Dear Poker Counselor,
I'm pretty sure that I'm dealing with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). I struggled through school with inattention, fidgeting, inability to stay focused, and disorganization. These same things that hurt me when I was a kid are now hurting me at the poker tables, either online or in live casinos. My home games are even worse, as there seems to be even more distractions to hamper my play. Now that I'm looking to raise my game to the next level, I'm considering talking to my doctor about getting Ritalin or other medications. What do you think?
-Steve Harris in Nevada

Dear Steve,
Decisions like this involve a lot of thought and a lot of research. You are accurate in turning primarily to your physician in order to gain insights into this situation. Only your doctor should give you the medical advice to address this issue. As the Poker Counselor, I advise you to remember the intrapersonal factors within your problem: the way that you think about yourself, your concentration, and medicating may be influencing you and your play. It is vitally important that you break down your thinking in order to help you and your doctor come to an appropriate resolution while improving your performance at the tables.

First, it is certainly hasty to diagnose yourself as an individual suffering from ADD. Like all medical and mental health disorders, there are stringent criteria that must be met, and observable symptoms that must be noted, before any person is diagnosed with this disorder. Although you do mention some of the key symptoms in your question, their presence does not guarantee that you need medications to control those symptoms. ADD is widely recognized as one of the most over-diagnosed and over-treated medical and mental health issues today in children and teens. This trend has started to be more prevalent with adults, too. It is imperative that you be open and honest with your doctor to assure accurate diagnosis and help.

Remember that ADD medicinal treatments, and many other medications related to mental health issues, should not be seen as "cure-all's." Some people expect Ritalin (or any of the numerous ADD medicinal treatments on the market today) to take away all the symptoms of ADD, just as an Aspirin is supposed to rid the patient of a headache. Instead, treatments for ADD are aides in the battle to overcome the negative symptoms that accompany ADD. Even if you take some pills for problems with inattention, much of the work involved in focusing, concentrating, and controlling yourself still squarely fall on the power of your own mind and determination.

Since you've been battling the symptoms since you were a boy, you may have fallen into the trap of thinking that this is not beatable. You may have mentally and emotionally resigned to the fact that you will "never" be able to sit and concentrate for long periods. This type of thinking will ruin any chance of prolonged success at the poker table. I challenge you to actively change that negative thinking. Harness your thoughts, re-energize your selfconfidence, and truly believe that you can indeed stay focused, concentrate, and sustain play at the top of your game. Set steadily progressing goals to that end, perhaps trying to move from 20 consecutive minutes of solid, in-tune play to 30 minutes by the end of this week. Give yourself a visual cue or ritual that will remind you of your quest to stay focused, such as thinking of the word "focus" every time you place the marker on top of your hole cards.
v Whether or not you and your doctor choose a treatment to go with your new skills of positive thinking, you will be successful at the tables by utilizing your determination, confidence, and positive energies to their optimal levels. Now go make it happen. In addition to being an avid poker enthusiast, John