HOW DOES ADHD AFFECT YOUR SEX LIFE?
Are you living with ADHD? Are you worried ADHD may be affecting your sex life? What steps are you taking to control ADHD? Get clued on sexual issues linked to ADHD and ways you can manage ADHD symptoms.
There are several ways that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can affect your sex life. You might notice you are hypersensitive to sensory stimulation if you are living with ADHD, making sensual touch feel irritating, or maybe your level of sexual desire changes drastically from one day to the next. Some individuals with ADHD have a high sex drive and need for stimulation and novelty, such as porn, and it causes problems in their relationships. Individuals with ADHD may also be vulnerable to sexual risk-taking, such as unprotected sex or having multiple sex partners. The disorder is associated with a neurotransmitter drop, leading to these impulsive behaviors.
Sexual Issues Linked to ADHD
Some sex issues can happen to people living with ADHD. They include:
Trouble Concentrating During Intimacy
Lack of focus is among the most common symptoms of ADHD. You might find yourself wandering during sex, cuddling, or in the middle of foreplay. Your partner may think you are not interested in them or their relationship. Lack of focus makes it difficult to achieve an orgasm.
High or Low Sex Drive
Willin et al. (2022) noted that you likely have a high sex drive if you live with ADHD. You may think about sex or try to have it frequently. You may also use pornography often. However, some medications that treat ADHD can cause low sex drive. Antidepressants, which treat ADHD, may lower your sex drive.
Sudden changes In Your Mood or Desires
Mood changes are common in people with ADHD. People with ADHD can be hypersensitive too. This means sensations like touch may feel normal to others and can feel intense for people with ADHD. Hypersensitivity and mood changes can affect your sex drive and how you interact with your sexual partner. For instance, you might be into a certain sex act at one point, then decide you don't like it anymore. You may feel like cuddling when with your partner but not the next. Also, sex acts that may feel good to your partner could annoy you.
The Desire For Risky Sexual Behaviors
Kistler (2022) noted that individuals with ADHD mostly have lower levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Low neurotransmitters can make you more likely to be impulsive and take risks like having unprotected sex. Not every person with ADHD engages in risky behaviors. However, it is important to know that you may want to do certain sexual acts that may not be safe or healthy.
Anger That makes You Less Interested in Sex or Romantic Relationships
ADHD can make you feel frustrated or lonely. These emotions may be draining and make you lose interest in sex. Symptoms of ADHD can cause relationship issues that make it harder for you and your partner to enjoy intimacy. For instance, mood swings may make you argue more. Or you may lose focus during conversations or arguments. That could make your partner feel like you are ignoring them.
What to do if Your Partner Has ADHD
You might notice that your partner with ADHD becomes distracted during sex and easily loses focus and interest, which may result in rejection. It is important to understand that ADHD causes trouble concentrating in many areas in life, and sex is often not an exception. It usually has nothing to do with the person's interest in their partner. Keep in mind the bloated feeling that someone with ADHD may experience, such as anger and frustration, can create feelings of conflict in any romantic relationship. This conflict can result in difficulties connecting intimately.
What to Do if You Have ADHD
There are ways you can manage ADHD symptoms. That can help you have a healthy sexual relationship.
Take Your Medication As Prescribed
Most ADHD medications don't affect your sex drive. ADHD medication helps you focus, which can help you enjoy sex more. This medication also helps keep risky behavior in check. Some individuals with ADHD notice that having sex closer to when they take their medication helps them stay focused during sex.
Talk To Your Doctor About Your Medication
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have sexual issues and think your medication is to blame. They may be in a position to help you make changes that make you feel better. For instance, switching antidepressants can help boost a low sex drive.
Exercise
Staying active can also help you focus and raise levels of neurotransmitters. That can help you enjoy sex more and may make you less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.
Tell Your Partner About Your Symptoms
von Kotzebue et al. (2022) suggested that you could inform your partner that ADHD symptoms, like difficulty focusing, can show up during intimacy. Your partner needs to know about your condition to understand that it's not a sign you're not interested in them.
Consider Talk Therapy
Arefin et al. (2022) revealed that talk therapy could help reduce ADHD symptoms that affect your sex life. A therapist can help you learn skills that can assist you in communicating with your partner, both in and out of the bedroom.
Communicate During Sex
Tell your partner how you want to be touched or if you're not in the mood to have sex. Being direct about how you feel can help you avoid communication issues.
Lessen Distractions
Since it can be hard to stay engaged during sex, eliminate anything around you that might make you lose focus, such as television. You can also practice releasing the day's stress through meditation, yoga, or journaling before getting under the sheets with your partner to avoid any worries on your mind.
Conclusion
People with ADHD and their partners can still have a satisfying sex life. Suppose you or your partner have ADHD and feel it negatively affects your sex life. In that case, you may benefit from speaking with a sex therapist, a sexual medicine specialist, or certified health care professional about the topic.
References
Arefin, M. S., Khan, J., & Roy, D. (2022). ADHD: MULTIMODAL INTERVENTION WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY. Journal Of Positive School Psychology, 4977-4983.
Kistler, R. (2022). Trouble Sitting Still Disorder: ADHD Through The Social Model Of Disability.
Von Kotzebue, L., Zumbach, J., & Brandlmayr, A. (2022). Digital Escape Rooms As Game-Based Learning Environments: A Study In Sex Education. Multimodal Technologies And Interaction, 6(2), 8.
Wallin, K., Wallin Lundell, I., Hanberger, L., Alehagen, S., & Hultsjö, S. (2022). A Qualitative Interview Study Showed Self-Experienced Sexual And Reproductive Health In Young Women With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. BMC Women's Health, 22(1), 1-11.