Hello, welcome to Gaming ADHD. I have lived my entire life until six months ago with no idea that I had ADHD. I’ve decided to put this website (and an accompanying YouTube channel) together to share some of the techniques and strategies that have helped me get by and even excel in a few areas, as well as share new ideas I come across.
A little more about me…
In 2008, I visited a psychiatrist specifically because I suspected that I had “ADD.” My responsibilities at work were growing. As it was, paying attention during meetings for more than 20 seconds seemed impossible. And now I was being asked to hire and manage people as well as projects. It felt more like I was being asked to start reading in a completely new language.
In any case, this psychiatrist, somehow deemed that what I really had was anxiety/depression, so instead of being treated for ADHD, I was placed on anti-depressants and asked to see a therapist, which didn’t seem to help.
Fast forward to 2021. Suspecting that my son might have ADHD, I purchased a copy of Taking Charge of ADHD, by Russell A. Barkley. Once I realized there were other symptoms besides inattention and hyperactivity, I began to suspect I might have ADHD. So I purchased Barkley’s Taking Charge of Adult ADHD and read through it.
After reading the section on Atomoxetine I decided to get my hands on some and try it (since it’s not a stimulant). After a few days, I began to notice I was able to do things that normally seemed out of reach. Organizing my things in the morning seemed easier. I began making my coffee in the morning (I finally understood why it always seemed so complicated for me).
I would later notice other changes as well. For example, responding to complicated email chains no longer seemed so draining. Organizing large complex website migrations no longer felt like trying to do calculus. And when traveling, my hotel room no longer looked like someone had opened my suitcase and just threw the contents across the room.
Four months later, I was properly diagnosed.
So that’s my story. The goal of my content is to help others with ADHD find ways to use their ADHD to their advantage, and minimize if not outright sidestep its shortcomings. In other words, to game their ADHD.
