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Can a Person With ADD or ADHD Play Poker?
Many people believe that a person with ADHD or ADD will have a difficult time playing poker since it requires players to have an immense amount of concentration and sit for long periods of time.
While this is a logical argument, the truth is that many adults with ADHD and ADD are able to play the game at a high level of success. There are several ways that they do this.
Medication
The first, and most obvious in some instances, is with the assistance of medications. Players will use their meds to help them level their mood much like they did in grade school and this helps with focus. However, there are just as many that have these conditions that do not use medications that still find ways to stay focused.
Meditation
One alternative to drugs for some ADD or ADHD players is meditation. There are many poker players that attest to the power of meditation in their lives and some people find it a way to help them focus at the poker tables.
Often, these players will meditate on breaks but on occasion, you will find a player that will do brief periods of mediation at the table. Some will walk away from the table to find some time to meditate and refocus.
Music
Some players accomplish this with the aid of music or something else to help keep them occupied at the table. Many with ADD or ADHD are multi-taskers and can do so efficiently. This is how they keep themselves interested and focused while at the table.
Poker can be a very boring game and while you are supposed to be able to pick up information during every hand, the truth is that after a while you will have enough of a handle on everyone’s play that you don’t have to really focus that much.
Books or Tablets
Some people need to multi-task while playing poker and these are those that you will see constantly on their tablets, smartphones, or reading a book. This is something that they are doing to keep themselves occupied between hands.
In locations where it is legal, some will play online poker. Others will read poker strategy books or poker literature to pass the time. Regardless, they are doing something to keep letting their mind wander.
Frequent Breaks
You will also notice that some players tend to be wanderers during games. Some people will mistake these wanderings as the player trying to milk some extra comp money or they’re trying to tie up the game.
The main way to tell the difference is how they play when they get back. Do they sit in for a few hands or for a while and hardly play before leaving? Do they come back, wait for the blind, and then play super tight? Or do they come back, post, and then play solid poker.
The last one mentioned is likely someone that has to wander a bit to be able to refocus. Some people cannot sit still for very long, even if they love the game. They have to go do something else for a while and come back. Watch how they play when they get back and this will help you determine their intentions with their wanderings.
People with ADD or ADHD are able to do most things that people without those conditions can. The difference is that they may have to adjust how they participate in order to be able to take part. There is always more than one way to do something, and they just have to take a different path. Poker really is a game for everyone. If you have ADD or ADHD, don’t let it stop you from playing. Instead, work on a way to keep yourself focused on the game.
