ADHD and Porn Addiction: Thoughts from an ADHD Therapist in Utah
If you have ADHD and struggle with porn use, you may be wondering if there is a link between the two. There are many myths about ADHD, and it’s important to understand what’s true. People with an ADHD diagnosis struggle with hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattention, and difficulty in completing tasks. While ADHD can be managed with proper coping skills and oftentimes medication management, it’s also important to recognize the vulnerability you might have to develop an addiction. One such addiction that is becoming increasingly common among individuals with ADHD is porn addiction.
What is porn addiction?
Porn addiction is a compulsive behavior that involves consuming pornography to the point that it interferes with an individual's daily life. While porn addiction affects people of all ages and backgrounds, it can be particularly prevalent among those with ADHD due to the way their brains process rewards and stimuli. Having a porn addiction involves viewing pornography, downloading, or sharing pornographic content. People with a porn addiction may feel out of control around their pornography use.
What’s the connection between ADHD and porn addiction?
It’s important to note that we don’t have all of the answers and research to this question. There are theories about the connection between ADHD and porn addiction. To be clear from the beginning, having ADHD doesn’t automatically mean you will experience porn addiction. It could mean that you might be more vulnerable to porn addiction. Porn addiction and porn use are not the same things. People with ADHD might seek out stimulation through porn use as a way of unknowingly coping with ADHD symptoms. Porn use could provide pleasure and reward for boredom and impulsivity.
When it comes to ADHD, people who have it can have struggles with their executive functioning. Executive functioning is what allows us to plan, organize and complete tasks. It also impacts time management and the ability to control impulses. This can make people with ADHD more vulnerable to developing addiction and managing impulses to engage in addictive behavior. Porn use and ADHD can have an impact on your relationships.
Do people with ADHD tend to have addictions?
Not everyone with ADHD will have an addiction. People with ADHD might have a higher likelihood of developing addictive behaviors. Those with ADHD have been found to have higher rates of substance abuse, gambling, and gaming addiction, likely due to impulsivity and seeking immediate gratification and reward. There are many effective forms of treatment to help with addiction.
How do you treat ADHD and porn addiction?
Treating and managing ADHD along with porn addiction requires different approaches. Managing ADHD can involve using medication such as the use of stimulants to reduce symptoms of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. Some people don’t want to use medication, and that’s ok. Focusing on behaviors and effective coping mechanisms to manage ADHD symptoms can be effective.
When it comes to pornography addiction, it’s important to understand the triggers for porn use and the underlying needs that you are trying to have met through using pornography. EMDR therapy can be helpful in working through past experiences that may be contributing to porn addiction.
What is EMDR therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a type of therapy originally used for PTSD. It has since been used to treat a range of other mental health issues such as, past negative experiences, anxiety, depression, and addiction. During an EMDR therapy session, the therapist will guide the client through a series of eye movements, sounds, or taps while they recall traumatic or distressing experiences. The goal is to help the client reprocess the traumatic memories in a way that reduces the intensity of their emotions, negative beliefs they have about themselves, and body sensations.
EMDR therapy is based on the idea that traumatic experiences can become "stuck" in the brain's processing system, leading to ongoing distress and symptoms such as flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidance behaviors. By stimulating both sides of the brain while the client is recalling the traumatic memory, EMDR therapy helps process the memory in a healthy way.
Online ADHD Treatment in Utah can help
Being able to both manage ADHD and overcome pornography addiction, is not an easy thing to do alone. In fact, it would be incredibly difficult without having the effective tools to be able to deal with it. Online ADHD treatment can be a helpful and convenient option if you are struggling to manage your ADHD and believe it’s making your pornography use worse. Working with an ADHD therapist can be beneficial in helping you learn to cope and develop healthy coping skills and strategies to deal with this. Online ADHD treatment can also help you understand the underlying reasons that are driving you to use porn to have your needs met.
Online Therapy in Utah also means I work with clients all over the state of Utah. I work with clients in St. George, Cedar City, Logan, Salt Lake City, Provo, Heber City, and more.
Begin working with an ADHD therapist in Utah
You don’t have to keep struggling with your ADHD symptoms and porn use. You can feel more in control and find more freedom from pornography than ever before. This Utah Counseling Practice has an ADHD therapist providing online ADHD treatment in Utah. To begin counseling follow the steps below:
Meet with a therapist for ADHD
Start managing your symptoms better
Other mental health services provided by Marcus Hunt Therapy
ADHD treatment isn’t the only counseling service provided by this Utah Counseling Clinic. Other mental health services provided by Marcus Hunt Therapy include EMDR therapy, marriage counseling, premarital counseling, depression therapy, PTSD treatment, anxiety therapy, and more. Reach out to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see how I can help.
About the Author
Marcus Hunt is a marriage and family therapist at Marcus Hunt Therapy near Provo, Utah. Marcus has a bachelor's degree in behavioral science from Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He also has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Marcus loves providing therapy for men who struggle with ADHD. He has an understanding of ADHD through his college education, professional experience, and also having diagnosis of ADHD later in life. Marcus enjoys working with men that are ready to work hard and do whatever it takes to have a healthier and happier life.