I've been thinking about making this topic for a while.
I'm a hobbyist writer and a roleplayer, who sadly has ADHD, but can not get much meds needed at the moment. I wonder if there are any other people with ADHD/focus issues who can share any tips on handling all of that and continuing on writing and roleplaying?
Nothing beats proper meds, but I'm not going to lie, many folks these days are forced to try random tips and techniques to keep on going until they can finally get the medical treatment.
It's very sad, but still better than giving up and doing nothing or doing everything on the last second.
So far, here is some stuff that helped either me or my friends. They don't work for everyone, but it's always worth trying, maybe it will turn out helpful to you.
I'm a hobbyist writer and a roleplayer, who sadly has ADHD, but can not get much meds needed at the moment. I wonder if there are any other people with ADHD/focus issues who can share any tips on handling all of that and continuing on writing and roleplaying?
Nothing beats proper meds, but I'm not going to lie, many folks these days are forced to try random tips and techniques to keep on going until they can finally get the medical treatment.
It's very sad, but still better than giving up and doing nothing or doing everything on the last second.So far, here is some stuff that helped either me or my friends. They don't work for everyone, but it's always worth trying, maybe it will turn out helpful to you.
- Pomodoro timers + lists: not helpful for my focus issues, BUT it's extremely helpful for my time blindness! It helps me avoid overworking myself, thus preventing burnout. Also, lists are very good for planning and not forgetting to do stuff. Eg. I use 2 pomo timers for one RP reply, and 2 for another one!
- Company: In my case, I often struggle with starting stuff until there is someone to help me start it, even gently "pushing" me into doing it.
- Guided focus meditation: I don't like this one personally... Focusing on the voice for 10+ minutes is annoying, but sometimes it helps with motivation and in the end makes me relaxed.
Even with my meds (I've tried 3 so far and not much has helped) I feel the struggle. Often with writing I find my hyperfocus to be the problem and not task paralysis. But for those days I don't take my meds or otherwise have trouble writing, sometimes I find the following helps:
Maybe these are all too obvious but if not I hope they can help someone else!
- Planning a bullet point skeleton of my posts with all the info I want to include.
- Setting timers on my watch to remember to take breaks.
- Good ear plugs to drown out distracting noise (I recommend the Loop brand.)
- A little coffee or tea doesn’t hurt for a natural stimulant boost ^^'
- Routines/rituals. I can’t stress enough that nothing helps keep me on task more than a predictable routine.
Maybe these are all too obvious but if not I hope they can help someone else!
I have ADHD (combined type), and dyslexia. I was diagnosed with ADHD a few years ago and dyslexia is even more fresh. Thankfully, I found the thing that works and I have spent a lot of time getting to know myself because of it. Meds are..a real issue right now for many people due to supply shortages and other factors.
I am sure that figuring out what works right now is even more complicated. When I was initially diagnosed, I tried a few different meds and it took a long time to determine what helped. Brains are complicated, you know? I went through a long period without meds recently myself, so I understand the struggle and the blah that can result from adjusting back to your "stock" brain. I know it's different for everyone, and what works for me may not work for you. We may not share the same difficulties, but I wanted to share my strategies anyway just in case.
Here's what helps me no matter what.
I am sure that figuring out what works right now is even more complicated. When I was initially diagnosed, I tried a few different meds and it took a long time to determine what helped. Brains are complicated, you know? I went through a long period without meds recently myself, so I understand the struggle and the blah that can result from adjusting back to your "stock" brain. I know it's different for everyone, and what works for me may not work for you. We may not share the same difficulties, but I wanted to share my strategies anyway just in case.
Here's what helps me no matter what.
- Each character has a playlist.
These are unique collections of songs that remind me of a character's vibe, life, mentality, etc. They put me into these characters' headspaces, like a theme song to a favorite show. None of the playlists have songs in common and rarely have artists in common. Building a list or adding to it while I prepare is pretty helpful with getting my brain on board. Otherwise, I prepare to write by listening for 15 minutes while I re-read the previous posts or find the space I left off at before. I listen the entire time, occasionally only able to listen between posts on bad days. I do have to pause the music while reading a post from a partner.
- Infodump and Hyperfocus harnessed for good
I love researching new things and drowning myself in "useless" information. I can lose embarrassing amounts of time to a good Google session, sometimes that lasts for days around a single subject. Hyperfocus is both a gift and a curse because often I have nowhere to use this knowledge. I love to talk about these things, though I tend to avoid it since my infodumps aren't always something that people enjoy getting tickets to. I've found that I can make use of, and find a painless way to share those little tomes of knowledge! Infusing them into a character makes writing them more rewarding for me somehow, and presents a character as more complex to a reader.
I jumpstart my focus and my attachment when creating characters or reignite my interest in existing characters by incorporating something I'm interested in learning more about into them or their life. If the character is already made, I'll pick something like their hobby, job, species, etc that I would like to know more about. That way, the research is something justifiable and useful. When I've enjoyed that focus for long enough, I now have this flow of inspiration for the character, and motivation to see this new concept applied in action so to speak. I hope that makes sense.
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