ADHD and Sex

ADHD has affected my life in a lot of ways. I am proud of my ADHD, but because I got diagnosed so late I am still constantly finding out that the issues I have are because of my disability. One of my biggest surprises is that ADHD causes issues in sexuality, especially for women.

This comes with the disclaimer that not everyone is the same. You may have ADHD and not experience any of these symptoms. You may also not have ADHD and experience these symptoms. Always consult your doctor as well.

ADHD affects sexuality in 3 major ways. It can make you hypersexual, it can make you hyposexual, and it can cause difficulty to orgasm while having sex. So what does this all mean for us people with ADHD? Why do these symptoms look like?

Let's talk hypersexual first. Hypersexuality is having an unusually high sex drive. This can look like masturbating a lot or a lot of sex with one or multiple partners or even risky sexual behaviors. Orgasms lead to the release of endorphins and provides stimulation to the brain. Orgasms are to ADHD brains as water is to a plant. Our brains will seek that simulation in any way that it can which is why it leads to hypersexuality.

I am not afraid to admit that I masturbate a lot. Usually 4-6 times a week. I have found that is cures my boredom and calms me down. Sometimes I do it just so I can fall asleep at night when my brain is too restless from my ADHD. I never had an explanation for these habits I had until I learned about this. But that is not the only symptom that I and other people with ADHD deal with.

Hyposexuality is the opposite of hypersexuality. You experiences a decrease in sex drive. This is mainly because of inattention, distraction, and loss of interest. People with ADHD jump from topic to topic very quickly. We lose interest and move on. This isn't just with school or work, we can expereinces these symptoms in sex and the people we have sex with.

I lose interest in sex very quickly. It's boring. I try my best, but I get distracted. Not only that, but I lose interest in the person I have sex with. I'm not one for dating, so I've just had a few friends with benefits over the years. I usually have sex with them to or three times, but then I get bored. The idea of sex and having to put the work in to have a sexual partner just doesn't hold my interest long enough for it to matter. Now don't get me wrong, I don't get bored of them as a person. I just get bored of the sex with them.

The last symptom of ADHD in sexuality is the difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm. This is seen especially in women with ADHD. This is because orgasms are not only physical, they are mental. And we all know one of the main symptoms of ADHD is inattention and getting distracted. This affects our ability to orgasm.

The reason I gave up on sex wasn't just because of my lack of attention over all with hyposexuality, but because it is so incredibly difficult for me to achieve orgasm while hooking up with another person.

All three of these symptoms I experience in one way or another. I never knew, though, that they were symptoms of my ADHD. If you have ADHD and experience any of these symptoms, it could be because of you disability. We all find our ways to cope with our ADHD, but I do feel a lot better about my symptoms now that I know why. I hope this helped you too.

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