Can ADHD affect your sexual functioning? Study reveals shocking link

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects attention, focus and emotional regulation of a person. However, a recent study shows that it can also lead to issues with intimacy.

According to a recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, people with ADHD are more likely to have problems with sexual function – and distress about their sex lives.

While ADHD can hinder normal functioning in life, it was long suspected by researchers how it can affect sexual lives of the affected people. The recent study studied how people with ADHD experience problems with sexual functioning in a relationship when compared to people not suffering from ADHD.

Findings of the study

The study was conducted by collecting data from 943 adults living in Canada. The participants were asked questions based on attention-related symptoms, sexual function, and feelings of sexual distress. Of the total number of participants, 106 were diagnosed with ADHD symptoms.

After analysing the data derived from the participants, the researchers observed a direct link between ADHD symptoms and distress in sexual functioning. They noticed that more ADHD symptoms are directly associated with problems in sexual functioning.

ADHD and sexual functioning

The study observed that while ADHD did not interfere with the initial stages of sexual functioning such as sexual desire, arousal, or physical readiness for sex, it had a significant effect on orgasm ability and orgasm satisfaction. The researchers also observed that impact of ADHD on sexual functions was more prominent in younger people than the older generation, denoting that the intensity of the disorder decreases with age.

The researchers added in the paper, “Core difficulties related to ADHD, including inattention, distractibility, and emotion dysregulation, may make individuals more vulnerable to experiencing problems with sexual function and sexual distress, putting them at risk for developing sexual dysfunction. Taken together, these data support associations between ADHD and distressing sexual function problems, including possible mechanisms explaining these links such as difficulties with emotion regulation.”