ADHD Experts Podcast 583- Behavioral Addictions and ADHD: Breaking the Cycle of Gambling, Sex, Gaming & More
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Nov 11, 2025 Todd Love, Psy.D., JD, a therapist and researcher specializing in ADHD and behavioral addictions, dives deep into how ADHD can heighten the risk of addictions like gambling, gaming, and pornography. He discusses the neurobiology behind these behaviors, revealing how reward systems in the brain are manipulated, similar to substance use disorders. Todd also shares practical strategies for recovery, emphasizing the importance of environment modification and peer support, while addressing the impact of screen time on impulsivity and attention.
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Reward–Control Imbalance Explains ADHD Cravings
- ADHD involves an underactive prefrontal 'brake' and an overactive limbic 'gas' in reward circuits.
- Too much limbic drive and too little cortical control explains novelty seeking and impulse problems.
Addiction Is One Brain Disorder
- Addiction is one brain disorder across substances and behaviors according to ASAM.
- This reframing validates behavioral addictions as true addictions of reward and motivation circuits.
Anticipation, Not Pleasure, Fuels Compulsion
- Addiction is driven more by anticipation than by the peak pleasure itself.
- Variable, unpredictable rewards (anticipation) spike dopamine and reinforce compulsive loops.
