The struggle of playing D&D with ADHD 

The video for DMs is here! 🎉 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zRw04TqbvEI.html

Loved the camera struggling to focus when you entered the Forest of Focus

Yes, a "DM tips for the ADHDMs among us" video would be awesome! I struggle playing a single character or tracking the story as a player but find DMing much easier in many ways. Tons of stuff to keep my mind stimulated plus having firm deadlines of game nights where my players are depending on me to be ready helps me stay on top of things.

As someone with ADHD who loves TTRPGS (not just DND), the venn diagram of the TTRPG and neurodivergent community is practically a circle

I really struggled to pay attention during one-on-one conversations between NPCS and other players. Then I accidentally became my game's stenographer. It helps me stay engaged, and as a bonus, we have a really good record of everything that's ever said!!

I appreciate you working in props throughout (lighting the lamp, unlocking the chest, writing the notes) so that it's not just a monologue. You definitely understand the audience for this video!

Loved this video! Definitely going to use some of these tips. Would love it if you did a video on ADHD tips for GMs - I really struggle with session prep

I’m a 31-year old grad student, husband, father, D&D player and DM. I only learned about 2 months ago that I have ADHD (also inattentive subtype). As I’ve been learning more about ADHD, it’s really been like I’ve found my tribe. I’ve lived my whole life thinking I’m incredibly lazy and forgetful… it brings up terrible imposter syndrome and depression. Ginny, I seriously appreciate the efforts you put into making this such an informative, engaging, and awareness-raising video. You’ve treated a highly misunderstood topic with such sensitivity, respect, and grace… and you still made it engaging for non-ADHD people, too. Thank you!

Not ADHD, but I have severe narcolepsy and I struggle so much with staying awake and alert during sessions. I have found that knitting or crocheting have really helped me!

I failed my focus roll in the Forest of Focus and had to restart the section. One of these days I'll try to actually get diagnosed but that day is not today, lol.

I heard my players of a one shot *specifically* talk about how they preferred spellcasting classes that had set spell lists.

you have -SUCH- a calm and reasonable way of telling us at the beginning "THIS VIDEO ISNT ME SAYING EVERYONES EXPERIENCE WILL BE LIKE THIS, PLEASE DONT @ ME" I felt it. lol.

Not ADHD but I am on the autism spectrum. One of my specific symptoms is that I have a difficult time tuning out background noise, which makes it harder to focus on the thing in front of me. My first campaign was in a noisy game store, so I just simply asked to sit closer to the DM so I can hear them more clearly. This made things go far smoother, and I spent a lot less time having to lean in and ask the DM to repeat themselves DMs: listen to your disabled players

I love using battery operated tea lights to track concentration. All the casters at our table do it now, so we can all see who is concentrating on a spell. I also really like making my fidget objects character relevant. A stuffed toy rat for the character with the urchin background, a string of wooden beads for the ranger, stuff like that.

Wow. I've absorbed enough random bits about filmmaking from friends and family that either majored in, or hyperfocused one summer, film... to see the multi-edit sequence talking while assembling a lamp as a heck of a flex, as I didn't spot any continuity errors.

Ginny you did a beautiful way of adding little movement/actions to give a dynamic feel to a video that easily could have been a simple “talking head” video. As a videographer I appreciate the effort in multiple sets and adding things in the foreground! Excellent job and effort!

I'm autistic (and might be ADHD) and TTRPGs are great for me because I can just say what my character is doing or feeling! 🥰 it bypasses SO many social barriers for me! To help me focus I like to take the group notes, doodle or draw the map and I like online audio-only games because they are less overwhelming without a camera! Thanks for the vid! 🙌‍

I’ve been DMing for over a year and I just got diagnosed with ADHD. I would LOVE another video for ADHD DMs.

Great video and this advice can be used by all players. I love the travelogue style.

I have been playing D&D for decades and been aware of my ADHD/i for 13 years, but I constantly forget that I need to be mindful of it when in situations where others are reliant on me paying attention. This video is a good reminder, and is getting me to think of how I should be changing how I interact with the game. Also, a video for DMing with ADHD is DESPERATELY needed.

I love all of this! I recently got diagnosed with ADHD and I've had a lot of trouble in the past with trying to play DnD. I'm realizing now that these two facts are related. I really resonate with your side note at the end that if you struggle with being a player at the table you might find it easier to be the DM. I definitely have way more fun and a much easier time focusing when I'm running the session from behind the DM screen. (Also, as a math-minded person I really love that I get to roll more dice and add more numbers.) A couple tricks I've heard elsewhere that I now implement in my own games are: 1) Using clothespins on a stick to keep track of initiative order - each clothespin is one character / NPC / group of NPCs acting on the same initiative, and when the turn is over that clothespin is moved to the bottom of the stack. You can write the character names directly on the pins or use tape if you want to reuse the clothespins later for different characters. This trick allows the entire table to see initiative order and keep track of when their turn is coming up soon. Plus, if a party likes to strategize out-of-character based on knowledge of initiative order (which some may call meta-gaming and others may call teamwork), this is really helpful for that as well. 2) At the beginning of each session, I always ask the players to do the recap from last session. It can be whoever wants to (so no pressure from being called on unexpectedly) and that way players can help each other remember the important pieces of the story. Optionally, they can do this in character, either as an actual scene happening in the game or just as a roleplaying warmup. Bonus: it's really helpful to me as the DM to hear the players summarize the campaign so far, because it tells me how they're perceiving the story and whether that's different than what I thought. For example, if the player summary focuses on one element of the story wayyy more than I expected while ignoring a different segment that I know is important for later events, that tells me that I should either find an in-game way to steer the players more in the direction of future clues/leads/NPCs/etc, or to refocus my own plans to better align with the players' aspirations. Or, if the players try to describe something that happened last session but get a bunch of details wrong or are unsure about them, I know that I should clarify what's going on (either in-game or out-of-game, as appropriate). These kinds of adjustments, by the way, are called universal accommodations or universal design, because they change the environment in a way that benefits everyone, not just the individual. (Side note to clarify that universal accommodations are something that should be used in combination with individual accommodations, not purely in place of them) They're super common in educational spaces like schools, childcare, after school programs, and summer camps. But they don't have to just be for those spaces! A classic example is something called the curb-cut effect: putting a slope in the curb was originally for wheelchair users to be able to properly access sidewalks, but it ended up being helpful for lots of other people, including parents with strollers and people on bikes. There are lots of possible accommodations that make everyone's lives easier!

I think there was an interesting subtext for pro-fidgeting/split attention. We started with the map, pulling it out looking at it, then lighting the lantern, blowing out candles, ordering from the bar, then writing notes. At no point was her character completely focused on the audience but the video was engaging and informative. It's showing the viewer: hey, you can be doing multiple things at a time and still be engaged

Most of this reinforced what I’ve already learned about myself over time but it was SO NICE to share this video with my wife/DM and our group so that they can understand what I’m up against. Sometimes I get up mid encounter when it’s not my turn and speed walk a quick lap around the house humming a tune to myself to get a ‘reset’ when I’m overstimulated and they think I’m insane 😅

I have ADHD, and I have found that I am able to maintain focus best when I DM. When I’m a player, I find my focus wandering to other things, but when I DM, there is just so much going on that I have to keep track of, that my focus is not able to go anywhere

I'm at my most focused/productive when surrounded by other ADHDers. I feel like it's in large part the relief of not having to explain every little quirk, but having teammates who exactly understand the struggle. If someone needs to take a hard shift in focus, the others are usually happy to go along. We feed one another's need for constant dopamine, and in turn, we have our own needs met, and we all have a better time overall!

Omg! I’ve never heard of another person fidgeting via taking waaaay too detailed notes - so good to know I’m not alone out here 😅

As someone who grew up "only needing to apply himself," thank you so much for this video.

Can we talk about how fucking genius it was to have so many different environments and activities you were doing that were also related to the points you were sharing? There's a lot going on and while I did have to rewind sometimes (like I do for every youtube video 😅) having a lot of related stimuli on screen kept my mind from wandering off too far. This video is so well and thoughtfully made, thank you for being awesome and making some of the best D&D content on youtube

Been playing since 78. My doc says I have “A D big H D”. Solution? Be the DM. As a player I struggle. Fidgeting? Constantly tapping foot? Guilty as charged. Being a DM is actually easier than being a player.

One time I started a new D&D game with a few friends, our DM created this entire universe by scratch with everything custom. Our very first interaction with a person, I forgot we were heading to who would be our main quest giver, got into a big shoot out with him because he gave me attitude, killed him, and completely changed the entire story. All because my ADHD ass forgot where we were going and who we were meeting there.

An elaborate session spreadsheet as a way to "gamify" taking notes is _brilliant._ I cannot undersell how valuable it is to have comprehensive notes or logs. Even as a GM, I often refer to the notes made by our resident note-taker. And if you further subdivide the spreadsheet into, like, magic items, treasury, faction notes and prominent NPCs, that sounds both fun to interact with _and_ a massive boon for the entire group.

I have ADHD and Dyscalculia (sort of like dyslexia but for numbers) so D&D can be rough. Thankfully when I got to play the rest of the table was helpful and understanding.

Two minutes in, and I LOVE the camera trick in the forest of focus! Genius 😎

Ginny! Thank you so much for this video, and continuing to draw awareness to the intersection of mental health + TTRPGs. The internet can be a weird, scary place full of trolls, but it also can be a gorgeous place to connect with fellow neurospicy types. If you're reading this and you haven't found your people yet: keep on shining that beacon of yours! Your ADHD community is out there!

I had trouble even reading the official sheets, and a flow chart of all my pc's moves and combos has been incredibly helpful! I use Cardboard Cleric's character sheet, and our group always reminds each other "don't forget you got bless", and have a dedicated bag with all my stuff in it. I have my tablet with the spells and class pages open on it, that stops me mentally wandering off.

I have been watching D&D videos for 4 or 5 years from many content creators. This video answered so many issues with my prep, and what goes on in my games. I posted it in my Discord for my games for my players to watch today. I can't wait to hear more comments from my players, and see how people can put your information to use. Thank you so much!

Thank you so much, for posting this. While watching this, I recognized so many behavioural patterns of my wife. After telling (and translating) the symptoms to her, she started googling and kept saying "Yes, that's exactly what I'm going through ... that as well ...and that ... everything fits !". She's been told for over 40 years by doctors, that she was "just a sleepy person" and kept relating to her memory, as being riddled with holes, like Swiss cheese (a German expression). Now we know, that it's just one of the symptoms. So, thank you, from the bottom of our collective hearts 🤗

Thank you Ginny for talking about being neurodivergent. My daughter and I are neurodivergent too (ASD and OCD respectively). Talking about it so important to understanding ourselves more, and to help others understand us too. You're one of my favourite TTRPG RU-vid creators.

Such a blessing as a DM that dnd is my hyperfocus, my record is an 11 hour session and i wasnt tired or distracted at all, i could have kept going

WITH EVERY D&DTUBE VIDEO ABOUT ADHD I GROW MORE POWERFUL! Ginny this is brilliant, thank you for sharing your experience and strategies. You being open about your ADHD in the last couple years has genuinely given me a lot of comfort. Shine on.

Ok but I love this! Thanks for justifying my dnd journal, extra notes and little props I make and bring! I've been struggling if they were "necessary" because the other players at my table don't need them but literally it's my ADHD tool to make playing easier and I've never looked at it that way until now! Edit to add that I have found some quiet background music actually helps me focus on the game better.

In my game, whoever does the best/most accurate recap of the last game receives a point of inspiration for that day's game. It's def an incentive for paying attention.

-"Hey, you're not allowed to..." -"Shush, Ginny Di gave me permission." Okay, that was taken out of context a bit but at least I remembered something of what I just watched. 😂 Great video, as always! ❤ And I just realised (a minute before you said it) that I (ADHD, mostly inattentive) indeed enjoy GMing a lot more than being a player because I'm always involved: as a player, if my character is not in the scene, I have nothing to do. As a GM, some NPC is almost always involved. And even if it's a PC-only scene, I still have to listen as I need to know what's going on. Strangely, "I have to pay attention when people are saying" works in those cases - I wish it would during business meetings, too... 😅

I love how you were constantly active and fidgeting *in this video!* It kept my eyes stimulated in a way that doesn't often happen for me when watching medium-to-long RU-vid content.

12:36 - I love note taking websites/apps that lets everyone share notes. I’m usually the main note taker of my groups, but it’s really helpful when someone else contributes to the notes. If my character is having a “spotlight moment” that is roleplay heavy, it becomes a lot more difficult for me to take notes. This video was very helpful, and I loved all the different sets you made! (And for all the people pleasers (me), thank you for saying that it is okay to ask for accommodation. ♡)

I have met many a players (myself included) that could and hopefully will benefit from your advice here. Thanks Ginny! Also looking forward to a potential video for GMs :)

6:15 I actually tried all of these methods and what ended up being the thing that worked best for me is a Google spreadsheet. The columns are: Name of ability or action or spell or whatever, Type (ability, spell, item, etc) and Where it Comes From (eg: Cleric, Grave or Mace of Terror), bonus/action/reaction, times per (short) rest, distance, damage, duration, saving throw, Notes (if it's a less common one I paste the entire rule as written here so I can read the ability out to the DM) Optional columns could include, limitations like disadvantage at certain distances, or RP notes. The benefits are huge. If you need an action or bonus action to fill out your turn, finding one that works is much easier. If you can only remember the name or the effect, finding it is much easier than skimming a book or character sheet. If you're very far, very close or some other specific situation it's much easier to find something that suits it. Plus, since it's hosted on Google, I'm never without it, since I can access it with my phone or ipad. No forgetting it on game day.

I LOVE all the specific little visual aids??? Thank you for expanding the accessibility vocabulary. This is so helpful and so needed. 🍃💚

Heeeeeey! I was thinking about the Azrai this whole video, I'm glad he actually got brought up. He's a cool dude.

I have ADD and I'm DM, sometimes it's hard and sometimes it's easy, the key is to love what you're doing.

Because I have two monitors and desk space I take a lot of notes. I write down every interaction by hand, I keep track of details with my second monitor. It's how I focus in class and it really helps with DnD. I've even added it into a character backstory to explain why she remembers everything for some reason. I also aimlessly roll a D20 but don't use the numbers for actual rolls. I write down all my spells and exactly what they do on a separate cheat sheet, similar things with combat. I also highlight things like initiative on my character sheet so I remember to add for it!

When you focused the camera when you mention the topic of focusing is *chef's kiss* cinema! Great work!

I love that you are helping rather than just embracing!

No lie, Ginny absentmindedly going on a little quest during this talk made my ADHD brain so happy. Like having music playing in the background while you work, but visual! My ADHD tends to hyperfixate on combat, but it's way too easy for me to get distracted during roleplay. It sucks when it feels like your brain is hardwired to zone out whenever you're not the focus.

I have SUCH a hard time imagining what is described to me, or remembering what was just said to the group when I am a player, but somehow, running the game as a DM I am able to both provide and receive information just fine. I love the idea of creating a combat / skills list for when I am a player. Information does get buried in dndbeyond as well as printed out character sheets. I have tried taking notes as a player to no avail but the way you described organizing and highlighting information received is exactly how my brain works. Maybe I can work my tablet/keyboard into the mix for better note taking and character/location/quest organization. As usual, great content Ginny! =)

As someone who is neuro-divergent I really appreciated the extra effort in the little things you put into this video to accomodate us to keep us engaged more. Thank you for that.

Love how much effort went into this video, the sets, the narrative, the props. Always a joy to watch the latest Ginny Di video.

This makes me feel so much better about my personal worries about my own gameplay behavior. Thank you for taking the time to put this all together, Ginny!

I have adhd, schizophrenia, autism and I struggle with d&d games with my brain being forgetful and and struggling to remember bits of information etc, and the other week tried explaining this in my server I was in and got told I was using my disabilities as a crutch and i was generating hate for people with disabilities by using it as an excuse, I was so mad about it, there are truely some ignorant people out there that will literally just try and twist and turn it against you when you try to explain what's wrong with your mind, it truly was sickening the way they said that. we had like 16 enemies on the field, one of the gm's as they rotate kept referring to every enemy as this one does this, that one does that, and I struggled to keep track of the creatures ability it possessed based on who it was, our monk went down, got him back up and I called a retreat because 95% of the enemy were up at the point he went down and our healer was around half health and we were keeping the most dangerous foe out the fight who could cone of cold twice and possible cause either a TKO depending on how dice roles went and luck of the dice and they managed to re-enter the fight so tried to save the party with a retreat call. I didn't know one of the enemies had sentinel and the bard couldn't retreat after I called to our bard to mantle people out as we were near the edge of the map which if our party members go into is classed as leaving the map and the combat, the monk left I followed him, got accused of abandoning the party and it's a town based setting and they were saying they were gonna execute my character I spent a year on getting to lvl 8 as we had a exp max per game system based on how parties performed on encounters. I explained I made a mistake and one of the players was roleplaying asking me how many spell slots the other players had, were they out of spells. As if I'm supposed to know 3 other lvl 9 characters sheets, 1 that is multiclassing as a wizard/cleric and we'd been in 2 fights before that one so they'd expect me to keep track over multiple fights of other characters sheets. Bare in mind I'd only ever played a druid and a wizard, it was my first D&D server and place I'd played D&D, my wizard only made it to lvl 3 before being killed by another player. Yet they want me to know, a lvl 9 bards, spells how many spell slots they have, what they've used at what spell lvl, a lvl 9 wizard and lvl 9 wizard/cleric which I don't even know how many levels they have in each type. Knowledge I couldn't possibly know OOC let alone in character and tried using that against me to execute my character for wreckless party endangerment. There's no way my brain could possibly keep track of 3 players character sheets and my own character sheet at the same time and it's absolutely rediculous that they expect me to when I've never even seen their character sheets. Ofcourse these players were veterans who'd played d&d for years upon years, some even decades. Expecting a player who's only ever played 2 classes to know all this information somehow.

I love the fact that you had a juxtaposition of the camera focus from the foreground to you when you intro'd the focus segment! Excellent use of subtle visual metaphor

On this episode we can see that Ginny can be a nerd about anything, not just D&D!

The fact that I had to stop and rewind, and stop and rewind, is proof that I really needed a video like this. (Thank you for it! 🔥❤️)

This is such a helpful video, and really helps me articulate things I have struggled with re: DnD/TTRPGs in the past. I look forward to the GM version!

This right here! That blend of tactile AND theater of the mind is so crucial for me playing D&D, so thank you for putting this out there!

I'm also inattentive adhd and I'm also autistic I like making earrings/jewellery a lot of my favourites are different shapes and colours of beads on safety pins so I can spin and fiddle with the beads and what's even better is that I can have different ones themed around different characters and it actually gets me more into the headspace of the character I don't tend to have quite as many issues with rules because D&D is my special interest so I often end up being the rules encyclopaedia of the group I'm also the dedicated notetaker despite having a learning disorder in written expression... Either way it feels great to be able to say "I know that!" "The NPC/Settlement's name is blah" "This is how that rule/spell works" honestly using the dndbeyond search tool to look up the spells, abilities and rules that other players are using helps keep me engaged in combat and helps means the DM doesn't have to check it themself (our primary DM also has ADHD so me having the spell and ability descriptions helps her out as well)

Great video idea! Would be awesome to see more videos like this about adhd and other difficulties

What a great switch of settings. Unique and amazing

This may be my favorite video of your yet.

Thank you for posting about this Ginny! Thank you for being brave and sharing with us your own struggles. It's never easy, and we really appreciate it, and you. Thank you! Great video!

Great video! I play in a few virtual games via Zoom and turning on captions has been so helpful for me. Being able to read some of what's said rather than just trying to process what I hear is much-needed. Like you said, fidget toys and note-taking have been super helpful too!

Very much appreciated that the environment is changing and little things are being done constantly, thus providing enough visual stimulation to keep but not take away focus, made watching this easier

I love this video. Thank you for making it!

the sheer irony of a 15 minute video on add and d&d having like 4 goddam ads interrupting it

I love how this video was set up and found a few tips that might be helpful for me, so thank you so much!!!!

Well done! Practical compassion for yourself and your group is a perfect topic for you to talk about and help us enjoy this great game even more.

The settings, the props, the alliterations, the playing with focus... This is cinema! It's not only about the message, but also how it's told. It's so inspiring to see how much care and effort you put into your videos. Thank you!

I've just been diagnosed for ADHD at age 50 and given medication. SO many years wasted! The medication made such a huge difference. I can now be still, in body and mind.

What a great video. I'm so glad I kept watching your videos.

Thanks so much for all the tips and encouragement that you shared, It's so good to know i'm not alone!

Great video idea. Thanks for this!

Well cited research and everything! Great video.

Wow! Just wow! The things you said resonated so much with me. I love that you spread awareness, while normalizing the different nuanced symptoms. We likely all have been through those frustrating conversations with people that have absolutely zero idea what they‘re talking about, telling us how to live our lives, like saying we shouldn‘t take medicine prescribed by a doctor (because it harms people when taken 5 times the amount???), while they go drinking every weekend. Or telling us to „just try harder“, when literally the part in our brain affecting our willpower is not working properly. Love the great knowledge that preaches acceptance of everyone, while giving tips to help them

This is so nicely designed. Nice idea!

Thank you so much for all these helpful ideas!! I've shared this with our group as I'm not the only who's struggled

Being able to knit/crochet (particularly repetitious items I don't need a pattern for) has been a game changer for helping me focus during our sessions. My brain wants to work on something physical while I wait for my turn, and I already listen to videos while I knit. Helps so much

Such a relatable, informing video. Good work!

Not only did this video help me understand both what I and my players need to make dnd more helpful but also the fact that this video is structured like a mini adventure itches the part of my childhood brain that loves pop-up books

The way you like described every aspect of my supposed adhd right at the beginning. The fact that others deal with only a few symptoms or have one primary focus and though I haven’t poked at it in a while, it feels like it’s just all of them, definitely giving me a moment to highlight my main struggles so it doesn’t seem like this big indomitable thing. Measurable goals, and manageable pieces.

Way to site your references! Double Thumbs Up! I love your videos; always inspiring

Awesome Video Ginny! Thank You

Thank you so much for doing this video Ginny!

Thank you Ginny!!! This video is very well done!❤ I always love watching your vids 😊

I love this video Ginny! I’m going to share this with my group ASAP! I got two people who will definitely feel heard after this video. Thanks for always covering these types of topics! Even though I’m not ADHD I feel like your advice is always universal to any person’s experience.

Yes, please make one for DMs! Everything you said in the last seconds was so true 😭

Thank you for this video!💙

Thanks for including citations!

I love your videos, I use them to help my players and games all the time. Good content makes for a good resource 😊

As a few others said, you did an excellent job at making this video interesting and engaging for ADHD people to actually hear out what you're saying. Often with a video like this I might start zoning out or something and miss part of it and have to go back a bit. But the way you kept doing little things while you talked caused us to wonder what you were going to do next, what was in the chest, or what you were going to write on the paper, etc. It was the perfect way to keep ADHD people engaged in an ADHD video. Fantastic job, keep up the awesome work Ginny!

This was so helpful -- thank you!

Oh my gosh! So much of this is gold! And a lot of this is stuff that I use already, and yes, it is a huge help! As a DM the difficult part is finding the time and focus outside of work and normal life to prep. I like to go all-out printing maps, putting my 3D printer to work making minis and tokens, getting spell and item cards ready to help my players (typically kids) with inventory management, pre-rolling stats and initiative for enemies... anything I can do ahead of time to make things easier and smoother for my players the better. Mostly because they are typically my kids and their friends, so there is always someone new to the game and learning both the game and RP side, so anything to help make that transition easier for them is the best. But if I can get past the prep hurtle, actually running the game as the DM is easy! It is so engaging, and I am typically having the most fun at the table, and letting my frenetic energy rub off on my players. Thinking on my feet in real-time is such a buzz! It is one of my favorite things to do, and I wish that I did it more than a handful of times a year! It is as a player that I find my ADHD causes the most struggles. And here are the tips that I use; 1) Find the right DM. The real job of a DM is personality management and playing matchmaker. The first couple DMs that I had were like me and were plenty competent at running the game and telling a story... but the lack of people skills always makes for more drama management than anyone really wants to deal with regularly for a hobby. My excuse is that most of my games are populated with pre-teens, so a certain amount of butting heads is expected... but as an adult player who only gets to play for a few hours every 3-5 weeks, a session dealing with drama is a huge letdown. When I found a DM that had people skills, it didn't make the conflict prone players go away, but the DM could navigate the situation where it wasn't a problem... or at least not a problem at the table. 2) Find the right group and game. My first long campaign that I stuck with was a ton of fun, and I laughed a lot... but I couldn't tell you what we did, or what the story was the next day. It was chaos management, and glorious in its own right, but it didn't scratch the itch that I had for RP or combat. Same DM, but for this campaign he pitched it as a 'railroad to hell'. He had some brutal combat ideas in mind, and a story that he wanted to write and get out of his system, so this was every bit as much for our DM as it was for the players being entertained. And he has delivered! No player deaths yet, but it is just a matter of time. And we don't have a lot of agency in the world, it is more us trying to navigate the politics of the situation. But oh man! Because we all signed up for it, we are all 100% on board and loving it! Point is, a railroad story is a turn-off to people playing D&D for the antics and shenanigans. Other times the chaos itself can be a turnoff. But know that about yourself and find the right group and story to play with that you can dig into and focus on. 3) Use busywork to your advantage. When I DM then I am the bottleneck. ADHD limits my ability to hold much in my head, so the more I can off-load to OneNote and Excel on my laptop to help me track things the better! I don't think I would be capable of being a DM using only pen and paper. But as a player, it is the opposite. Using my phone or laptop makes me 'too efficient' which then gives me down time in front of a screen, which is just begging for me to be distracted and derailed! So in my case, using pen and paper and books slows down my lookup time and writing so that I always have some background busy work to occupy part of my brain with. It leaves much less time of me sitting there doing nothing and letting my mind and fingers wander. The other issue with keeping notes electronically (especially on phone) is that it looks like you are texting or posting to social media even when you are on task, and that distracts others at the table. So keeping busy is important... but doing it in a way that doesn't derail the normies (or fellow ADHDers!) is equally as important. 4) Use your meds. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! And while I generally discourage axe murderers from playing in real life, it is often encouraged when playing D&D. But seriously, we take meds because we frankly aren't fully present and mentally available when we need to be. We take meds for work because there is that social and fiscal need to be competent human beings for 8-12 hours a day and can get things done. But for us focus is often a choice we make by taking our meds. What does it say to our spouse, or our kids, or our friends when we effectively choose to not be 'all there' for them? What does it say about our self-view if we are unwilling to spend some of our meds and focus on ourselves? That we aren't worth it? That we are only worth being fully present if we are paid to be? That we don't disserve to be fully present and ourselves when we want to do something we enjoy? This is a crisis and guilt trip that normal people don't realize many of us struggle with on a daily basis. And we are worth it, and those around us are worth it, so dedicate at least some of that focus time on yourself and those around you! The complication of course (especially with age) is that D&D is typically played in the evening... and ADHD meds in the evening don't typically align themselves with sleeping well at night. So taking a small dose of ADHD meds before a Friday night session means I'm not really going to get to sleep until 3AM even if the bulk of the meds have worn off around 10pm. That makes for a really lovely me on Saturday morning when stuff needs to get done. If it was weekly... I don't think I could do it. But because it only happens once a month or so, and my wife loves me, she is happy (or at least willing! lol) to let me sleep in on those Satrudays and takes on my normal responsibilities. So yes, I can choose to be present and aware in the evening... but not without needing to plan for the consequences the next day. When I was younger that wasn't such an issue... but at 40 I can't really absorb a night of 2-3 hours of sleep and have a normal day like I use to.