Addiction affects many populations, including people with autism. However, studies seeking to understand how much the disorder affects the risks of developing alcohol or drug dependence have yielded different answers.

Autistic people have various symptoms and challenges that make it difficult to group them into general categories. Some people have mild symptoms, such as people with Asperger syndrome, while others have conditions that are more severe. Then there are people who may have autism symptoms but have not been officially diagnosed with autism, so the actual number of people who have it remains unknown.

Are People with Autism More at Risk of Developing Addiction?

Some initial studies that have explored the link between autism and addiction have concluded that substance abuse rates are generally lower among people diagnosed with autism because members are less likely to engage in risky drinking and drug use.

Common autism traits have been cited as the reason, including that people with autism tend to be cautious and distant, stick to predictable routines, prefer low-risk situations, including social ones, and spend time alone. It has also been thought that people with severe autism would have fewer chances to develop a substance use disorder or addiction because they would be supervised in their daily lives.

Newer research, however, has presented different conclusions about the issue. Some studies have concluded that autism can make some people with it more susceptible to developing substance use disorders. This research supports the perspective that improved addiction services and treatment are needed for co-occurring disorders, also known as dual diagnosis.

Many of the estimated 3.5 million of people in the United States who are living with autism also experience anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These disorders could prompt some in this group to self-medicate with addictive substances.

According to a 2016 study conducted in Sweden, Autistic people who have intelligence quotients (IQs) that are average or above average are more than twice as likely to develop an addiction to alcohol and other drugs when compared to their peers. Also, according to the study, the risks are higher for people with ADHD.

According to an article in The Atlantic, this study is the first of its kind to assess general risk for addiction among Autistic people.

Is there a Link Between Autistic Traits and Substance Abuse?

ADHD as a factor in the study of autism and addiction also was explored in research from the Washington University School of Medicine that was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in 2014.

Researchers found that people with autistic traits, but were not diagnosed with autism, were more likely than people without these traits to develop alcohol dependence and abuse marijuana.

“People with autistic traits can be socially withdrawn, so drinking with peers is less likely. But if they do start drinking, even alone, they tend to repeat that behavior, which puts them at increased risk for alcohol dependence,” said the study’s first author, Duneesha De Alwis, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychiatry.

De Alwis and her colleague, Arpana Agrawal, reviewed the survey and interview responses of the 3,080 Australian twins for ADHD-related symptoms, which include inattention, being frequently “on the go,” and concentration difficulties, as well as other traits commonly associated with ASD.

Their findings showed that just under 20 percent of twins without autistic traits met the criteria for alcoholism. But of the respondents with autistic traits, 35 percent were found to be alcohol-dependent. For marijuana use, “… About 23 percent of those with no autistic traits reported smoking pot more than 10 times in their lives, but 39 percent of people with six or more traits had used marijuana that often.”

As for studies that have reported that substance abuse rates are low among people with ASD, Agrawal said, “It could be that people with just a few autistic traits have an increased risk of substance-abuse problems, while those with more traits are somehow protected.”

Finding Addiction Treatment for People With Autism

 There are plenty of opportunities for further study of the relationship between drug and alcohol addiction on the autism spectrum as well as the most effective autism addiction treatment. However, for people who are in active substance addiction who also have mental health conditions or special needs, dual-diagnosis treatment is recommended.

Dual diagnosis treatment programs address the substance use disorder as well as the mental health condition at the same time. Focusing on both conditions concurrently gives the person the best chance at recovery.

Treatment programs of this kind offer comprehensive services such as:

Family support

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Interventions targeting social skills, mood management

Life skills training

12-step programs

When considering an addiction treatment program or treatment center for a person on the autism spectrum, it is important to keep the person’s specific needs in mind. Autism and Asperger syndrome present unique challenges that the right treatment center and program would be sensitive to. Therapies and activities should provide a setting that promotes:

Individual development and performance

Tailored communication methods (some people with autism are nonverbal)

Activities that keep the individual engaged and motivated, and provide behaviors to model

Custom exercises and instruction methods that are in alignment with the person’s abilities

Support systems for learning, including visuals and other helpful aids

This list is not exhaustive, but it offers an idea of how to ensure what to look for when evaluating autism addiction treatment.