You have been working under pressure for weeks. The deadline is approaching and you are almost done.
Then something happens.
Instead of feeling proud or motivated by the fact that you are nearly there, you find yourself scrolling on your phone, browsing social media, or looking for something more engaging. For some people, this can develop into repetitive or compulsive behaviours, including pornography use.
Why can finishing the task be harder than starting it?
For some people with ADHD, completing a high-pressure task can unexpectedly become difficult when nearing the final stage.
The task may have provided a clear goal, urgency, focus and stimulation. As the task nears completion, however, some of that urgency and sense of reward can diminish. Your attention may then start looking for something new, interesting or immediately rewarding.
This is sometimes described as “needing dopamine.” While this is a simplified explanation of ADHD, differences in reward processing, motivation and attention can make activities that provide immediate stimulation particularly appealing.
There can also be an element of mental fatigue. After concentrating hard for a long time, you may simply want to switch off. Reaching for your phone, scrolling social media, gaming or watching pornography can provide an immediate change of focus and a quick sense of relief.
The difficulty is that a five-minute distraction can quickly turn into an hour or more. What began as a need for stimulation or a break can become procrastination or a repetitive behaviour that makes it even harder to finish the original task.
Before you reach for your phone, ask yourself this
When you notice this pattern, pause and ask:
“Am I genuinely finished with this task, or am I seeking stimulation because I am mentally tired?”
That brief pause can help you recognise what is happening before the behaviour takes over.
If you recognise this pattern, try making the final stage of a task more manageable and rewarding.
Break the remaining work into small, achievable steps. Set a clear finish line. Give yourself a planned reward when the task is complete but make the reward something that does not simply reinforce the behaviour you are trying to change.
You might also benefit from taking a deliberate, time-limited break before returning to the task, rather than automatically reaching for your phone or engaging in another highly stimulating activity.
The aim isn’t to remove your desire for stimulation.
It is to understand it and create enough structure to remain in control of where your attention goes.
For many adults with ADHD, recognising this pattern can be an important step towards developing more effective strategies for motivation, procrastination, emotional regulation and task completion.
When it may be time to seek support
If you repeatedly find yourself turning to pornography, social media or other behaviours despite wanting to stop, or if these behaviours are starting to affect your work, relationships or wellbeing, it may be worth exploring what is driving this pattern.
ADHD-informed psychotherapy can help you understand the relationship between attention, motivation, emotional regulation and rewarding behaviours, while developing practical strategies that align with the way your brain responds to tasks and stimulation.
If you would like to explore these patterns in a confidential setting, I offer adult psychotherapy on Harley Street in Central London and online, including support for ADHD-related difficulties, compulsive behaviours, anxiety, motivation and emotional regulation.
You do not have to wait until a behaviour becomes a serious problem to seek support. Understanding the pattern can be the first step towards changing it.
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📧 Email: saidatkhan@hotmail.com
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