The connection between being a gamer and having ADHD

[Arcoss]

So I've been reading the "Your five flaws" thread on the Escapist http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.402462-Your-five-flaws

And I noticed that the majority of the problems listed there are either symptoms of ADHD, problems related to ADHD or side effects of ADHD
As a gamer and ADHD myself I can tell that video games are one of the few things that I can focus on for long periods of time

It does make sense as the problem of ADHD people is that their mind works better when focusing on multiple things at once and in a video game there are always several things you should be aware of( For example in Skyrim you need constantly look at your health bar, mana bar, stamina, your compass and what's happening on the screen at the same time)
Also here's the wikipeduia entry for ADHDhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder

[Walsingham]

Query as a psychologist: do real world pursuits not have more issues to track?

[rjshae]

OP: are you trying to make a generalization about gamers? I'm a gamer and I don't have ADHD. But I do match several of those qualities merely because I'm introverted by nature.

[LadyCrimson]

I can believe that many gamers who play a lot of hours per day/week may share some personality traits/quirks, since sometimes hobbies can attract similar personalities, but I don't think I'd conclude that must mean the group as a whole has some kind of shared medical condition.

[Arcoss]

To clarify: I am not saying that all gamers are ADHD, what I am asking is whether or not ADHD people are more atracted to gaming than non ADHD people

[Orogun01]

So...your average gamer =

[Calax]

I'd say that games are more attractive to people with ADHD. And the socially awkward (provides a good "shield" if you screw up socially).

 

Also, I'd suggest that not everyone who has those symptoms has ADHD. I mean that's probably the most over diagnosed mental disorder in america (with most kids between 12-18 being diagnosed at some point).

Edited March 10, 2013 by Calax

[Gorgon]

Do you mean screw up socially in games. Does anyone really care about that ?. If you mean IRL, I don't see how gaming could help protect you against the vageries of reality. Other than not having to deal with it for a while.

[Orogun01]

I'd say that games are more attractive to people with ADHD. And the socially awkward (provides a good "shield" if you screw up socially).

 

Also, I'd suggest that not everyone who has those symptoms has ADHD. I mean that's probably the most over diagnosed mental disorder in america (with most kids between 12-18 being diagnosed at some point).

I noticed that you failed to address the actual issue.

If we assume that a margin for error has been left to account for the variables that you mention, do you or do you not believe that games cause ADHD?

 

[Gorth]

 

I'd say that games are more attractive to people with ADHD. And the socially awkward (provides a good "shield" if you screw up socially).

 

Also, I'd suggest that not everyone who has those symptoms has ADHD. I mean that's probably the most over diagnosed mental disorder in america (with most kids between 12-18 being diagnosed at some point).

I noticed that you failed to address the actual issue.

If we assume that a margin for error has been left to account for the variables that you mention, do you or do you not believe that games cause ADHD?

 

 

What was the actual issue?

[Calax]

Do you mean screw up socially in games. Does anyone really care about that ?. If you mean IRL, I don't see how gaming could help protect you against the vageries of reality. Other than not having to deal with it for a while.

Eh, yeah. Games in general and online gaming in particular gives that level of anonymity that allows people to come out of their shells more. You wouldn't see a 12 year old go on a racist rant about arabic nationals who may or may not be in bed with his opponents mother (who is now black) face to face. By the same token, text can be a lot easier to communicate through because people don't like to just talk right over each others lines, and text organizes it.

 

As to ADD being caused by games? Hell if I know, they're asking if there's any form of connection, which I say there probably is. But I also say that not everyone diagnosed with ADD has legit ADD. I'm pretty sure I'm ADD because I'm the guy who has to get smacked because I enter a 1000 yard stare at the drop of a hat.

[kirottu]

So I've been reading the "Your five flaws" thread on the Escapist http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.402462-Your-five-flaws[/size]

 

And I noticed that the majority of the problems listed there are either symptoms of ADHD, problems related to ADHD or side effects of ADHD[/size]

As a gamer and ADHD myself I can tell that video games are one of the few things that I can focus on for long periods of time[/size]

 

It does make sense as the problem of ADHD people is that their mind works better when focusing on multiple things at once and in a video game there are always several things you should be aware of( For example in Skyrim you need constantly look at your health bar, mana bar, stamina, your compass and what's happening on the screen at the same time)[/size]

Also here's the wikipeduia entry for ADHDhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder[/size]

tl;dr

[Hiro Protagonist]

I don't see the connection.

 

Next we'll see connections with people with ADHD and comic books, people with ADHD and computers, people with ADHD and the group Anonymous, people with ADHD and...., etc

[JFSOCC]

ADD is genetic (and the same disorder as ADHD, the H is the symptom of Hyperactivity, which not everyone shares)

it's also dominant. so you'll be seeing it more and more.

 

it's also a recent diagnosis (20 years ago it used to be called minor brain damage disorder. bah)

Which means a lot of people previously undiagnosed are suddenly all finding out about it. which leads to a lot of disbelief in society "suddenly everyone has it" and also quite a bit of misdiagnoses (it takes place in a brain region whcih has a lot of overlap with other disorders in the same region: the frontal lobe. I'd been misdiagnosed with borderline before the correct diagnosis of ADHD came about)

Finally, there's a who lot of misinformation and common misconceptions about ADHD.

(one I find the most damaging is the notion that it's just a label for busy and loud children. it's not. it's a real condition)

Edited March 10, 2013 by JFSOCC

[Orogun01]

 

 

I'd say that games are more attractive to people with ADHD. And the socially awkward (provides a good "shield" if you screw up socially).

 

Also, I'd suggest that not everyone who has those symptoms has ADHD. I mean that's probably the most over diagnosed mental disorder in america (with most kids between 12-18 being diagnosed at some point).

I noticed that you failed to address the actual issue.

If we assume that a margin for error has been left to account for the variables that you mention, do you or do you not believe that games cause ADHD?

 

 

What was the actual issue?

Whether games cause ADHD or not.

[Gorth]

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd say that games are more attractive to people with ADHD. And the socially awkward (provides a good "shield" if you screw up socially).

 

Also, I'd suggest that not everyone who has those symptoms has ADHD. I mean that's probably the most over diagnosed mental disorder in america (with most kids between 12-18 being diagnosed at some point).

I noticed that you failed to address the actual issue.

If we assume that a margin for error has been left to account for the variables that you mention, do you or do you not believe that games cause ADHD?

 

 

 

What was the actual issue?

 

 

Whether games cause ADHD or not.

 

 

We need a sarcasm tag

 

I wonder if people will realise some day that video games does not "cause" anything other than bad health and a lack of social skills. Possibly, it exposes latent traits, but I seriously doubt it's the root cause. Dumb people will act dumb when playing, people with violent dispositions will still act violently etc. Now, if we were to talk about the genocide and mass starvation of brain cells stemming from social media on the other hand?

[Calax]

ADD is genetic (and the same disorder as ADHD, the H is the symptom of Hyperactivity, which not everyone shares)

it's also dominant. so you'll be seeing it more and more.

 

it's also a recent diagnosis (20 years ago it used to be called minor brain damage disorder. bah)

Which means a lot of people previously undiagnosed are suddenly all finding out about it. which leads to a lot of disbelief in society "suddenly everyone has it" and also quite a bit of misdiagnoses (it takes place in a brain region whcih has a lot of overlap with other disorders in the same region: the frontal lobe. I'd been misdiagnosed with borderline before the correct diagnosis of ADHD came about)

Finally, there's a who lot of misinformation and common misconceptions about ADHD.

(one I find the most damaging is the notion that it's just a label for busy and loud children. it's not. it's a real condition)

To be fair, a LOT of children show the symptoms of having ADD, but when they finish maturing it goes away. If you're an adult, legitamate ADD is far worse than the stuff in your youth.

[Orogun01]

So the problem isn't child with ADD but immature adults?

[Calax]

The adults still have ADD, it's just that many of the teens who get diagnosed with ADD won't have it in 4-6 years time. Basically they just "grow out of it".

[Orogun01]

The adults still have ADD, it's just that many of the teens who get diagnosed with ADD won't have it in 4-6 years time. Basically they just "grow out of it".

So, everyone should just the man the **** up?

 

[Rosbjerg]

To me this ADD/ADHD "epidemic" is a clear symptom of a societal problem, not an individual one - now of course there are some cases where medicine and treatment is justified. But we have designed our schools and our way of work according to an industrial model, not a human one. If we actually took time to address the fact that obviously not everyone enjoys sitting still for 50+ minutes and obviously most people get distracted when they are bored out of their minds.. Then maybe we could design a system that took us into account rather than us having to adjust to the system.

[Hurlshort]

I think I already mentioned this in a similar thread, but I have had a few students who diagnosed with ADHD.  One of them is on this gluten free diet and it does amazing things for his attention span.  He still needs to move around a lot in class, but it just goes to show how many other factors can be in play here.  

[JFSOCC]

The adults still have ADD, it's just that many of the teens who get diagnosed with ADD won't have it in 4-6 years time. Basically they just "grow out of it".

then it was never there in the first place.

[JFSOCC]

To me this ADD/ADHD "epidemic" is a clear symptom of a societal problem, not an individual one - now of course there are some cases where medicine and treatment is justified. But we have designed our schools and our way of work according to an industrial model, not a human one. If we actually took time to address the fact that obviously not everyone enjoys sitting still for 50+ minutes and obviously most people get distracted when they are bored out of their minds.. Then maybe we could design a system that took us into account rather than us having to adjust to the system.

there's a lot more to it. there's a whole giant bunch of symptoms, and you need most of them before you get the diagnosis. (at least if it is done right)

[Calax]

 

The adults still have ADD, it's just that many of the teens who get diagnosed with ADD won't have it in 4-6 years time. Basically they just "grow out of it".

So, everyone should just the man the **** up?

 

 

Quit being an ass. And quit trying to put words in my mouth.

 

The adults still have ADD, it's just that many of the teens who get diagnosed with ADD won't have it in 4-6 years time. Basically they just "grow out of it".

then it was never there in the first place.

Exactly. Thats why I'm saying it's over diagnosed. Ultimately i'd say that ADD can't really be diagnosed until the person is an adult, as the "ADD" that's pervasive in High Schools isn't really ADD, at least not most of it. There are legit cases, but mostly it's just them getting used to their new identity and psychology.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Calax