According to recent studies, people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD are more likely to experience addiction. How likely? Researchers estimate 30 to 50% of people with ADD/ADHD use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate their ADHD symptoms.

The big question is — why are hunter-types (people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD) more prone to addiction than the rest of the population?

All signs point to the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Although scientists have known for quite some time that dopamine was somehow related to addiction, it wasn’t until recently that researchers began to name it as one of the primary components in nearly all types of addiction.

Hunter-types seem to be genetically predisposed to having fewer dopamine receptors. This particular aspect of our biochemistry (which is likely responsible for our increased creative abilities), also appears to leave us vulnerable to addiction.