.(Humphreys, Flory, Liu, & Glass, 2011).

• They are about 50% more likely to develop a drug or alcohol use disorder. (Humphreys, Flory, Liu, & Glass, 2011).

This doesn’t mean ADHD causes substance use.
It means ADHD, when unsupported, increases vulnerability.

Self-medication is often an attempt to feel:

• calmer
• clearer
• more regulated
• more “normal”
• less overwhelmed

It is not about rebellion.
It is about relief.

And the risks increase when access to appropriate ADHD medication becomes inconsistent, a very real problem in Australia.

3. The Signs We Miss: Masking, Behaviour Changes & Distress

The warning signs of substance use are not always dramatic.
And they are not always “bad behaviour.”

Sometimes they look like:

• withdrawing

• irritability

• extreme anxiety

• social disconnection

• sudden emotional outbursts

• changes in appetite or sleep

• shutting down

• losing interest in school

Other times, it’s the opposite:

• anger

• agitation

• defiance

• acting out

• risky behaviours

Masking also plays a massive role.
Girls often mask by being quiet, compliant and “good.”
Boys may mask by being the class clown.

Masking is not manipulation.
It’s survival.

This is why behaviours alone rarely tell the full story.

4. Curiosity Over Judgment Changes Everything

One of the most powerful messages in the article is the reminder that judgment shuts down connection.

Curiosity opens it.

Instead of “Why are you doing this?”
Try: “What has led you to need this to cope?”

This shift is everything.

When we approach teens (and adults) with compassion instead of punishment, we create the psychological safety they need to tell the truth. And truth is where change begins.

5. What Actually Helps: Support, Structure, Safety

Supporting a neurodivergent young person involves multiple systems working together:

✔ ADHD-informed clinicians

Paediatricians or psychiatrists who understand ADHD can prescribe and manage appropriate medication safely.

✔ Consistent medication access

Supply issues in Australia increase risk, and they need urgent attention.

✔ Schools that understand the signs

Punishment without curiosity misses the real causes of distress.

✔ Families who feel informed and supported

Parents deserve guidance, not blame.

✔ A neuroaffirming lens

Understanding ADHD as a different neurotype - not a deficit - helps young people make sense of themselves with pride, not shame.

When someone understands their brain,
they can develop strengths,
not hide “weaknesses.”

As one parent said in the article:
“It’s not a weakness, it’s a strength… I just want him to know he can still do incredible things.”

And he can.
They all can.

What I Want You to Know

ADHD is not the problem.
Isolation, misunderstanding and lack of support are.

The more openly we talk about self-medication, masking, dopamine-seeking behaviour and emotional overwhelm, the more young people and adults can access the support they deserve.

I’m grateful to Mamamia for helping bring this important conversation into the mainstream.
And I’m even more grateful for the parents, adults, teens, teachers and clinicians who keep showing up with compassion and curiosity every day.

🔗 Read the full Mamamia feature here

🔗 Read more of my reflections and guidance on ADHD here

Until next time,

Caroline