Jul 12
At this point in the podcast I’ve covered just about every ADHD topic under the sun, but
one area I’ve always tiptoed around has been sexuality and ADHD; I’ve never been quite sure how to approach it, or whether my listeners even wanted to hear me talk about it for that matter!
Luckily, sex educator, journalist, author, and podcaster, August McLaughlin, isn’t afraid to run head-on into the scary and taboo. She offered to hold my hand this episode as we slowly wade into the tricky but wonderful world of sex and ADHD, from self-connection and masturbation, to rejection sensitivity and relationships, to even ‘girl boners’–yup, you read that right.
If you’ve ever wondered how ADHD impacts your own relationship with sexuality but have felt embarrassed or unsure of where to start, August’s brilliance, empathy, and passion for this work will give you the perfect jumping-off point and may even empower you to go on a self-discovery journey of your own.
APPLE
SPOTIFY
YOUTUBE
"I think the biggest thing that probably changed [after getting an ADHD diagnosis] was my sense of self. It’s like I’d been on this mystery search through so much of my life and it just gave me both this validation but also this ‘you can really be here’ feeling."
- August McLaughlin
"I really forced myself to try and just sit still, be good, and that’s when I started masking. I was really concealing my symptoms and it was very detrimental."
- August McLaughlin
"This is just a catastrophe that sex is so stigmatized and that we learn so many damaging things about sex and sexuality."
- August McLaughlin
- August discusses her ADHD diagnosis and how it relates to her life experiences.
- August discusses her experiences with ADHD and how it affected her childhood, including being hyperactive and creative, and struggling in school.
- August shares her experience with ADHD and how it impacted her life, relationships, and self-knowledge.
[21:53 - 39:03] Sexuality, Eating Disorders, and Personal Growth
- August discusses her journey with sexuality and masturbation, including the stigma she faced and the impact it had on her relationships.
- August shares her journey of self-discovery and passion for writing, from modeling to acting to nutrition and journalism.
- August highlights the diverse experiences of people with ADHD in regards to sex, including higher interest, distraction, shame, and sensory sensitivity.
- August discusses her experience with rejection sensitivity, a common issue for those with ADHD, and how it affects her relationships.
- August discusses the stigma surrounding small penises, citing that it's not okay to body shame anyone, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
- August emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, self-compassion, and community in living successfully with ADHD.
