Is Hypersexuality A Symptom Of ADHD Or Even Schizophrenia?

Hypersexuality represents one’s uncontrollable or repetitive sexual desires that interfere with daily activities, job, and relationships. It can affect anyone irrespective of age, but it is more common in men than women. It exhibits symptoms such as masturbation, sexual fantasies, cybersex, pornography, extramarital sex, or multiple sexual partners. ADHD is a mental disorder that causes hyperactivity, impulsive behaviors, and a deficit of one’s ability to pay attention to. It can affect one’s sexual drive.

Schizophrenia is also a mental disorder marked by delusions, hallucinations, false perception, and lack of concentration. Hypersexuality may be one of its symptoms of schizophrenia.

Hypersexuality or Compulsive sexual behavior is characterized by the inability of an individual to control sexual desires. In this disorder, the person persistently dwells on sexual fantasies, urges, and sexual activities. It may develop in any person even if he or she does not have sexual orientations irrespective of the gender. It is marked by one’s excessive preoccupation with sexual urges or behaviors or fantasies out of his control. It causes distress and inversely affects one’s health, career, relationships, or other aspects of life.⁽⁵⁾

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental condition in which the affected person represents many symptoms, such as hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, and difficulty paying attention. It negatively affects one’s adult life. The affected person may develop poor self-image and problems concentrating on relationships and jobs.⁽¹⁾

Its effects on sexuality can be hard to measure as the representation of sexual symptoms is different in different individuals. Few sexual symptoms may result in sexual dysfunction, thereby rendering significant stress in a relationship.⁽¹⁾

Usually, ADHD exhibit symptoms such as depression, instability of emotions, and anxiety. All of these conditions can reversely affect sex drive. In some cases, it can leave an exhausting impact on the affected person to continually maintain order and organization. Thus, they lose the energy or interest in sexual activities.⁽¹⁾

Two sexual symptoms are reported in ADHD i.e., hypersexuality and hyposexuality. If a person with ADHD experiences sexual symptoms, they may fall into one of these two categories. However, sexual manifestations are not recognized as a part of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, according to the American Psychiatric Association.⁽¹⁾

Hypersexuality can be a symptom of ADHD. ADHD originates from an under-developed frontal lobe resulting in a lack of dopamine in the brain. The people with ADHD who have been not treated will cope with the condition through dopamine seeking behaviors. It involves eating pleasurable or emotional foods, engaging in stimulating social activities, thrill-seeking, drug abuse, and sex. So, hypersexuality can be a symptom of ADHD.⁽²⁾

Schizophrenia is a mental illness marked by delusions, hallucinations, false perceptions, and other cognitive difficulties; schizophrenia is can often be a lifelong struggle. It usually appears in late adolescence age or early adulthood.⁽³⁾

It represented by mania or hypomania in some cases. Mania or hypomania could also be called “erotomania.” It is a characteristic feature of bipolar disorder but could also affect people with schizophrenia as an episode. The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are usually exhibit reduced sex drive. In maniac condition, it may represent hypersexuality or Compulsive sexual behavior as a symptom. People with dementia which may resemble schizophrenia could also have episodes of erotomania, paranoid delusions, etc.⁽⁴⁾

Hypersexuality or compulsive Sexual disorder is marked by the failure of one’s ability to control intense or repetitive sexual desires or impulses. Compulsive sexual behavior can be a symptom of ADHD and schizophrenia. Usually, these disorders reduce one’s sex urge. But Compulsive sexual behavior may be used as a coping method to deal with symptoms of ADHD. In maniac episodes of schizophrenia, Compulsive sexual behavior can be a symptom.

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Also Read:

• What Is The Prognosis And Life Expectancy For Hypersexuality?
• How Long Will It Take To Recover From Hypersexuality & How Long Does The Symptoms Last?
• Does Vyvanse Cause Hypersexuality?
• What Is The Best Treatment For Hypersexuality?
• What Leads To Hypersexuality & Can It Be Cured?