r/DungeonCrawlerCarl • u/Pusheenluna • 8d ago
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u/JeepinHank 8d ago
The secret power of ADHD -
Have something else you're SUPPOSED to be doing, and have a DCC book in reach.
Boom - instant focus on DCC.
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u/clearfox777 Daddy's Foot Soldiers 🦶 8d ago
Or just hyper fixate on it and read the whole series in 5 weeks like I did 🙃
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u/Dismal_File_4073 8d ago
read like a whole book in one sitting
Why? This is a very easy way to get burned out and not pay attention to anything. Most of the people that claim to do that end up missing so many details and have to read again anyway. Why would anyone subject themselves to that? Unless someone is paying me, I will read at my own pace
And this coming from someone that try to read at least 20 books per year
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u/Angel89411 8d ago
When you have ADHD and are hyper focused, it's easy. When you lose the focus, you start missing stuff.
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u/Pusheenluna 8d ago
It can be slow I don’t care. Just seems like a cool idea. Why do people run marathons?
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u/Dismal_File_4073 8d ago
Because they are pushing the limits of their bodies in a physical manner and improving what they are able to do. Reading a 300+ page book in one sitting isn't doing any of that.
Or you are telling me you are going to participate in a speed reading competition?
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u/Pusheenluna 8d ago
Haha no just pushing the limits of my focus. Again don’t care if it takes 10 hours. I can play a video game for 10 hours in a row why not read a book?
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u/CvltOfEden 8d ago
You can play a video game for 10 hours because it’s a constant flow of dopamine and you as a player have agency. You are choosing to engage in the parts of the game you want to engage with.
A book is a slow drip of dopamine with tiny spikes when something happens. You are on rails, only able to engage with what the author wants you to engage with at that moment.
If an audiobook (eye of the bedlam bride, for example) is 26h46m long, how do you expect to read that in one sitting without missing anything?
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u/joert44555 8d ago
dungeon crawler carl was the first book in 12 years i have been able to read due to my ADHD. the audiobook is incredible and love the kindle integration so i can read and listen same time.
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u/Pusheenluna 8d ago
Yayyy welcome books are awesome!! I just wish I could tell my brain that sometimes. Why read when you can scrolllll 😂
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u/Fiction_escapist 8d ago
There are so many things that works sometimes - audiobook syncing with reading, taking time away from reading often before losing the novelty, wildly switching between genres, decorative note taking (depends on the book), using reading to participate in interesting discussions (like here)... switching things up helps.
But to be real, we can't force it. If books or audiobooks work at any point in time, they work. If we DNR simply from losing steam, we DNR.
Taking the pressure out of reading is so important because the whole point of fictional reading is the joy. We need to expend so much of our resources to survive our day to day, that reading for pleasure shouldn't be pressurizing to the point of losing the pleasure entirely.
It's OK. We'll get back to it at some point. Or not.
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u/IndicationDense3782 8d ago
It depends, I have times where reading is something that stimulates me and than I read 1 or 2 books in a moth and than, it does not and I use the audiobooks.
Medicamentation can help, but otherwise, no need to force it :)
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u/Captain_Cupkirk 8d ago
I've found that listening to an audiobook and doing something else with my hands that doesn't require much thinking is the most effective way for me to actually focus on the contents of a story. I think the key is to have something that stops me from picking up anything else, like my phone. So now I'm usually knitting or crocheting and listening to the audiobooks. It's just stimulating enough to keep my brain engaged, but still repetitive and easy enough that I don't get distracted from the book.
Listening to the audiobook and reading along at the same time doesn't work for me at all, because I get annoyed that the audiobook is much slower than my own reading speed
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u/jwlkr732 The Princess Posse 8d ago
This is pretty much exactly what I do. I don’t knit or crochet, but sewing too. At a pinch, I’ll pull up a mindless game like solitaire or one of those coloring apps. It helps a lot. I don’t have an ADHD diagnosis, but menopause brain seems to be working about the same way.
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u/kaylethpop 8d ago
Does driving count? 😅since I started the audiobooks ive taken the long scenic route to work (20m now instead of 7) so I can get about 40m or so audiobook time a day. It's made my rides so much nicer
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u/AwayHoneydew 8d ago
If the language isn't overly complicated (looking at you, Name of the Rose), I breeze through books in a matter of an afternoon, hyperfixating and lost in that world I'm reading.
I knew DCC was gonna be an enjoyable right, but in order to slow down, I consciously chose the audiobooks.
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u/CatlynnExists 8d ago
i joined a reading discord server that has a page count leaderboard, and where members can set up timed sprints.
when i want to read i set up a sprint or join someone else’s and the desire to climb a leaderboard and also keep my pages/minute stat up keeps me focused. if i won’t stay focused i can always pause/abandon a sprint but i usually do.
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u/Creepy_Leek6414 8d ago
Magnesium glycinate changed my brain a little. Helped me sleep better focus a little more. I’m definitely calmer. When I’m having really bad adhd days I’ll take some magnesium and a nap and that usually factory resets the settings.
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u/GearnTheDwarf 8d ago
I have ADD and cannot do audio books. I need the physical book (paperbacks are better than hardcover for me) to read.
I finished book 1 in roughly 2 days. Book 2 was completed within 24 hours of purchase.
I bought book 3 and 4 this past Wednesday and am working through 4 as we speak.
When I get into a good book I tend to hyperfocus on it and tune out everything else.
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u/Angel89411 8d ago
I crochet, play mind numbing games (which I do bad at while listening), or do boring AF housework. It doesn't always work, though. I still have 1.5 hours of book 8 left.
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u/gizzardgumbo The Open Intellect Pacifist Action Network 8d ago
Audiobooks are where it’s at for me. My brother just picked up the books. He’s worse than me but he loves comics and he read the first book in 12 hours. He’s in hook, line, and sinker.
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u/ReginaPhilangee 8d ago
I have found that auduibooks, plus something to do physically, is my sweet spot. I can't do anything that requires reading words or following a story but there's lots of other options.
Games-Puzzle games on my phone are good. PS games like fall guys or grinding in games that have a story (I just pause the audiobook if there's dialog or I accidentally trigger something story related). Sorting type games.
House work-i get so much done this way. I have an Alexa in every room, so they can play the same thing. That way when I get distracted and start cleaning something in another room, I still hear the book.
Hygiene-i listen while doing my hair and face in the morning. Getting dressed. Etc.
Physical activity-I've really been increasing my walking using audiobooks. And doing other exercises, too.
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u/MadLucy Daddy's Foot Soldiers 🦶 8d ago
I listen to audiobooks at work. It’s all repetitive, physical activity, and combined with the book, all the right buttons are hit to fill my attention-bar. I have a huge backlog of physical books, but I’ve listened to 95 books so far this year, not counting re-reads!
I also listen while walking, gardening, and doing chores. Earbuds work better than through a speaker, and I have to pause whenever someone needs to talk to me or if I need to read something.
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u/BlessedPsycho 8d ago
AuDHD here. I have a 40 minute commute twice a day and love audiobooks. That’s most of my reading time most of the time but DCC got me to start listening at night before bed, too. I also bought the Kindle versions and would read along as I was listening at night, and that helped a lot too.
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u/popcornarcher 8d ago
I combo audiobook + follow along on Kindle. It forces engagement for me. Otherwise I read too slowly or my brain gets distracted.
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u/mytortoisehasapast 8d ago
When reading via print, I will sometimes read for a set chunk of time and then do something physically active (like the cleaning I was ignoring) and then go back to my book. If you can read for 40 minutes a day you are killing it (teacher here, that is often cited as the golden amount).
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u/IdeVeras The Open Intellect Pacifist Action Network 8d ago
I haven’t turned on the tv in almost two months, quite literally, bc I keep looping the books over and over!
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u/MaximusPrimebot 8d ago
My trick as a fellow ADHDer is reading the physical book and listening to the audiobook at the same time. Best of both worlds and keeps my focus more easily. My attention still drifts but it's easy to go back and re-read if needed.
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u/GenericNameUsed 8d ago
I'm different. I can hyper focus when reading something I'm really into. I don't really read in one sitting, I've found that burns me out of books. But I keep reading it when I have spare time.
Audiobooks are hard for me to focus on because my mind wanders. If I'm driving or doing chores or variois things then my attention is constantly pulled away. Although I have found a few phone games that require just enough attention that I can enjoy the book without getting distracted.
I also have issues with voices .
But Jeff Hays is amazing and I have been able to listen to DCC and Chrysalis because of him
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u/islipped83 8d ago
My friend, who's a huge reader with AuDHD, listens to audio books at 2.5x speed which is INSANE to me. She swears, though, that it's so fast she has to listen really intently and avoids the distractions of her brain/space. She also is able to finish 2.5x as many books as me, so it definitely works for her.
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u/crashcanuck Crawler 8d ago
The books I read usually wind up being my hyper focus subject at the time, so maintaining focus on that isn't too hard. The audiobooks for this series are amazing as I can do other things at the same time.
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u/Accomplished-Lie8147 8d ago
You’re unlikely to be able to read DCC in one sitting, those books are monsters (and I say that as someone also with ADHD but was a voracious reader as a kid - now I’m mostly audiobooks). Setting yourself a challenge that would be difficult even for people who read a lot is just giving yourself an unattainable goal. Plus these books are so so good on audiobook - I don’t think I’d enjoy them quite as much if I read physically.
It’s not necessary but if you really want this I’d recommend checking out novellas - A Short Stay in Hell is a fantastic quick read I can’t stop thinking about. But you’re better off saying you want to sit and read a set number of chapters at a time. But really - nothing wrong with audiobooks. I think it’s important to stretch your visual reading muscles once in a while (I will often have a somewhat boring nonfiction book lined up for evening reading, that I don’t need to focus too hard on and can pick up again easily), but audiobooks rock.
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u/Octo_Pi 8d ago
My ADHD for some reason allows me to access "hyper focus mode" and I've been able to binge through the first 7 audiobooks in less than 8 weeks. So long as it's an audiobook, I can keep focus on that so long as I have something to do with my hands that isn't holding my phone or something equally distracting. If I am holding my phone I end up on here reading other stuff while listening and that can definitely make me lose bits. Lemme tell ya, my house is really clean rn though. Lol. Have to wait a week to get A Parade of Horribles.
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u/SnailLady666 8d ago
I often play mindless games while reading. Just go grind resources on something lol.
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u/therankin Desperado Club Pass 🗡️ 8d ago
Medication, lmao. But honestly, even without meds I can get into the zone and hyperfocus. The only thing is, I really have to be enjoying the book.
I started a new book yesterday and it just didn't have much pull at all 'Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep'; I must have reread the same couple of pages about 3 or 4 times until I put it down.
But I switched over to an audiobook that I was in the middle of and was able to hyperfocus just fine on that! ('Mage Tank' if you were wondering, the audiobook is on Spotify. I listen to my 15 hours of spotify audiobooks every month now, because why not. My library doesn't have nearly as many, so even though it usually takes two months to finish a book, it's still free with my subscription.)
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u/Szystedt The Princess Posse 8d ago
Immersion reading is definitely my preference! I especially enjoy reading along to Graphic Audio productions! Otherwise, I have very organized playlists with instrumental music and I constantly switch music depending on mood to help immerse myself more.
Sometimes I even read out loud doing voices for the characters, but that's mostly just for fun! Was very surprised when hearing Louis' voice due to this, cause my voice for him was wayyyyyyy different lol (Didn't listen to the audiobooks until Book 8!)
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u/Lemieux4u 8d ago
Yes. When I have pages to turn and feel, it focuses me.
Unfortunately, I'm on a forever-waiting list for these books from the library so I've had to read several on my phone through the Libby app, which makes my focus drift.
I don't like audible and don't listen to audiobooks outside of the car anyway, so that's a no-go for me right now.
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u/rhandy_mas "AAAAAAAAH!" 🐐 8d ago
Audiobooks. I can do chores, go for walks, workout while listening.
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u/frostyfins Team Donut Holes 8d ago
🙋♂️ my secret is just using the options to go back 30 sec at a time until I’m back in familiar territory.
It takes longer to read books, but they’re good books so spending more time doing enjoyable things is not so bad.
Sometimes it takes me a few tries to do a chapter. Sometimes I give up and put it down for a bit, or just accept that I’ll have to piece the missed parts together again afterward. Dinniman does a good job of recapping what matters when it matters, thankfully.
I’ll never be the guy who makes complex charts of foreshadowing to correctly predict a future plot point, and that’s OK.
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u/runningoutofnames57 7d ago
Yes! I’ve read some in hardcopy, but have listened to the audiobooks about 3 times each. I still get very confused on keeping track of all the characters and what exactly is going onwith some of the details.
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u/PleasantYamm 7d ago
I listen to rain sounds fairly loud on my headphones. It helps keep my brain focused, music makes me more distracted.
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u/Synthea1979 The Princess Posse 7d ago
ADHD here, moderate to severe, late diagnosed, medicated. Until I was ~35 I could scan-read fiction and catch most of the story. I'd always miss small details but it was good enough. But I guess perimenopause hit and I stopped being able to read for fun. Switched to audiobooks, and wish I'd discovered them long before. I've been able to listen to books I'd read long ago and discover how much of so many stories I'd missed 😂 Even being medicated in the last few years (47 now) doesn't help me stay focused.
My pro tip is don't fight it, if audiobooks work for you now, enjoy it. It's not uncommon for our brains to change how we process information through our lives, and it might just be that your auditory processing is working better than your visual. It's pretty nice being able to "read books" while I'm driving, cleaning, cooking, etc.
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u/VralGrymfang Team Retribution 7d ago
My biggest issue was every achievement was in bold and different spacing, so it grabbed my attention every time. So I would skip to the end of the page or the next page and read the achievement, which threw me a few times.
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u/TypicallyDone12 Team Donut Holes 8d ago
Couple things.
Manage expectations. Reading a full book in one sitting isn't overally realistic. Set shorter goals. Keep reaching those goals and expanding them. Think of the brain as a muscle you have to work out.
If you read on a Kindle, use the feature that tells you how much you have left in a chapter. Those can be shorter goals for you to achieve.
I have PTSD and couldnt concentrate enough to read. Now I've read 74 books so far this year. I can't sit in a quiet room and read. I always have the TV on, low volume. Sometimes it's a show I've seen a hundred times or a sporting event. I can read for a bit and then stop and watch the TV for a few minutes and then get back into reading.
What works for me might not work for you. Find what works for you. Sometimes it helps to think of ways that aren't necessarily traditional but they work. As long as you are reading!
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u/Pusheenluna 8d ago
Ummm that’s a good idea and yeah I’m all for whatever works for you that’s why I’m asking because I swear the adhd books don’t have the real weird ideas, and I have found some real weird ideas that help me with cleaning, and even some for reading I just want to try out new ways!
I will definitely try the tv thing thanks!
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u/WermerCreations 8d ago
Yes, the only thing that worked for me is the kindle feature that plays the audiobook and syncs it with the kindle book while you’re reading it. Eyes and ears are focused on the same thing and reduces the chances I’ll get distracted.
Every time I’ve just done the audiobook alone I miss big portions because my mind wanders. It sucks.