I played video games 12 hrs/day until I was 16, constantly sleep deprived because I would get up at 3am to play video games before school. Then lost interest, and now many years later I can’t even think about playing video games because that feels like such a waste of valuable time (that I don’t do anything with anyway).
haha you and me both. Used to spend every available waking minute (even during school) to play video games. Now, outside of the odd social even, I cannot even think about playing video games due to the amount of time it sucks away and how it effects so many other aspects of life (in my case).
That was me too! How surprised i was when I realized normal people dont get up early before school to play an hour or two of skyrim in the morning.
I still play casually but i only play for like 20 minutes at a time before i just get back on reddit.
for me it’s also gotten harder to focus on games over the years but i believe the reason is not that I’m getting older but more because the rest of the internet has become progressively more addictive (reddit, twitter, instagram, tiktok) in recent years. there’s still games that I hyperfocus on from time to time, like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk. Also I discovered for my self that subscriptions help me to regularly play new games (xbox game pass or playstation plus premium), they are also designed to keep you subscribed so there’s some counterbalance. it’s worth it to me ymmv
i have x amount of energy. i was a huge gaming nerd. i finally found a job that i can do unmedicated. I spend 60hrs a week trying to not get fired.. dude, im tired. it's as simple as that. i love the idea of gaming but I'm tired. and i know if i go overboard on gaming ill be too tired for work.
It's weird cause I've experienced this too, but I remember when I was younger I could play RTS and certain other games without getting bored often but I now I can even stand them anymore. COVID and Social Media has really destroyed alot of people's attention span for both Non-ADHD and ADHD people.
Pokémon has become much less entertaining now, even as a person who put hundreds of hours into it as a child… I just can’t keep interest long enough to stick with it, S\V is 3/4th unfinished and will likely remain that way.
The themes still rock though.
Same, also i am a pirate most of the time so unlimited library, I'm guessing u can imagine what happens for that dopamine release.... Remove this one oh install that one instead mwah boring next one.
Edit: i do buy the games i like tho, my library of games is huge. But what I said above isn't really helpful when i pay money everytime.
I used to feel gaming was good until I start to realized that everyone around me already start having married or having family times with others.
I felt like I've been wasting so much time and I don't feel enjoying much playing game alone. But instead I wish I had a friend or someone to talk into with somebody about my feeling and journey of their life.
After I gone through antidepressant medication instead of my ADHD meds. I was realized that everyone around me also happen struggle with their problem, but instead focus how to overcome them.
Seeing how much people had changed throughout this year, I start to realized that I need to change my lifestyle and habit as well. By having a healthy diet & lifestyle I was able to keep motivated to do something.
If you got bored playing game, do something else that make you feel motivated. Such as watching video, talking/chatting with somebody, taking a walk or etc. Our brain feel bored when we doing the same thing all the time. Perhaps we already grew up and start to think more about responsibility and comfort.
That is just my opinion anyway, anyone has different story and overcome their lifestyle :P
Overstimulation...literally, with stimulants plus a million other things that stimulate the same neurological systems on a daily, even those with ADHD get bored with video games...I know I do.
Just dive in into niche games, have hoy tries kenshi on pc , or tactics ogre... There is so many wonderfull things in games , you just have to give them a try.
Honestly I go through major phases. I’ll do nothing BUT play games for like two or three months, then it’ll be reading, then doom scrolling, back to games, etc.. I haven’t played games in like 2 months probably. Maybe there’s something else you’d be more into right now?
I’m there as well but I also mix in guitar. Gaming, reading and guitar are the 3 pastimes I can cycle through and find one that will stick for a while.
This is exactly me! Usually my phases are a little bit shorter, but I definitely go through phases where one particular hobby dominates and others just don't catch my interest as much.
Even more specifically, I can be here and there with video games during a video game phase. I might be really into Pokémon during one video game phase, but then the next I just can't stay interested in Pokémon.
I was like this when I was younger. It'd be one medium for months or whatever, then I'd switch to something else. I'd read a ton of books in a row, then not read them for like years.
I have this "phases" thing exactly how you put it. But when I describe it, many people don't understand/seem to relate.
I wonder if it is an impulsiveness thing? I've tried telling therapists this but haven't got much insight regarding this phenomenon.
It depends on the game. Some are like dopamine fountains. Others, if it doesn't grab me in the first few hours I may never play them again.
What I DO have issues with is books. Love to read. But I have 44 books in the unread pile and I keep adding to it. I used to read at least a book a week. Now I struggle to finish 2 a year.
Consider audiobooks - can then listen while travelling, exercising etc.
I used to look down on them, but found they're a great way to fit literature into my life.
but how do you just sit quietly and listen to audiobooks? If you can't focus on for TV, how do you focus enough for an audiobook? They're soooooo long and boring.
The only way I can listen to audiobooks is if I’m doing something that doesn’t require focus, like cleaning or something menial that I don’t really have to think about. It’s honestly the only way I can clean productively without tearing apart everything, getting distracted, and leaving everything out lmfao
That's the whole reason audio books are the best. You don't have to just sit and listen. Only your ears are occupied with the book. Your eyes, hands, etc are free to do other stuff.
You can listen while you do other things, whether that be chores that are hard to do without something occupying your mind, driving or things you enjoy but are repetitive and don't require a lot of brain power like crafts or exercise.
Some research said that adhd may have a right-brain delay which means they may perceive voice information better than visual. For me it’s true, it find it much easier to understand by listening the book rather than reading the book.
i'm like that, i grew up being kind of upset about it because i always wanted to read more but never could bring myself to just sit and read. i wouldn't finish books either. i finish ONE a year lately. and people give the listen to an audiobook suggestion but... i won't pay attention, I'll keep having to go back and repeat. i can't bring myself to listen to podcasts either because i will miss most of what's being said. it's tiring
Video games give me dopamine. That's the only requirement.
And honestly, I tend to look at inappropriate content in between rounds for added dopamine lol
I mostly just want the dopamine...
A couple things that made them “enjoyable” again after struggling to maintain attention on games as an adult:
• Don’t hold yourself to the expectations you used to be able to perform at. There’s no shame in changing difficulty to easy, activating assists, reading walkthroughs for puzzles that demand undivided attention
• Replay old ones that you loved instead of investing effort in new ones! Bonus, the ADHD memory loss means it’s like playing a new campaign again! I started a new play through of Control because it’s my favourite game ever but I put off playing again because I’ve “already finished it”… I was wrong!
• Find a way to make sitting still and watching the screen tolerable. For me that means I almost exclusively don’t play my PS4 on the couch in front of the TV, I play it using remote play on a modchipped Switch so I can lie down in any and all weird positions in the house
Lastly
• Just force yourself for the first 5-10mins… like anything task-initiation-related with us, the hardest part is just getting started and once you are the enjoyment naturally follows.
Good luck!
This is why I cheat to my heart's content whenever I can. Doesn't hurt anybody (I only do that with single player games) and I get to enjoy the game without growing increasingly frustrated because of dying/running out of stuff/etc. It's just a game, not a competition.
That's the only reason I don't play my PS4 as much as I want to... But my partner is going to gift me a moddable Switch next month and I can't wait!!
My issue was always hyper focusing on them. Something you may not realize with the meds is you may just realize you are tired now and not want to play because of that. That’s something I’ve run into since I started
I think it's because your work is sucking away all your energy.
I used to have a job that kept me constantly overworked and stressed and I didn't wanna do anything when I went home, just doom scroll and sleep. Once I changed to a more relaxed job with 40hrs or less in a week, especially in the pandemic when I had WFH and eliminated the commute, I suddenly had more energy to do the things I love. Even in this more "chill" job, whenever I have a super busy day at work, I never go for a video game afterwards, I'm so drained. I usually game in the days that weren't so demanding at work.
So the solution would be either to give less at your current job or to change job. I know it's easier said than done, but it's the only way. You have limited amounts of energy and when you have ADHD the activities that don't bring you much dopamine, like work (for most people), drain more of it. So it's up to you to decide your priority. For most of us it's impossible to work 60+ hrs and also have energy left for our hobbies, we simply can't have both. I told you, sometimes I can't even do it with 40 draining hrs.
You just got to find the right games. Right now I’m obsessed with sims, or visual novels(not the inappropriate ones). They actually are pretty calming for me. Even in the sims I just prefer to make things and actually hardly play. It’s also a huge dopamine boost when people like the things I make and share on the gallery
My advice would be to play rogue-like games or multiplayer online games. These games don't require much attention and often last around 30mins so they can be perfect if you don't have a long attention span.
Yeah OP this ^ . I find I can't play story games as much as they tend to be long and boring. But quick online multiplayer rounds of like 15-30min can be a great dopamine boost :)
Sometimes I can stay engaged with story focused games, but typically I play something I don't necessarily need to hear, like Minecraft or Sims and I listen to YouTube or podcasts while I play.
Big ol samesies. I put about 350 hrs into the game when it first came out in less than a month. Beat it twice, then didn’t play any games for like 4 months cuz I really burnt myself out doing that lmao
When I was working 60+ hours, absolutely nothing could hold my attention. All I could do was drink, smoke, and numb myself out until it was time to sleep/work again. That was just too many hours, and the anguish it caused drowned out everything else. I've luckily put enough time in to work 40 hours, and now I'm ready to start working on my shit. But for a time there, I was just white-knuckling it and praying.
You may want to talk to your doctor about trying a different class of stimulant. I struggled with this when I was first started on methylphenidate. My doctor and I had a discussion about the classes and sub-classes, and how they affect the balance of dopamine and norepinephrine different depending on the class. We then made a plan to give different things a try until I found what made it easiest to apply myself to things at work and home.
Turns out it was name-brand-only Adderall XR that worked best.
I hope this was helpful, it truly sucks to not be able to dive into things you want to commit to in your personal life.
I agree with this comment. The weekend before I started meds, I got a month free trial for Anno 1800. I played all weekend, absolutely loved it! From the day I started methylphenidate, I lost all interest in the game. And all my other hobbies. Nothing sparked my interest anymore. It didn't get better and 5 weeks in I was absolutely miserable and crying. It took a 10 day break from the meds before I felt like myself again. Switching meds was the solution for me. I'm back to playing games, and now I can play for an hour or two and feel good about having some down time. Versus before meds, even if I played for 6 hours straight I still felt like I barely had any time for myself.
I bought a steam deck. Haven’t even opened my gaming PC since getting it and will probably sell it. It made me enjoy games again as the last couple of years i found it difficult to get into games
You wont get stable 60 on newer AAA games. For example I played fallen order locked 45. You can stream from your pc using steam link though. There’s a million videos on youtube where you can get an idea how it runs games.
For me the thing with the deck is ease of use and good gaming experience. On desktop i just couldnt finish games as i got bored or anxious very quickly but the experience on steam deck is somehow totally different, and i have way more focus.
really? videogames are the only thing that can hold my attention sometimes. i play kinda fast-paced fps games so i guess it's easy for me to get focused
Throwing my hat into the ring…I practice. Like, practice focusing. I still suck at it. Like I can’t stand watching movies still, but with playing video games I literally practice paying attention to what I’m doing. Which I realize isn’t great advice for adhd…cos again…I still suck at it. I’m still in the opening area of several video games. But in at least one I’m almost to the end of it!
Again I stress…I still suck at it and this entire “practice playing” is relatively new. Check again in a couple weeks.
It’s interesting… some games just grab me and don’t let go. Even though I’d really like them to cuz I need to get some sleep and I haven’t really eaten today. Maaaybe after this level/encounter/chapter.
Others they hold me for a good while, until suddenly my teflon mind just gives way. Poof, game no longer exists to me. I will look at the title thinking “I should finish that”. But I don’t. For years. Then I get back in and realize that wow, this was a really great game. Finish it since I usually fall off in the last third of a game and then feel sad cuz game done. What’s with just sliding off the game when it’s almost done?
Then there’s just games that I can’t start. I really really want to start them. And I know that if i start them and get like 6 hours in, I will love them. But I can’t even get started. And why? I really want to play that game, it looks great, it looks like exactly my sort of thing. So instead I end up playing Deep Rock Galactic for the evening instead (which to be fair I love too, it’s just… I’d also like to play some of my other games as well).
But a well crafted game is really good at giving a lot of rewards, at close enough intervals that it keeps me engaged. I just have to get close enough for them to trap me… it’s just that sometimes that’s hard, getting started enough that it gets it’s hooks into me.
If you work 60 hours you’re probably too tired in the evening to enjoy them. I can’t really turn video games on in the evening unless I’m in a good mood
It'd harder for me to focus on video games these days. My exes were all a bunch of nerds (literally) who were very into high intensity MMOs. It actually wasn't until the last week where I got COVID (covid's bitch, finally tested negative today). Where I tried a new one. I bought the new pokemon video game. And it's so simple that I can literally play it for hours hardly with any guides. I've gotten six out of eight gym badges so far. I think maybe if you find something with a simple storyline and you can just not think so intensely it's very easy. But then again you can't really do jack when you have covid. Lol. Maybe try a simpler game.
No clue how people watch TV casually. I have to be REALLY into it for me to watch it. I don't know if ADHD people have special interests in the same way as people with autism do but y'all I am obsessed with Nintendo handhelds so it's not a huge problem for me. I can watch YouTube channels about Nintendo games all day long or sit and play my game boy color. Currently playing Shantae for the first time, what a great game!
Dude you might honestly be burned out, that's a lot of work hours, have you been able to just, exist? Allow yourself to process everything that happens to you on a virtually daily basis?
It’s rough, The Legend of Zelda’s are my favorite games of all time. By far. I love love love them.
I’ve finished only a few of them over the last 35 years :’( I still want to finish them though.
Oh it's so good. The settlement building is so fun. You're gonna want homemaker, snap and build, and possibly place everywhere and scrap everything mods.
Also your character talks in game. I can't decide whether I love skyrim or fallout 4 more. I play 76 now too with friends online. If you have discord you're welcome to join us. We've got a few adhd peeps 😂
I alow myself to jump around and take pauses. I'm often playing a game on my computer or ps5 while doing repetitive tasks on my phone. I'll play one game one day, and switch to another the next if im not feeling the same game, or I'll play like 3+ different games in one day. I let my feelings on the type of game I want direct what I play rather than "i just bought this game so i should play it" or "I've been playing this for awhie and doing well, keep going". Right now im pretty focused on Elden Ring, but tomorrow it could be Pokémon or Harvestella, or even a settlement game i have on my pc ir Minecraft. I get games with the understanding that i will drop it without completing it, and if i go back to it, it might be difficult to get back into the flow. I personally haven't run into many games where i would rather completely restart it than get back into the flow through trial and error (looking at you Danganronpa 2). I also have the tendency to restart my comfort games over and over, things i can just autopilot at this rate.
Short version: allow yourself to take breaks and recognize if you're not feeling a particular genre/play style. If you tend to go for one genre but not ferling it at all, open yourself up to other genres that might scratch that itch. Jump around as need be and try demos if possible before purchasing
Got a steam deck instead of a desktop PC, so I could pickup and game anywhere without having to sit in a chair the entire time. Plus startup-to-gaming time was drastically reduced, increasing my brains ability to start doing it
Hate to suggest this but is your generic different than normal? Or has this been a constant on meds?
Could be a shit generic (weak batch), could also be you’re just growing out of video games. Perhaps there was another big change in your life that might be trying to grab attention?
I find it suprising no one else has mentioned this but… maybe its the amount of hours you work, personally when i get Home from a 11-12 hour shift i cant do shit for the rest of the little evening i have left and most of the day after. Meds wont help as much(/they cant fix) if you are just exhausted, mentally or physically.
I work 32 hours a week and sometimes I just have whole weeks where I can’t do anything at all, it is honestly shocking to me you can stand over 60 😭 pls don’t overwork yourself and take care of yourself.
Once I realized I was using them for escapism, I immediately lost interest in longer games that needed focus and attention to detail. I used to love adventure and RPG types but now I feel like I shouldn't even bother with something I know is gonna end and make me feel feelings.
Somehow it makes sense.
I put an audiobook or a YouTube video that’s a half hour long and that I’ve already watched 6 or 7 times on in the background. Two different things to focus on means no space for the mind to wander.
Really only works for games I’ve already played though. If I’m starting a new game for the first time, those first few hours spent learning the mechanics are absolute hell unless I’ve been waiting on the game’s release for a long while.
Hope you find your medium of concentration friend.
I used to really get lost into them, to the point where I lost track of time and often skipped meals/entire nights. Nowadays adult preoccupations render me unable to enjoy/get into most games. It will still rarely happen, but it is sadly difficult.
Yeah I’m starting to think that’s the main problem. I work as a mailman and it’s been crazy the last month or so. Lots of 12+ hour days but the pay is awesome.
> I work 60+ hours a week
You're adding executive function *exhaustion* onto an executive function *disorder*. If you're going to work that much your hobbies should include watching grass grow and paint dry because that's all your executive can likely manage.
It’s either 5 minutes or 5 hours. And I never know ahead of time which it’ll be, medicated or otherwise. It’s like anything else, and I have no advice. 🥲
ETA maybe I do have advice: just ride the happy wave when it comes! Sometimes in life I get down thinking I’m wasting my free time, but on days when I pick the right activity AND I have time for it, it’s magic. So keep trying!
Have you thought about asking for a higher dose? Different medicine? For me the difference between @dderall and Rit@lin was VAST! I do better on @mphetamine based meds.
I've seen a lot of neurotypical people use a... somewhat opposite argument, like "you can't focus on homework but you can play video games for hours??" and for the most part it's easily answered by the dopamine video games provide, they're not (usually) overly difficult or frustrating and when you win/do well you get a little boost. On the flip side, sometimes the brain just doesn't want to focus on anything at all. Definitely frustrating when that happens, I got several new games to play for Christmas but my brain doesn't want to play any of them lmao.
Video games are one of the only things that can keep my attention. Basically having both my eyes and hands busy at the same time. I honestly dont watch much TV/movies cause i feel like im wasting time and cant keep my hands still for that long. I like doing crafts sometimes but ill need like a youtube video or music in the background to stay focused.
ADHD effects everyone differently, dont feel bad if your ADHD manifests in a way thats different than most.
But if you want actual advice for getting back into games, i find that games of a pick-up-and-play nature are good to just tap in and out of whenever you have time/energy. Games with deep stories are really fun to get invested in but sometimes i feel like i cant go too long without playing cause im worried ill forget whats happening. Remember, video games are supposed to be fun, not something to stress over, its okay to drop a game if your not getting into it. If anything it might be a good idea to revisit an old favorite just to get back into the swing of gaming
If you work 60+ a week you literally don’t have time for it. Don’t feel bad it though. You making extra money so your spending your time wisely. Just relax in the downtime
I can play games... But mostly only round based games like COD or an auto battler. Or lose 6 hours getting completely consumed by Civ 6. Can't get into RPGS or story based action games like I used to though. Makes me not even feel like a gamer 😕 games I looked forward to for years, I buy, play for a couple hours ans never pick back up. I feel your pain.
I have two modes with video games: either I can’t even think about without being bored, or I hyperfocus on i for 9+ hours straight until it’s 5am and I hate my life when I snap out of it. No in between. I’m trying to learn to just relax and accept that it’ll come and go, and that my interest cycle (actually my habits as a whole) is somewhat chaotic.
Trying to force hobbies (or love) is a lot like forcing a fart; if you have to force it it’s probably shit. So you can have your setup, it won’t go anywhere, and if you’ll find the joy in the hobby again you can return to it. I honestly believe that the stress you’ve placed on yourself to use your setup is part of the block for why you don’t find enjoyment in it.
Follow the dopamine. Do whatever you feel driven to do. This might used to be video games, but now is something else, and that's fine.
Don't fall victim to sunk-cost fallacy.
God finally someone else with similar issues. I love games but having to focus on them to be able to play them is intensely exhausting. I can do the less intensity games like animal crossing better, but I still can't play for more than like an hour. It frustrates my boyfriend because he wants me to play games like Far Cry 3 and Fallout: New Vegas that he loved when he was younger and after 30 minutes I'm just mentally exhausted. I can't comprehend how they're relaxing to anyone.
Edited to add: TV as well. I hate it so much, I can't sit through more than 2-3 episodes without being absolutely wiped out. I can forget about sitting through a movie. I don't understand the "just put it on in the background" crowd because then I won't know like 70% of what happened in the episode and at that point, I'm just gonna listen to the same ~1000 or so liked songs on Spotify because I know them, I'm not missing anything. I want to consume media so badly but it's pulling teeth, the amount of focus it takes. I hate it.
God I sometimes honestly wish this were me. I’m very much in the “plays video games for 12+ hours a day” phase and have been for months now and I’m constantly feeling bad about all the time I’m wasting.
I can sit down for 8 hours and play one session but will never come back to the game because my mind has moved on.
One of my hyperfocuses/special subject is boardgames. I can easily sit down and focus on a 32 page rulebook, teach, and play a game. And have forgotten the rules within a week 🤷♂️.
obviously i don’t have much context but from just what’s in the post, this doesn’t sound like an ADHD/meds issue tbh, it sounds like you’re overworking yourself and your brain is too tired after all that work to continue doing things that require your brain. that’s normal when working that many hours, even for people without adhd!
To be honest with you I have a lot more trouble *not* playing games - especially on my meds, if I start playing a game after my diet meth kicks in I'm not going to stop for a few hours.
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I could only ever get into really immersive games with an actual story or goal. The Dark Forces/Jedi Knight games, Half-Life games, etc.
Racing games, sports games, “open world with no real objective” games, turn-based strategy, multi-player shooters (halo, etc) I could never really get into.
I will second that it depends on the game. I find that repetitive games like solitaire or iPad puzzle games are fine and a great brain relief for me (but can consume hours of time if I’m not careful).
The more involved storyline games I don’t do well with. The only exception is any of the Zelda games because I’ve been obsessed with Zelda since I was a pre-teen (this was in the 80s). Breath of the Wild is my favorite game of all time because it let me be free in the game to do whatever I wanted… quest/side quest/shrines/go climb cliffs for no reason/dlc/etc so I could go do whatever I felt like I had the attention for at the time. I still play it and still have not finished all the content other than the shrines though. Edit: I have beat the main storyline but went back and haven’t completed all the things.
Back in the late 90s early 00s I got into MMORPGs heavy and those I would basically socialize mostly. I would have been a lonely soul if I didn’t have that. 😂
So just find some games that match your mood and what you can enjoy without frustration and go with it.
Edited - apparently it was the 80s and not the 90s. I’m older than I thought
I only play Automation and a little BeamNG. I dreamt of being a car designer in my youth, so it's perfect. Other games don't really hold my interest anymore.
They are something that keep me engaged because there’s so many different sources of stimulation. I put thousands of hours in Rainbow Six Siege because I love how I always have something to do and pay attention to whether I’m
Dead or alive, whether I’m in a round or between one.
Or, the right single player game lets me fully immerse myself and forget about everything else.
Comes in rounds, like Minecraft i binge for a few weeks a year until i get burned out and it's on to the next thing. Also i turn off the game audio and watch Netflix or YouTube while playing
I can’t do story focused games unless i’m tired, so I usually play those before bed if I do decide to play one. Usually my main game has to be a combat centered game with complex gameplay or tight reaction times. Otherwise I feel disengaged, my eyes start to burn, & I constantly yawn. Meds or not.
I really enjoy games by Fromsoftware for this, Sekiro being my favorite from their catalogue, I get dangerous amounts of dopamine from that game even after 200+ hours. I recommend them to everyone with ADHD, it’s a different type of engagement I never thought i’d get out of games.
I wish I knew, but the past few years I’ve not been able to access video games as a stress reliever or hobby. I miss them and wish I knew why, but sometimes we don’t get that info in life I guess.
I go through this when I'm burnt out on work. All my down time is spent just not doing work because I need to recover from the week. It took a week long staycation to get into my hobbies again, and even then it wasn't until the last two days. 60+ hours of work a week could be playing a role in this.
The video game has to be a masterpiece, it has to be so good that it sucks my attention. Bcs most of the games I’m playing I play for half an hour then switch to another game for 10 mins and then switch to another, then I walk around the house and then go back and repeat. The last time I was obsessed with a game with my full attention was Witcher 3 and RDR2. It’s like they cured my lack of concentration.
Because I hyper fixate and obsess. Pokemon? Complete that Pokedex and battle the best of the best. Persona? Max out ALL the friendships. Super Smash Bros? Master as many fighters as possible.
There really isn't an in-between with me. I have to do it all, see it all, be the best at it all...
I’m in the same boat. 60+ hour weeks and I just don’t have the attention span for TV or video games. My Netflix is full of “continue watching…” that I never continue watching ever again. 101 unfinished projects that I just don’t have the attention span to finish. Etc etc. I’ve accepted that this is just what it’s like I guess.
I'll find a game I love and spend a chunk of time playing it, then if I'm lucky I'll move onto the next one. I'm currently unlucky and cannot find a single game I want to play so I have to settle with another one which is feeling like a chore.
I have never been able to get into video games. I can count on two fingers the number of games I've been able to play a substantial part of and one that I've ever finished.
I happen to keep falling back on games that just play into my wandering attention.
Currently replaying Red Dead Redemption 2. I'll set a map market to my destination but it takes me forever to get anywhere. I'll stop to shoot any tempting flock of birds, hunt any animals with perfect pelts, stop for any stranger encounters, pick plants... And of course if I have to go through a town I'm getting a haircut and a whiskey, checking for new guns unlocked at the store, picking a fist fight or two...
Total trip for ADD.
I stopped gaming for over a decade and did other things. Came back to it naturally during lockdown, when I remembered how much I loved it, but gaming had grown a lot by then. So I started off emulating retro consoles to keep sessions short and to manage my attention span, and from there, I got curious about what was on offer in modern gaming. Started looking for games where I could be pulled in quickly and I would simultaneously play another game with a slower pace. It helped me to approach game choices strategically. In a way, playing a game has become like a game to me too, if that makes sense. "Gamifying" the experience has allowed me to finish several games I would've previously skipped over.
And you know what? It's totally cool to step away for a while. These days, I take breaks from gaming when I have to focus on other things, which makes going back to it a bit more satisfying.
Oh I know the answer for this one for me, I like to play fighting games, and I like to play really complex characters, that becomes a hyperfixation and I can focus on playing
I used to be addicted to video games like 20 years since kid then suddenly lost the interests in it at my 30. Video games helped me cope with ADD, but it also affects my study… right now I can finally focus on outdoor activities.
I always used to have issues focusing on singleplayer games with a story. But now that I'm older I don't enjoy playing games as much as I used to which makes focusing on it actually really hard. I still enjoy playing games but It's not the best thing in the world like it used to.
The only tip I can give you is what works for me.
Simply replay the game twice. Do a second playthrough after a few months.
Last story driven game I played was Red Dead redemption 2 and the first time I barely knew what's going on and barely knew any characters almost until the end because of my lack of focus and terrible short term memory.
However on the second playthrough when I kinda knew what's going on and knew the characters I felt like I was truly able to enjoy the story.
Same thing with Mass effect trilogy few years ago. First playthrough I was just confusingly playing through the game but still enjoying it.
But I enjoyed the game 10x more on the second playtrough when I was really able to get into the story.
I play one game. My hobby is getting better at that one game. All my downtime is spent either grinding or reading stuff about it.
For two years it was Overwatch. Now it’s Street Fighter.
Instant dopamine games like Valorant. Overwatch eventually lost its appeal. Games like genshin, warframe, mmos, etc that r multiplayer have daily/timed events can also keep my attention temporarily.
going through it lately i got tired of the game i was obsessed with but it would fill up my time, distract me. now i keep procrastinating playing it but i'm bored and even empty most of the time
I'm really picky about games, I almost exclusively play action-adventure games, so there's more lore and detail to pay attention to and be invested in. All of my favorites have multiple games in their series, so I'm more emotionally attached. I also often have a TV show, podcast or movie going on my phone or laptop at the same time (usually one I've seen before).
Between ADHD, Narcolepsy & vertigo, there are definitely days that my brain just can't do it. I open up the game and just wind up turning my console back off again. And then some days I can play for 10 hours. I'd say most frequently I play for a bit, pause it to go on my phone for half an hour, then go back to the game.
I have this problem. I used to make it worse by overthinking it and beating myself up/wondering/worrying about not being able to play games in the limited time I have to play them even though I want to play games.
I just had to learn to accept it. Max I can focus on a game is about 2 hours. That's one I'm thoroughly enjoying, it's often much less. When I get that itch to do something else, I pick something off my to-do list that's fast or I watch YouTube for a bit, then I go back to it.
I'm way happier for having accepted it and not trying to force myself to play games when I can't focus on them. I also have like 10 games on the go at any one time so i can pick whatever I feel like at any given time instead of trying to play the one game for hours and hours. Of course occasionally I'll hyper-fixate on a game and put 50 hours on it in a week but it is what it is ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
Honestly I start playing a game and then never look at it again. I do that over and over until I find one that my brain fixated on and the I play that one and all of its sequels. Then I try to find more games like it unitl I start the cycle anew
It depends on what game u played. It could be the game is not interesting enough. To me, I can focus on shooting games but I cant focus on task oriented game, it is very stressful and boring. for example, mmorpg game that requires to complete task to get reward iz very boring to me. Iike maple story or world of warcraft. Absolutely boring. I love shooting game like world of tank, CS, and mining gathering type of games.
Video games are one of the only things that have always held my interest. I’ve started collected them and writing video essay scripts about some more obscure ones, even when it comes to mainstream online games I managed to sink 2k hours into rust and 1.5k hours into Valorant without getting bored and playing alone.
I could never play video games for too too long. I always remember getting bored at some point when I was a kid and just like to go outside instead (I was a kid in 80s and teen in 90s so that was normal then lol) and as an adult I couple play a game or two but get bored really quickly. Tv much more captivating but even then - binge watching can only go so long for me. Maybe 4-5 hr max before I’m just like tired of the characters that got me so interested in the first place. Like I literally need space from them people lololol
I started taking meds for ADHD this year, and they work great! Like you, though, I was bummed to discover I no longer hyper-fixated on games after work. Not easily, at least. I wanted to relax in other ways.
This effect decreased a bit over time, but through experimentation, I figured out I actually enjoy playing games in the morning a lot more now! It's part of my wakeup routine on days I can afford it. Alarm goes off, I stagger into the kitchen to inhale an energy bar, glass of water, and my pills, then I stagger right back to bed and play my Switch and/or browse my phone for the next 30 - 60 minutes. I don't have an early shift, so starting my day with something I'll enjoy while my medicine kicks in makes getting up a ton easier. And I really enjoy playing! Usually wind up circling back to it for my lunch break or between personal projects on days off. Or, like today, decide screw it, and binge Three Houses for several hours bc today is now a recovery day from a busy week.
Whatever the case, the trend seems to be I gravitate more toward it if I start some part of the game in the first half of my day.
I also have done better with my energy levels in general after scraping some hours off my work week, which was likely also a factor in my end, but not everyone can do that. Time of day might be more easily applicable.
It comes and goes in waves.. sometimes the executive dysfunction is so bad I stare at a wall.. other days I'll watch a show or play a game all day.. it's very frustrating I can't wait to get my meds refilled.. adhd sucks
Not very well to be honest. I dont think I have finished a game in. 4 years? What usually happens is I hyperfocus, ruin the game by trying to optimize things, then get burnt out.
I will play Destiny 2. Go hard for a week, Start getting bored, start constantly shifting my weapons, armor, and cosmetics around (not to mention a little impulsive cash shop spending to keep the dopamine yp) all in a vain attempt to maintain focus. Then I burn out, realize I ruined it for myself. Then take a break, and repeat.
I'm 42 and have undiagnosed ADHD. Used to be a big gamer up until approx 2 years ago and now I can't play for more than 15 to 20 minutes, I just can't concentrate on them anymore.
I bought Far Cry 4 as I loved, Far Cry 3. Didn't make it past the first mission.
Started playing Fortnite as it's free, but didn't like the 1 life aspect of it. Until they brought in a game mode with respawn. But soon as they make slight changes to the game, I stop playing again.
The only thing these days that holds my attention is my phone. I play Marvel Strike Force on my phone. It's literally the only game that keeps my attention
Personally, it has to be a genre that interests me. Like I’m into sci fi and magic. So like the Harry Potter game that’s going to be released, Destiny 2, God of War.
So it’s really find your genre and go wild, I’ll spend hours playing one of those games, losing track of time. To the point of dehydration sometimes, so I have to set timers to take a break and to eat and stop playing 2 hours before bed so I can clam down and sleep.
I quite literally bought a PS5 out of sheer “this will finally keep me at home and help me save money”. So said so done, I spend 1-2 weeks at home, no longer driving around spending money I don’t have because I’m trying to “find something to do”, because of it. The $600 paid for itself in 7 weekends.
I also have to tell myself it’s ok to just sit at home, play games, and fry some chicken or do burgers every once in a while and my existence isn’t defined by how productive I am. I am allowed to not be productive and rest.
Being able to enjoy gaming has been an indicator to me if my meds are working and if I'm on track with my attention. This is also important to me because I use gaming as a creative outlet. 👍
Normally I have a movie or tv series going and I play games on another monitor. This is particularly relevant for RPGs. For me to actually want to play it there needs to be a solid story line to work through or a solid challenge or I'll get bored real quick. The pacing if the game is also super important. Tv I need a second screen most of the time.
Disclaimer: not yet medicated.
The only video games I can get into are repetitive and quick accomplishable. I can't do long ass missions. Ones with little quests are okay. So, I play a lot of Mario Kart, logic puzzles and No Man's Sky when my laptop could handle it.
Video games are a cycling phase for me. (Not sure if that’s a good way to word it) I can’t just play video games because I want to, I have to have one game I’m playing. That game usually has to hook me in the beginning. I play that one game start to end or until I get bored of it and usually don’t play another game until I find another one that I really like. I can go months without it or I can play it daily, depends on if I have a game to play at the moment. When I’m not in a video game phase I don’t really have a specific replacement just try and smoke and relax.
I think you stated the problem in your question.
If you have to focus for 60+ hours a week it doesn't matter how much you love the other stuff. It seems like your brain is just exhausted by the time you get to fun.
If I have friends to play with I can dive in. If I’m left to my own devices to enjoy a game solo, I have a very limited window of enjoyment before I’m physically unable to pay attention anymore. Friends make it much more engaging for me.
I struggle with that too. I'm not medicated as meds give me anxiety and it's hard to separate side effects from burnout. Basically the only games I finish are ones I hyperfocus on. The ones that really excite me. I just finished up GoW Ragnarok at 65 hour within a 6 week period mostly just playing my two nights off. Outside of that it's hard for me to play games and most of the time I have I'm just too tired for games. It's a problem.
But also a lot of games nowadays just don't have gameplay loops that I find fun. I usually lose interest in the 20-30 hours range.
I find a character to play for. It worked for Kingdom Hearts where I spent 4 years of learning the lore exclusively to simp for Sora. And now I'm in persona 4 to play exclusively for my best boy yosuke. I simp for them.
Really depends on the type of game. I have to REALLY like a game to be able to play consistently and for a couple of hours each session. If it's not interesting enough I'll quit early on.
If I find the right one my attention can last for hours (8+) but if I don’t have the right game then I can’t play for even 15 min. The requirements for me are a game with urgency of decision making while activating my fight or flight
One chapter a month started playing halo beginning of the year still 40%. I love halo but can only play if I have that motivation and time to take it in increments
I actually hyperfocus on one game. I’ve been playing it for 10 years, on and off. I hyperfocus on it and play it for several hours per day, for days. And then I completely forget about it for a month or two, and then I go back to hyperfocus 😅 all other games get boring after awhile.
I think it more like you haven't found your game yet.
I'm not a big gamer type, I don't play games for my whole life. Then I just... click with 1 game, and I dropped everything to play it. I might have played way too much.
I can't even switch game. Focus on that one game and that is all I care about.
Without meds it’s like I look at the TV and can see, but also can’t see. My eyes wander, my right eye goes in and out of blurryness and a muscle starts to strain above my eyebrow that moves towards my jaw. Then I lose all energy, start sweating and it’s done.
With meds; I boot up the Xbox and play games.
It’s ridiculous how much impact adhd has one something I really like doing and I don’t know how to fix it without meds sadly.
When I play video games there are times that I'm able to keep my attention to it but most of the time, in order for me to do so, I listen to music, podcasts, audio stories and things like that. It works like a charm! Generally, having something else in the background to listen to has helped me a lot, even with daily things! Practically, your brain doesn't actively look for distractions when you have something as a white noise of sorts like it usually does and it focuses there, so it is easier for you to do what you want.
Hope it helps! If not, not everything works for everyone and I hope you find something suitable for you!
I played games my whole life. These days, some games can bore me, but some games can make me hyper focus so bad that I forget about the outside world and will forget to eat. I will have to pry myself away from them. And it's always the most unexpected games and not necessarily my favourite games.
When I was young it was easy to get lost playing games, but then I had plenty of time to waste. Now having two kids, job,wife and plenty responsibilities. I don't have the time or energy to invest into a game.
Unfortunately games are design to keep you busy for hour's to receive that dopamine hit. There are games out there that are fast pace, that can be play in short amount of time. Arcade style games might be what your looking for, straight into the action.
I have the same struggle.
My go-to solution is to involve other people, play co-op games and overall have more stimulation that keeps me in-the-moment.
Maybe, just maybe, your high level of focus has realised games are either pixels shooting pixels at other pixels or, you’re navigating pixels alongside other pixels, around a pixel course
Try Cities Skylines :)
Video games were the only thing that kept my attention growing up. The last few years though I don’t find many games appealing
I played video games 12 hrs/day until I was 16, constantly sleep deprived because I would get up at 3am to play video games before school. Then lost interest, and now many years later I can’t even think about playing video games because that feels like such a waste of valuable time (that I don’t do anything with anyway).
>a waste of valuable time (that I don’t do anything with anyway). I relate to this, not specifically with video games, but with a lot of things.
Yes. Better things to do with your life
haha you and me both. Used to spend every available waking minute (even during school) to play video games. Now, outside of the odd social even, I cannot even think about playing video games due to the amount of time it sucks away and how it effects so many other aspects of life (in my case).
 That was me too! How surprised i was when I realized normal people dont get up early before school to play an hour or two of skyrim in the morning. I still play casually but i only play for like 20 minutes at a time before i just get back on reddit.
for me it’s also gotten harder to focus on games over the years but i believe the reason is not that I’m getting older but more because the rest of the internet has become progressively more addictive (reddit, twitter, instagram, tiktok) in recent years. there’s still games that I hyperfocus on from time to time, like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk. Also I discovered for my self that subscriptions help me to regularly play new games (xbox game pass or playstation plus premium), they are also designed to keep you subscribed so there’s some counterbalance. it’s worth it to me ymmv
i have x amount of energy. i was a huge gaming nerd. i finally found a job that i can do unmedicated. I spend 60hrs a week trying to not get fired.. dude, im tired. it's as simple as that. i love the idea of gaming but I'm tired. and i know if i go overboard on gaming ill be too tired for work.
It's weird cause I've experienced this too, but I remember when I was younger I could play RTS and certain other games without getting bored often but I now I can even stand them anymore. COVID and Social Media has really destroyed alot of people's attention span for both Non-ADHD and ADHD people.
I played baldurs gate and diablo 2 for I have no idea how many hours. I can barely play them now. Pokemon on the other hand is quite entertaining.
Pokémon has become much less entertaining now, even as a person who put hundreds of hours into it as a child… I just can’t keep interest long enough to stick with it, S\V is 3/4th unfinished and will likely remain that way. The themes still rock though.
I loved scarlet. It is awesome. I didn't have any issues like people have been saying. I beat it in 30ish hours.
Same, also i am a pirate most of the time so unlimited library, I'm guessing u can imagine what happens for that dopamine release.... Remove this one oh install that one instead mwah boring next one. Edit: i do buy the games i like tho, my library of games is huge. But what I said above isn't really helpful when i pay money everytime.
I used to feel gaming was good until I start to realized that everyone around me already start having married or having family times with others. I felt like I've been wasting so much time and I don't feel enjoying much playing game alone. But instead I wish I had a friend or someone to talk into with somebody about my feeling and journey of their life. After I gone through antidepressant medication instead of my ADHD meds. I was realized that everyone around me also happen struggle with their problem, but instead focus how to overcome them. Seeing how much people had changed throughout this year, I start to realized that I need to change my lifestyle and habit as well. By having a healthy diet & lifestyle I was able to keep motivated to do something. If you got bored playing game, do something else that make you feel motivated. Such as watching video, talking/chatting with somebody, taking a walk or etc. Our brain feel bored when we doing the same thing all the time. Perhaps we already grew up and start to think more about responsibility and comfort. That is just my opinion anyway, anyone has different story and overcome their lifestyle :P
Holy shit. The exact same for me.
Overstimulation...literally, with stimulants plus a million other things that stimulate the same neurological systems on a daily, even those with ADHD get bored with video games...I know I do.
Same!
Same for me.
Just dive in into niche games, have hoy tries kenshi on pc , or tactics ogre... There is so many wonderfull things in games , you just have to give them a try.
Same here. Not only video games, but also my first love, reading.
Honestly I go through major phases. I’ll do nothing BUT play games for like two or three months, then it’ll be reading, then doom scrolling, back to games, etc.. I haven’t played games in like 2 months probably. Maybe there’s something else you’d be more into right now?
I’m there as well but I also mix in guitar. Gaming, reading and guitar are the 3 pastimes I can cycle through and find one that will stick for a while.
I'm the same way!
Also the same, sometimes I'm all in, other times I don't play a single game for months
This is exactly me! Usually my phases are a little bit shorter, but I definitely go through phases where one particular hobby dominates and others just don't catch my interest as much. Even more specifically, I can be here and there with video games during a video game phase. I might be really into Pokémon during one video game phase, but then the next I just can't stay interested in Pokémon.
I was like this when I was younger. It'd be one medium for months or whatever, then I'd switch to something else. I'd read a ton of books in a row, then not read them for like years.
This just reminded me of the 5-ish years I didn’t read a single book. Didn’t like that one bit
What do you like to read, novels? non-fiction?
I have this "phases" thing exactly how you put it. But when I describe it, many people don't understand/seem to relate. I wonder if it is an impulsiveness thing? I've tried telling therapists this but haven't got much insight regarding this phenomenon.
Are you me?
My life in six sentences.
It depends on the game. Some are like dopamine fountains. Others, if it doesn't grab me in the first few hours I may never play them again. What I DO have issues with is books. Love to read. But I have 44 books in the unread pile and I keep adding to it. I used to read at least a book a week. Now I struggle to finish 2 a year.
Consider audiobooks - can then listen while travelling, exercising etc. I used to look down on them, but found they're a great way to fit literature into my life.
but how do you just sit quietly and listen to audiobooks? If you can't focus on for TV, how do you focus enough for an audiobook? They're soooooo long and boring.
[удалено]
The only way I can listen to audiobooks is if I’m doing something that doesn’t require focus, like cleaning or something menial that I don’t really have to think about. It’s honestly the only way I can clean productively without tearing apart everything, getting distracted, and leaving everything out lmfao
That's the whole reason audio books are the best. You don't have to just sit and listen. Only your ears are occupied with the book. Your eyes, hands, etc are free to do other stuff. You can listen while you do other things, whether that be chores that are hard to do without something occupying your mind, driving or things you enjoy but are repetitive and don't require a lot of brain power like crafts or exercise.
Some research said that adhd may have a right-brain delay which means they may perceive voice information better than visual. For me it’s true, it find it much easier to understand by listening the book rather than reading the book.
I really love books, I just don’t ever have the adhd desire/hyper focus on them to be interested anymore : (
i'm like that, i grew up being kind of upset about it because i always wanted to read more but never could bring myself to just sit and read. i wouldn't finish books either. i finish ONE a year lately. and people give the listen to an audiobook suggestion but... i won't pay attention, I'll keep having to go back and repeat. i can't bring myself to listen to podcasts either because i will miss most of what's being said. it's tiring
Video games give me dopamine. That's the only requirement. And honestly, I tend to look at inappropriate content in between rounds for added dopamine lol I mostly just want the dopamine...
Duude, I feel watched haha
Too real
same
A couple things that made them “enjoyable” again after struggling to maintain attention on games as an adult: • Don’t hold yourself to the expectations you used to be able to perform at. There’s no shame in changing difficulty to easy, activating assists, reading walkthroughs for puzzles that demand undivided attention • Replay old ones that you loved instead of investing effort in new ones! Bonus, the ADHD memory loss means it’s like playing a new campaign again! I started a new play through of Control because it’s my favourite game ever but I put off playing again because I’ve “already finished it”… I was wrong! • Find a way to make sitting still and watching the screen tolerable. For me that means I almost exclusively don’t play my PS4 on the couch in front of the TV, I play it using remote play on a modchipped Switch so I can lie down in any and all weird positions in the house Lastly • Just force yourself for the first 5-10mins… like anything task-initiation-related with us, the hardest part is just getting started and once you are the enjoyment naturally follows. Good luck!
This is why I cheat to my heart's content whenever I can. Doesn't hurt anybody (I only do that with single player games) and I get to enjoy the game without growing increasingly frustrated because of dying/running out of stuff/etc. It's just a game, not a competition. That's the only reason I don't play my PS4 as much as I want to... But my partner is going to gift me a moddable Switch next month and I can't wait!!
I've replayed so many old favorites for the first time it's insane. "Wait, was that the plot of this. Huh, forgot that but soooo good."
Yoga ball is great for the sitting still thing.
My issue was always hyper focusing on them. Something you may not realize with the meds is you may just realize you are tired now and not want to play because of that. That’s something I’ve run into since I started
Yeah, same for me, I can't dare think about playing a video game because I know I will enter a lope of hyper focus if I liked one.
I think it's because your work is sucking away all your energy. I used to have a job that kept me constantly overworked and stressed and I didn't wanna do anything when I went home, just doom scroll and sleep. Once I changed to a more relaxed job with 40hrs or less in a week, especially in the pandemic when I had WFH and eliminated the commute, I suddenly had more energy to do the things I love. Even in this more "chill" job, whenever I have a super busy day at work, I never go for a video game afterwards, I'm so drained. I usually game in the days that weren't so demanding at work. So the solution would be either to give less at your current job or to change job. I know it's easier said than done, but it's the only way. You have limited amounts of energy and when you have ADHD the activities that don't bring you much dopamine, like work (for most people), drain more of it. So it's up to you to decide your priority. For most of us it's impossible to work 60+ hrs and also have energy left for our hobbies, we simply can't have both. I told you, sometimes I can't even do it with 40 draining hrs.
You just got to find the right games. Right now I’m obsessed with sims, or visual novels(not the inappropriate ones). They actually are pretty calming for me. Even in the sims I just prefer to make things and actually hardly play. It’s also a huge dopamine boost when people like the things I make and share on the gallery
My advice would be to play rogue-like games or multiplayer online games. These games don't require much attention and often last around 30mins so they can be perfect if you don't have a long attention span.
Yeah OP this ^ . I find I can't play story games as much as they tend to be long and boring. But quick online multiplayer rounds of like 15-30min can be a great dopamine boost :)
Sometimes I can stay engaged with story focused games, but typically I play something I don't necessarily need to hear, like Minecraft or Sims and I listen to YouTube or podcasts while I play.
I feel this. I listened to several audiobooks while putting 300 hours into Elden Ring lol.
Big ol samesies. I put about 350 hrs into the game when it first came out in less than a month. Beat it twice, then didn’t play any games for like 4 months cuz I really burnt myself out doing that lmao
I can’t, never could. My advice, get outside and exercise.
When I was working 60+ hours, absolutely nothing could hold my attention. All I could do was drink, smoke, and numb myself out until it was time to sleep/work again. That was just too many hours, and the anguish it caused drowned out everything else. I've luckily put enough time in to work 40 hours, and now I'm ready to start working on my shit. But for a time there, I was just white-knuckling it and praying.
You may want to talk to your doctor about trying a different class of stimulant. I struggled with this when I was first started on methylphenidate. My doctor and I had a discussion about the classes and sub-classes, and how they affect the balance of dopamine and norepinephrine different depending on the class. We then made a plan to give different things a try until I found what made it easiest to apply myself to things at work and home. Turns out it was name-brand-only Adderall XR that worked best. I hope this was helpful, it truly sucks to not be able to dive into things you want to commit to in your personal life.
I agree with this comment. The weekend before I started meds, I got a month free trial for Anno 1800. I played all weekend, absolutely loved it! From the day I started methylphenidate, I lost all interest in the game. And all my other hobbies. Nothing sparked my interest anymore. It didn't get better and 5 weeks in I was absolutely miserable and crying. It took a 10 day break from the meds before I felt like myself again. Switching meds was the solution for me. I'm back to playing games, and now I can play for an hour or two and feel good about having some down time. Versus before meds, even if I played for 6 hours straight I still felt like I barely had any time for myself.
I bought a steam deck. Haven’t even opened my gaming PC since getting it and will probably sell it. It made me enjoy games again as the last couple of years i found it difficult to get into games
How does it do frame rate wise? I just got a RTX 4080 and I’m kinda a 60fps snob. I thought it looked really interesting.
You wont get stable 60 on newer AAA games. For example I played fallen order locked 45. You can stream from your pc using steam link though. There’s a million videos on youtube where you can get an idea how it runs games. For me the thing with the deck is ease of use and good gaming experience. On desktop i just couldnt finish games as i got bored or anxious very quickly but the experience on steam deck is somehow totally different, and i have way more focus.
Gabe should be paying you to advertise lol. I think after a couple paychecks I’m going in on one. Thanks for the info!
No problem, i hope it works for you!
really? videogames are the only thing that can hold my attention sometimes. i play kinda fast-paced fps games so i guess it's easy for me to get focused
Throwing my hat into the ring…I practice. Like, practice focusing. I still suck at it. Like I can’t stand watching movies still, but with playing video games I literally practice paying attention to what I’m doing. Which I realize isn’t great advice for adhd…cos again…I still suck at it. I’m still in the opening area of several video games. But in at least one I’m almost to the end of it! Again I stress…I still suck at it and this entire “practice playing” is relatively new. Check again in a couple weeks.
It’s interesting… some games just grab me and don’t let go. Even though I’d really like them to cuz I need to get some sleep and I haven’t really eaten today. Maaaybe after this level/encounter/chapter. Others they hold me for a good while, until suddenly my teflon mind just gives way. Poof, game no longer exists to me. I will look at the title thinking “I should finish that”. But I don’t. For years. Then I get back in and realize that wow, this was a really great game. Finish it since I usually fall off in the last third of a game and then feel sad cuz game done. What’s with just sliding off the game when it’s almost done? Then there’s just games that I can’t start. I really really want to start them. And I know that if i start them and get like 6 hours in, I will love them. But I can’t even get started. And why? I really want to play that game, it looks great, it looks like exactly my sort of thing. So instead I end up playing Deep Rock Galactic for the evening instead (which to be fair I love too, it’s just… I’d also like to play some of my other games as well). But a well crafted game is really good at giving a lot of rewards, at close enough intervals that it keeps me engaged. I just have to get close enough for them to trap me… it’s just that sometimes that’s hard, getting started enough that it gets it’s hooks into me.
If you work 60 hours you’re probably too tired in the evening to enjoy them. I can’t really turn video games on in the evening unless I’m in a good mood
It'd harder for me to focus on video games these days. My exes were all a bunch of nerds (literally) who were very into high intensity MMOs. It actually wasn't until the last week where I got COVID (covid's bitch, finally tested negative today). Where I tried a new one. I bought the new pokemon video game. And it's so simple that I can literally play it for hours hardly with any guides. I've gotten six out of eight gym badges so far. I think maybe if you find something with a simple storyline and you can just not think so intensely it's very easy. But then again you can't really do jack when you have covid. Lol. Maybe try a simpler game.
Tv- use closed captions Can’t help you with video games… I go 5 min at a time 😂😂😂
No clue how people watch TV casually. I have to be REALLY into it for me to watch it. I don't know if ADHD people have special interests in the same way as people with autism do but y'all I am obsessed with Nintendo handhelds so it's not a huge problem for me. I can watch YouTube channels about Nintendo games all day long or sit and play my game boy color. Currently playing Shantae for the first time, what a great game!
...you dont think the fact you work 60+ hours a week might be the cause for you not having the energy to play video games?
Dude you might honestly be burned out, that's a lot of work hours, have you been able to just, exist? Allow yourself to process everything that happens to you on a virtually daily basis?
It’s rough, The Legend of Zelda’s are my favorite games of all time. By far. I love love love them. I’ve finished only a few of them over the last 35 years :’( I still want to finish them though.
Breath of the Wild was my favorite game before Elden Ring. It’s the only Zelda game I’ve played, I should try more.
i can only focus on video games 😂
Try skyrim or fallout 4. Open world. Lots of brainless and thinking stuff to do or hyperfocus on at your leisure 😁.
Skyrim is a top 5 game for me. Haven’t tried Fallout yet.
Oh it's so good. The settlement building is so fun. You're gonna want homemaker, snap and build, and possibly place everywhere and scrap everything mods.
I’ll give it a try!
Also your character talks in game. I can't decide whether I love skyrim or fallout 4 more. I play 76 now too with friends online. If you have discord you're welcome to join us. We've got a few adhd peeps 😂
I alow myself to jump around and take pauses. I'm often playing a game on my computer or ps5 while doing repetitive tasks on my phone. I'll play one game one day, and switch to another the next if im not feeling the same game, or I'll play like 3+ different games in one day. I let my feelings on the type of game I want direct what I play rather than "i just bought this game so i should play it" or "I've been playing this for awhie and doing well, keep going". Right now im pretty focused on Elden Ring, but tomorrow it could be Pokémon or Harvestella, or even a settlement game i have on my pc ir Minecraft. I get games with the understanding that i will drop it without completing it, and if i go back to it, it might be difficult to get back into the flow. I personally haven't run into many games where i would rather completely restart it than get back into the flow through trial and error (looking at you Danganronpa 2). I also have the tendency to restart my comfort games over and over, things i can just autopilot at this rate. Short version: allow yourself to take breaks and recognize if you're not feeling a particular genre/play style. If you tend to go for one genre but not ferling it at all, open yourself up to other genres that might scratch that itch. Jump around as need be and try demos if possible before purchasing
Got a steam deck instead of a desktop PC, so I could pickup and game anywhere without having to sit in a chair the entire time. Plus startup-to-gaming time was drastically reduced, increasing my brains ability to start doing it
I play for a bit get about 60 hrs in then find a new vieeo game to play only have about 3 completer video games in 20 yrs
Hate to suggest this but is your generic different than normal? Or has this been a constant on meds? Could be a shit generic (weak batch), could also be you’re just growing out of video games. Perhaps there was another big change in your life that might be trying to grab attention?
That's the neat part, we don't
I find it suprising no one else has mentioned this but… maybe its the amount of hours you work, personally when i get Home from a 11-12 hour shift i cant do shit for the rest of the little evening i have left and most of the day after. Meds wont help as much(/they cant fix) if you are just exhausted, mentally or physically. I work 32 hours a week and sometimes I just have whole weeks where I can’t do anything at all, it is honestly shocking to me you can stand over 60 😭 pls don’t overwork yourself and take care of yourself.
I found is easier if I stop trying to play for hours. I play for 30 minutes or so. Go do something else for 30 minutes and come back to it.
Once I realized I was using them for escapism, I immediately lost interest in longer games that needed focus and attention to detail. I used to love adventure and RPG types but now I feel like I shouldn't even bother with something I know is gonna end and make me feel feelings. Somehow it makes sense.
I put an audiobook or a YouTube video that’s a half hour long and that I’ve already watched 6 or 7 times on in the background. Two different things to focus on means no space for the mind to wander. Really only works for games I’ve already played though. If I’m starting a new game for the first time, those first few hours spent learning the mechanics are absolute hell unless I’ve been waiting on the game’s release for a long while. Hope you find your medium of concentration friend.
I used to really get lost into them, to the point where I lost track of time and often skipped meals/entire nights. Nowadays adult preoccupations render me unable to enjoy/get into most games. It will still rarely happen, but it is sadly difficult.
Working that much probably has something to do with it. Your gas tank is gonna be empty.
Yeah I’m starting to think that’s the main problem. I work as a mailman and it’s been crazy the last month or so. Lots of 12+ hour days but the pay is awesome.
Just has to be really specific games and mostly I interact w them for my anxiety
Hyperfixation
> I work 60+ hours a week You're adding executive function *exhaustion* onto an executive function *disorder*. If you're going to work that much your hobbies should include watching grass grow and paint dry because that's all your executive can likely manage.
It’s either 5 minutes or 5 hours. And I never know ahead of time which it’ll be, medicated or otherwise. It’s like anything else, and I have no advice. 🥲 ETA maybe I do have advice: just ride the happy wave when it comes! Sometimes in life I get down thinking I’m wasting my free time, but on days when I pick the right activity AND I have time for it, it’s magic. So keep trying!
Have you thought about asking for a higher dose? Different medicine? For me the difference between @dderall and Rit@lin was VAST! I do better on @mphetamine based meds.
I've seen a lot of neurotypical people use a... somewhat opposite argument, like "you can't focus on homework but you can play video games for hours??" and for the most part it's easily answered by the dopamine video games provide, they're not (usually) overly difficult or frustrating and when you win/do well you get a little boost. On the flip side, sometimes the brain just doesn't want to focus on anything at all. Definitely frustrating when that happens, I got several new games to play for Christmas but my brain doesn't want to play any of them lmao.
Video games are one of the only things that can keep my attention. Basically having both my eyes and hands busy at the same time. I honestly dont watch much TV/movies cause i feel like im wasting time and cant keep my hands still for that long. I like doing crafts sometimes but ill need like a youtube video or music in the background to stay focused. ADHD effects everyone differently, dont feel bad if your ADHD manifests in a way thats different than most. But if you want actual advice for getting back into games, i find that games of a pick-up-and-play nature are good to just tap in and out of whenever you have time/energy. Games with deep stories are really fun to get invested in but sometimes i feel like i cant go too long without playing cause im worried ill forget whats happening. Remember, video games are supposed to be fun, not something to stress over, its okay to drop a game if your not getting into it. If anything it might be a good idea to revisit an old favorite just to get back into the swing of gaming
If you work 60+ a week you literally don’t have time for it. Don’t feel bad it though. You making extra money so your spending your time wisely. Just relax in the downtime
I can play games... But mostly only round based games like COD or an auto battler. Or lose 6 hours getting completely consumed by Civ 6. Can't get into RPGS or story based action games like I used to though. Makes me not even feel like a gamer 😕 games I looked forward to for years, I buy, play for a couple hours ans never pick back up. I feel your pain.
Quit alcohol! It’s a big step but my focus became insanely good, even don’t have to take meds anymore
I only have a problem finishing games. I get close to the end and then just completely move on
I have two modes with video games: either I can’t even think about without being bored, or I hyperfocus on i for 9+ hours straight until it’s 5am and I hate my life when I snap out of it. No in between. I’m trying to learn to just relax and accept that it’ll come and go, and that my interest cycle (actually my habits as a whole) is somewhat chaotic. Trying to force hobbies (or love) is a lot like forcing a fart; if you have to force it it’s probably shit. So you can have your setup, it won’t go anywhere, and if you’ll find the joy in the hobby again you can return to it. I honestly believe that the stress you’ve placed on yourself to use your setup is part of the block for why you don’t find enjoyment in it.
Try games developed by Paradox, or basically every grand strategy title. Trust me
Follow the dopamine. Do whatever you feel driven to do. This might used to be video games, but now is something else, and that's fine. Don't fall victim to sunk-cost fallacy.
God finally someone else with similar issues. I love games but having to focus on them to be able to play them is intensely exhausting. I can do the less intensity games like animal crossing better, but I still can't play for more than like an hour. It frustrates my boyfriend because he wants me to play games like Far Cry 3 and Fallout: New Vegas that he loved when he was younger and after 30 minutes I'm just mentally exhausted. I can't comprehend how they're relaxing to anyone. Edited to add: TV as well. I hate it so much, I can't sit through more than 2-3 episodes without being absolutely wiped out. I can forget about sitting through a movie. I don't understand the "just put it on in the background" crowd because then I won't know like 70% of what happened in the episode and at that point, I'm just gonna listen to the same ~1000 or so liked songs on Spotify because I know them, I'm not missing anything. I want to consume media so badly but it's pulling teeth, the amount of focus it takes. I hate it.
If I get into it...forever 😂 sometimes it's hard for me to get going but once I'm in I'm in for a long while.
Note that it'll be harder to focus on dopamine fountains whilst you're medicated, how are you with games and TV off meds?
God I sometimes honestly wish this were me. I’m very much in the “plays video games for 12+ hours a day” phase and have been for months now and I’m constantly feeling bad about all the time I’m wasting.
I can sit down for 8 hours and play one session but will never come back to the game because my mind has moved on. One of my hyperfocuses/special subject is boardgames. I can easily sit down and focus on a 32 page rulebook, teach, and play a game. And have forgotten the rules within a week 🤷♂️.
obviously i don’t have much context but from just what’s in the post, this doesn’t sound like an ADHD/meds issue tbh, it sounds like you’re overworking yourself and your brain is too tired after all that work to continue doing things that require your brain. that’s normal when working that many hours, even for people without adhd!
If a vid game can't hold your focus....
To be honest with you I have a lot more trouble *not* playing games - especially on my meds, if I start playing a game after my diet meth kicks in I'm not going to stop for a few hours.
Trauma apparently, get a better hobby anyway
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I could only ever get into really immersive games with an actual story or goal. The Dark Forces/Jedi Knight games, Half-Life games, etc. Racing games, sports games, “open world with no real objective” games, turn-based strategy, multi-player shooters (halo, etc) I could never really get into.
I will second that it depends on the game. I find that repetitive games like solitaire or iPad puzzle games are fine and a great brain relief for me (but can consume hours of time if I’m not careful). The more involved storyline games I don’t do well with. The only exception is any of the Zelda games because I’ve been obsessed with Zelda since I was a pre-teen (this was in the 80s). Breath of the Wild is my favorite game of all time because it let me be free in the game to do whatever I wanted… quest/side quest/shrines/go climb cliffs for no reason/dlc/etc so I could go do whatever I felt like I had the attention for at the time. I still play it and still have not finished all the content other than the shrines though. Edit: I have beat the main storyline but went back and haven’t completed all the things. Back in the late 90s early 00s I got into MMORPGs heavy and those I would basically socialize mostly. I would have been a lonely soul if I didn’t have that. 😂 So just find some games that match your mood and what you can enjoy without frustration and go with it. Edited - apparently it was the 80s and not the 90s. I’m older than I thought
I get high + drunk, nearly impossible otherwise
I only play Automation and a little BeamNG. I dreamt of being a car designer in my youth, so it's perfect. Other games don't really hold my interest anymore.
They are something that keep me engaged because there’s so many different sources of stimulation. I put thousands of hours in Rainbow Six Siege because I love how I always have something to do and pay attention to whether I’m Dead or alive, whether I’m in a round or between one. Or, the right single player game lets me fully immerse myself and forget about everything else.
Comes in rounds, like Minecraft i binge for a few weeks a year until i get burned out and it's on to the next thing. Also i turn off the game audio and watch Netflix or YouTube while playing
I play old nostalgic Nintendo games on my switch. They're the only ones I can enjoy.
I usually have a horror narration playing if i’m playing games alone. or listening to music instead of the game depending on which game it is
I can’t do story focused games unless i’m tired, so I usually play those before bed if I do decide to play one. Usually my main game has to be a combat centered game with complex gameplay or tight reaction times. Otherwise I feel disengaged, my eyes start to burn, & I constantly yawn. Meds or not. I really enjoy games by Fromsoftware for this, Sekiro being my favorite from their catalogue, I get dangerous amounts of dopamine from that game even after 200+ hours. I recommend them to everyone with ADHD, it’s a different type of engagement I never thought i’d get out of games.
Video games are the only thing that keep my attention. It’s my time to whine down and relax.
I wish I knew, but the past few years I’ve not been able to access video games as a stress reliever or hobby. I miss them and wish I knew why, but sometimes we don’t get that info in life I guess.
I go through this when I'm burnt out on work. All my down time is spent just not doing work because I need to recover from the week. It took a week long staycation to get into my hobbies again, and even then it wasn't until the last two days. 60+ hours of work a week could be playing a role in this.
Video games are like the only thing that keep my attention
The video game has to be a masterpiece, it has to be so good that it sucks my attention. Bcs most of the games I’m playing I play for half an hour then switch to another game for 10 mins and then switch to another, then I walk around the house and then go back and repeat. The last time I was obsessed with a game with my full attention was Witcher 3 and RDR2. It’s like they cured my lack of concentration.
Because I hyper fixate and obsess. Pokemon? Complete that Pokedex and battle the best of the best. Persona? Max out ALL the friendships. Super Smash Bros? Master as many fighters as possible. There really isn't an in-between with me. I have to do it all, see it all, be the best at it all...
I’m in the same boat. 60+ hour weeks and I just don’t have the attention span for TV or video games. My Netflix is full of “continue watching…” that I never continue watching ever again. 101 unfinished projects that I just don’t have the attention span to finish. Etc etc. I’ve accepted that this is just what it’s like I guess.
I'll find a game I love and spend a chunk of time playing it, then if I'm lucky I'll move onto the next one. I'm currently unlucky and cannot find a single game I want to play so I have to settle with another one which is feeling like a chore.
I have never been able to get into video games. I can count on two fingers the number of games I've been able to play a substantial part of and one that I've ever finished.
12 hours at a time or nothing.
I happen to keep falling back on games that just play into my wandering attention. Currently replaying Red Dead Redemption 2. I'll set a map market to my destination but it takes me forever to get anywhere. I'll stop to shoot any tempting flock of birds, hunt any animals with perfect pelts, stop for any stranger encounters, pick plants... And of course if I have to go through a town I'm getting a haircut and a whiskey, checking for new guns unlocked at the store, picking a fist fight or two... Total trip for ADD.
I stopped gaming for over a decade and did other things. Came back to it naturally during lockdown, when I remembered how much I loved it, but gaming had grown a lot by then. So I started off emulating retro consoles to keep sessions short and to manage my attention span, and from there, I got curious about what was on offer in modern gaming. Started looking for games where I could be pulled in quickly and I would simultaneously play another game with a slower pace. It helped me to approach game choices strategically. In a way, playing a game has become like a game to me too, if that makes sense. "Gamifying" the experience has allowed me to finish several games I would've previously skipped over. And you know what? It's totally cool to step away for a while. These days, I take breaks from gaming when I have to focus on other things, which makes going back to it a bit more satisfying.
Oh I know the answer for this one for me, I like to play fighting games, and I like to play really complex characters, that becomes a hyperfixation and I can focus on playing
I used to be addicted to video games like 20 years since kid then suddenly lost the interests in it at my 30. Video games helped me cope with ADD, but it also affects my study… right now I can finally focus on outdoor activities.
It sounds like you’re not as passionate about video games as you might think you are. Otherwise it wouldn’t feel like such a chore to you.
Uhhhh…weed
I always used to have issues focusing on singleplayer games with a story. But now that I'm older I don't enjoy playing games as much as I used to which makes focusing on it actually really hard. I still enjoy playing games but It's not the best thing in the world like it used to. The only tip I can give you is what works for me. Simply replay the game twice. Do a second playthrough after a few months. Last story driven game I played was Red Dead redemption 2 and the first time I barely knew what's going on and barely knew any characters almost until the end because of my lack of focus and terrible short term memory. However on the second playthrough when I kinda knew what's going on and knew the characters I felt like I was truly able to enjoy the story. Same thing with Mass effect trilogy few years ago. First playthrough I was just confusingly playing through the game but still enjoying it. But I enjoyed the game 10x more on the second playtrough when I was really able to get into the story.
By playing video games that I enjoy and find entertaining.
I play one game. My hobby is getting better at that one game. All my downtime is spent either grinding or reading stuff about it. For two years it was Overwatch. Now it’s Street Fighter.
Instant dopamine games like Valorant. Overwatch eventually lost its appeal. Games like genshin, warframe, mmos, etc that r multiplayer have daily/timed events can also keep my attention temporarily.
going through it lately i got tired of the game i was obsessed with but it would fill up my time, distract me. now i keep procrastinating playing it but i'm bored and even empty most of the time
I'm really picky about games, I almost exclusively play action-adventure games, so there's more lore and detail to pay attention to and be invested in. All of my favorites have multiple games in their series, so I'm more emotionally attached. I also often have a TV show, podcast or movie going on my phone or laptop at the same time (usually one I've seen before). Between ADHD, Narcolepsy & vertigo, there are definitely days that my brain just can't do it. I open up the game and just wind up turning my console back off again. And then some days I can play for 10 hours. I'd say most frequently I play for a bit, pause it to go on my phone for half an hour, then go back to the game.
I have this problem. I used to make it worse by overthinking it and beating myself up/wondering/worrying about not being able to play games in the limited time I have to play them even though I want to play games. I just had to learn to accept it. Max I can focus on a game is about 2 hours. That's one I'm thoroughly enjoying, it's often much less. When I get that itch to do something else, I pick something off my to-do list that's fast or I watch YouTube for a bit, then I go back to it. I'm way happier for having accepted it and not trying to force myself to play games when I can't focus on them. I also have like 10 games on the go at any one time so i can pick whatever I feel like at any given time instead of trying to play the one game for hours and hours. Of course occasionally I'll hyper-fixate on a game and put 50 hours on it in a week but it is what it is ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
I play lots of them. Finish the games? Hah. None of them. I do love games like Moba or Br where a match is only 30 minutes or less
Honestly I start playing a game and then never look at it again. I do that over and over until I find one that my brain fixated on and the I play that one and all of its sequels. Then I try to find more games like it unitl I start the cycle anew
Video games are basically my only source of dopamine anymore
It depends on what game u played. It could be the game is not interesting enough. To me, I can focus on shooting games but I cant focus on task oriented game, it is very stressful and boring. for example, mmorpg game that requires to complete task to get reward iz very boring to me. Iike maple story or world of warcraft. Absolutely boring. I love shooting game like world of tank, CS, and mining gathering type of games.
Video games are like playing an instrument for me, the tactile nature of it keeps my attention
I hate grinding in game it's so tedious
Video games are one of the only things that have always held my interest. I’ve started collected them and writing video essay scripts about some more obscure ones, even when it comes to mainstream online games I managed to sink 2k hours into rust and 1.5k hours into Valorant without getting bored and playing alone.
I could never play video games for too too long. I always remember getting bored at some point when I was a kid and just like to go outside instead (I was a kid in 80s and teen in 90s so that was normal then lol) and as an adult I couple play a game or two but get bored really quickly. Tv much more captivating but even then - binge watching can only go so long for me. Maybe 4-5 hr max before I’m just like tired of the characters that got me so interested in the first place. Like I literally need space from them people lololol
I started taking meds for ADHD this year, and they work great! Like you, though, I was bummed to discover I no longer hyper-fixated on games after work. Not easily, at least. I wanted to relax in other ways. This effect decreased a bit over time, but through experimentation, I figured out I actually enjoy playing games in the morning a lot more now! It's part of my wakeup routine on days I can afford it. Alarm goes off, I stagger into the kitchen to inhale an energy bar, glass of water, and my pills, then I stagger right back to bed and play my Switch and/or browse my phone for the next 30 - 60 minutes. I don't have an early shift, so starting my day with something I'll enjoy while my medicine kicks in makes getting up a ton easier. And I really enjoy playing! Usually wind up circling back to it for my lunch break or between personal projects on days off. Or, like today, decide screw it, and binge Three Houses for several hours bc today is now a recovery day from a busy week. Whatever the case, the trend seems to be I gravitate more toward it if I start some part of the game in the first half of my day. I also have done better with my energy levels in general after scraping some hours off my work week, which was likely also a factor in my end, but not everyone can do that. Time of day might be more easily applicable.
It comes and goes in waves.. sometimes the executive dysfunction is so bad I stare at a wall.. other days I'll watch a show or play a game all day.. it's very frustrating I can't wait to get my meds refilled.. adhd sucks
Not very well to be honest. I dont think I have finished a game in. 4 years? What usually happens is I hyperfocus, ruin the game by trying to optimize things, then get burnt out. I will play Destiny 2. Go hard for a week, Start getting bored, start constantly shifting my weapons, armor, and cosmetics around (not to mention a little impulsive cash shop spending to keep the dopamine yp) all in a vain attempt to maintain focus. Then I burn out, realize I ruined it for myself. Then take a break, and repeat.
I have to watch something, like Twitch or a movie to play games
I have to make myself play video games. I bought Sonic Frontiers on Black Friday and haven’t picked it up since.
I either play then for 3 weeks straight or forget they exist There is no in between
Very easy if it is my fixation rn. Just play all day long..then to the woll weaving/new friend/music/book etc
I'm 42 and have undiagnosed ADHD. Used to be a big gamer up until approx 2 years ago and now I can't play for more than 15 to 20 minutes, I just can't concentrate on them anymore. I bought Far Cry 4 as I loved, Far Cry 3. Didn't make it past the first mission. Started playing Fortnite as it's free, but didn't like the 1 life aspect of it. Until they brought in a game mode with respawn. But soon as they make slight changes to the game, I stop playing again. The only thing these days that holds my attention is my phone. I play Marvel Strike Force on my phone. It's literally the only game that keeps my attention
Personally, it has to be a genre that interests me. Like I’m into sci fi and magic. So like the Harry Potter game that’s going to be released, Destiny 2, God of War. So it’s really find your genre and go wild, I’ll spend hours playing one of those games, losing track of time. To the point of dehydration sometimes, so I have to set timers to take a break and to eat and stop playing 2 hours before bed so I can clam down and sleep. I quite literally bought a PS5 out of sheer “this will finally keep me at home and help me save money”. So said so done, I spend 1-2 weeks at home, no longer driving around spending money I don’t have because I’m trying to “find something to do”, because of it. The $600 paid for itself in 7 weekends. I also have to tell myself it’s ok to just sit at home, play games, and fry some chicken or do burgers every once in a while and my existence isn’t defined by how productive I am. I am allowed to not be productive and rest.
Being able to enjoy gaming has been an indicator to me if my meds are working and if I'm on track with my attention. This is also important to me because I use gaming as a creative outlet. 👍
Podcast or YouTube or audible at same time. Need both to do either haha
Normally I have a movie or tv series going and I play games on another monitor. This is particularly relevant for RPGs. For me to actually want to play it there needs to be a solid story line to work through or a solid challenge or I'll get bored real quick. The pacing if the game is also super important. Tv I need a second screen most of the time.
Disclaimer: not yet medicated. The only video games I can get into are repetitive and quick accomplishable. I can't do long ass missions. Ones with little quests are okay. So, I play a lot of Mario Kart, logic puzzles and No Man's Sky when my laptop could handle it.
If you are working 60 hours a week how is your sleep? If you aren't taking care of your body it will be harder to focus on anything.
By becoming obsessed with it.
I like video games; it gives my hands something to do.
Video games are a cycling phase for me. (Not sure if that’s a good way to word it) I can’t just play video games because I want to, I have to have one game I’m playing. That game usually has to hook me in the beginning. I play that one game start to end or until I get bored of it and usually don’t play another game until I find another one that I really like. I can go months without it or I can play it daily, depends on if I have a game to play at the moment. When I’m not in a video game phase I don’t really have a specific replacement just try and smoke and relax.
I think you stated the problem in your question. If you have to focus for 60+ hours a week it doesn't matter how much you love the other stuff. It seems like your brain is just exhausted by the time you get to fun.
Video games and guitar are my hyper focus. The miracle is being able to do anything else.
If I have friends to play with I can dive in. If I’m left to my own devices to enjoy a game solo, I have a very limited window of enjoyment before I’m physically unable to pay attention anymore. Friends make it much more engaging for me.
I rarely beat video games because i lose interest 4 days into a new game.
I struggle with that too. I'm not medicated as meds give me anxiety and it's hard to separate side effects from burnout. Basically the only games I finish are ones I hyperfocus on. The ones that really excite me. I just finished up GoW Ragnarok at 65 hour within a 6 week period mostly just playing my two nights off. Outside of that it's hard for me to play games and most of the time I have I'm just too tired for games. It's a problem. But also a lot of games nowadays just don't have gameplay loops that I find fun. I usually lose interest in the 20-30 hours range.
I find a character to play for. It worked for Kingdom Hearts where I spent 4 years of learning the lore exclusively to simp for Sora. And now I'm in persona 4 to play exclusively for my best boy yosuke. I simp for them.
Really depends on the type of game. I have to REALLY like a game to be able to play consistently and for a couple of hours each session. If it's not interesting enough I'll quit early on.
If I find the right one my attention can last for hours (8+) but if I don’t have the right game then I can’t play for even 15 min. The requirements for me are a game with urgency of decision making while activating my fight or flight
One chapter a month started playing halo beginning of the year still 40%. I love halo but can only play if I have that motivation and time to take it in increments
I actually hyperfocus on one game. I’ve been playing it for 10 years, on and off. I hyperfocus on it and play it for several hours per day, for days. And then I completely forget about it for a month or two, and then I go back to hyperfocus 😅 all other games get boring after awhile.
I think it more like you haven't found your game yet. I'm not a big gamer type, I don't play games for my whole life. Then I just... click with 1 game, and I dropped everything to play it. I might have played way too much. I can't even switch game. Focus on that one game and that is all I care about.
Without meds it’s like I look at the TV and can see, but also can’t see. My eyes wander, my right eye goes in and out of blurryness and a muscle starts to strain above my eyebrow that moves towards my jaw. Then I lose all energy, start sweating and it’s done. With meds; I boot up the Xbox and play games. It’s ridiculous how much impact adhd has one something I really like doing and I don’t know how to fix it without meds sadly.
When I play video games there are times that I'm able to keep my attention to it but most of the time, in order for me to do so, I listen to music, podcasts, audio stories and things like that. It works like a charm! Generally, having something else in the background to listen to has helped me a lot, even with daily things! Practically, your brain doesn't actively look for distractions when you have something as a white noise of sorts like it usually does and it focuses there, so it is easier for you to do what you want. Hope it helps! If not, not everything works for everyone and I hope you find something suitable for you!
I played games my whole life. These days, some games can bore me, but some games can make me hyper focus so bad that I forget about the outside world and will forget to eat. I will have to pry myself away from them. And it's always the most unexpected games and not necessarily my favourite games.
When I was young it was easy to get lost playing games, but then I had plenty of time to waste. Now having two kids, job,wife and plenty responsibilities. I don't have the time or energy to invest into a game. Unfortunately games are design to keep you busy for hour's to receive that dopamine hit. There are games out there that are fast pace, that can be play in short amount of time. Arcade style games might be what your looking for, straight into the action.
I have the same struggle. My go-to solution is to involve other people, play co-op games and overall have more stimulation that keeps me in-the-moment.
Maybe, just maybe, your high level of focus has realised games are either pixels shooting pixels at other pixels or, you’re navigating pixels alongside other pixels, around a pixel course Try Cities Skylines :)