ADHD and Addiction

[Salah_09]

Hi All,

I am really convinced how ADHD and addiction are closely related and this is through my experience.

I've had this porn/masturbation addiction for over 13 years since I was a kid. Over the years I've tried so many strategies, online help-groups, online coaching program, accountability and the last two years also tried therapy. I think all of these have tremendously helped me abstain for long periods of time but I always still ended up relapsing eventually when I experienced very strong emotions or encountered stressful situations .

But ever since I started my medication it is so much easier to make a conscious choice which aligns with my values and what I personally want. I literally have not even thought about going back to it and it seems so effortless. I guess medication was just the missing piece to make things a bit easier along with the other coping strategies I've developed.

I feel there can be ways to make connection and I am no expert this is just through experience:

(1) ADHD medication helps us with emotional regulation. The more we can manage our emotions in healthy ways the less need there is to 'self-medicate' through various addictive behaviors.

(2) ADHD medication can help our brains calm down. Whereas normally we would have so many racing thoughts and our minds would be overwhelmed. As a way to release that tension and internal chaos, we end up gravitating towards something that can make us feel very good in the moment and distract ourselves. But with medication we are more 'put together' and have that sense of calm so there isn't a burning need to always self-sooth.

(3) Dopamine - once we have higher levels of dopamine, there is a bit of contentment and we don't always feel the need to 'do' something and engage in risky behavior. Lack of dopamine always puts us as risk because we are always 'seeking' something and that could be an addictive behavior.

(4) Self-esteem - with medication we can build our self-confidence through accomplishing tasks and living true to our values and ultimately changing our opinion of ourselves. This is a slow process but ultimately we will develop better self-esteem. This helps us avoid self-medicating as we aren't as broken, unhappy etc.

[Krisans]

I think that you have made great cause and effect connections. My husband is the ADHD'er in my life and we have noticed the same connections. He is not an addict of anything but learning the connection has saved our marriage!

[empleat]

Try ADHD + OCPD + OCD could not travel even 15 minutes due to chronic pain and spine issues... I Am not even ashamed about it anymore to say this: I masturbated like even 8-12 hours, i have RSI and this completely fucked up nerves in my whole body... I have social phobia, i couldn't even walk on street and look at people it was super uncomfortable, still struggle with it sometimes, super uncomfortable at crowded places, or when there are too many sensory stimuli. I had panic attacks in store etc. or even outside, one time i started choking for like couple sec. What helped me just go to companions (i don't like to call them whores)... But i can't even enjoy sex, i can't feel anything, not because masturbating years only (that too from large part), but i suffer from anhedonia. LMAO I had like insane social phobia and i went straight up to companions, didn't give shit... Because i actually never had social phobia in the first place, or ever cared what other ppl think. If you are gifted it is just so oppressive and ppl use shame and guilty to trying keep higher man down, that gets me most. We get personality as reflection of other ppl, if everyone always hating on you and say to you worst things and bully you your whole life, it is hard to have confidence and self-esteem. Social pressures are so strong e.g. conformity, it got me too once/twice when i was kid TBH... It is like i needed to be with 40+ ppl when i was 14 and everyone always called me immature, but older ppl that i am too mature on my age, it is like torture hell...... And i still did it couple times since, but i got 95-97% better and don't do it that long... I had chronic pain i couldn't do anything whole day, even to enjoy sex, because i had back pain - so i could not enjoy it... And i couldn't do anything 8 years except watch a wall: i am more bored than prisoners in isolation, even they have books and things they are looking forward in life etc. or at least faith, something-anything... And now i found i don't even enjoy sex even if 1. i didn't masturbate 2. and i didn't have anhedonia... I don't like even how it tastes that much LMAO, while i had sex years ago, i expected more - pussy doesn't even taste that good LMAO... Yeah that's it period for me life is total joke... It is shit, sex isn't even that good honestly... I know i am sharing a lot of personal details, but i don't care, i am laughing at life, what a joke... It is like so shit, same even normal ppl they get bored of sex quickly and yeah, even young ppl are bored of life, everything gets boring for me after 3 times. I call it three rule, i can do anything, it is first fun, but after 3 times i do anything it gets very underwhelming boring even... Same i don't like this nonsense paying for sex, it would be only fun for me, if i could have fun trying and getting a queen, but i can't do that. Even if i fixed my life i will be probably like 40 before i would get job and my place etc. yeah, so it is nothing for me... have chronic pain since i am like 17-20 so, my whole life is over before it even begun, didn't get even chance really... Thats what got me most ,i tried so much and improved my life so much only to realize, it is everything up to chance, same no one did anything yet ever... You can think i am crazy/whatever, but i really don't care, i suffered 20/10 pain my whole life... And i actually helped myself alone, no person/doctor ever did shit for me... Just posted this to let anyone know, how fucking bad this is... I know i am extreme case even on ADHD, i had more pain than 100 000 ppl will have to go in all their lives and more shit to deal with than anyone...

PS: david goggins can't hurt me...