Fighting Games and ADHD/Bipolar

Hello guys. New to the forums, not new to fighting games, although what I have to talk about makes it look as such.

I have a learning disability associated with me having ADHD and Bipolar disorder. Basically it’s like having a good computer, but it’s flooded with bad data. I feel like these things get in the way of everything. I always get to a certain point when learning things in, say, SFV, but then anything past that point doesn’t stick. I put in so much work and nothing comes out of it because of this crap.

So my question to you all is:

  1. Do you have ADHD or Bipolar Disorder?
  2. What do you do to make it not so detrimental to your game, life, etc.?

This is all assuming it’s untreated but yes, I do know I need to get it checked out, I just don’t have the time or money.

I don’t mean for this to be a sad post or anything. I just need some insight from anyone who suffers from this as well.

1 Like

I’m gonna be blunt, if it’s untreated, get it treated. I know finances aren’t good, but there are options for low income people to get treated for psychiatric issues, and some areas will even have options for people who fall in the cracks (make enough to not need medical assistance cards, but don’t make enough to pay for their treatment or get insurance). I’d search around, even ask around the community you’re in if possible. As far as time, MAKE TIME. I’m not even joking on that and I’m going to challenge you here. There is nothing that should be a priority over your mental health and thus you should make time to go get this taken care of. I know that doesn’t tell you WHAT to do exactly, but I want you to at least try to find a way to get treated. There’s always a way.

Take a look at Dutch Boyd in professional poker. He had a psychiatric breakdown in the middle of the WSOP one year, and came back better after getting treated.

Hope that helps.

@Lawd_Blanket Bipolar disorder has nothing to do with your ability to play fighting games. It’s just a mental illness that does indeed need to be treated. For ADHD, you need a stimulant. Adderall or something like that would be best but if you can’t get to a doctor or afford the medication, start drinking coffee or other things with a lot of caffeine in them. Have you ever had a couple cups of coffee and felt like you were able to focus on things for a long period of time or sit still? That’s what it is. I have ADD which is a little different from ADHD but Adderall helps me out a lot. I find I can sit and practice in training mode like a normal person. Some people feel like Adderall is “cheating” but it only is if you don’t have ADD or ADHD. For people with those problems, it just brings you to the focus level or a normal functioning persons brain. The first time I took Adderall I fell asleep because it slowed my mind down from going 100 miles and hour and my brain was finally able to “rest”.

I do know that people with bipolar disorder tend to self-destruct more in things that are high pressure. So when you’re in a do or die feeling over a set and lose, you’ll often self-destruct more and breakdown more than someone that doesn’t have that issue.

But beyond that, it affects and permeates every part of your life to where it’s difficult to even function, or at times function, and at other times feel like it’s barely enough to get out of bed. Bearing in mind that OP is likely not going to go pro, the fact that the basics of life become almost impossible…this needs to be priority one.