Winning Against ADHD: A Game-Based Method for Teenagers and Young Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit/hyperactivity syndrome (ADHD) is very common today, but it is not a sentence and not a reason to give up. People with ADHD often struggle to hold concentration for long, to work through new material, to maintain order, and to build relationships with those around them—so school, work, and self-esteem suffer as a result. Grace Friedman, who lives with this diagnosis herself, and Sarah Cheiett—doctor and a specialist in helping children and teenagers with ADHD—joined their experience and created a practical guide for those who want to understand the specifics of the syndrome and learn to live with it confidently.

In the book “Winning Over ADHD,” you’ll find effective game-based techniques that help train attention, manage stress and strong feelings, improve school and study results, and communicate more easily. Among the tasks these methods address are preparing for tests and writing reports (where time planning matters), organizing the learning process, maintaining order in chores and belongings, and preventing procrastination that arises from fear of not making it in time or not coping.

The authors also explain what approaches are used in ADHD treatment, how the brain and nervous system work, and which self-regulation and developmental skills help succeed in school, college, and beyond. The central idea of the book is to learn how to get what you want and build a full life even if ADHD remains your feature: goals are achievable, and progress is real.

What this book is about: in simple, clear language, it explains what ADHD is and offers playful practices that you can use like step-by-step instructions for anyone who wants to handle everyday challenges. Inside—many sincere stories from the authors and from teenagers with ADHD; most of them show how success can be achieved at home, in school, and in friendship. Readers feel supported and accepted: they are understood, believed in, and helped not to give up.

Why you should read it: teenagers and young adults with ADHD often find it hard to stay organized, to juggle studies and home responsibilities, to prepare for exams in advance, and to handle deadlines calmly. Difficulties with self-expression and communication with peers are often added, and anxiety—“I won’t be able to cope”—only increases stress. This book helps you understand something important: you are not to blame for the features of your mind and nervous system, and you can’t “redo yourself by willpower.” But you can choose tools that help you keep your life under control, plan, follow through on what you intended, and move toward your dream without turning ADHD into an obstacle.

Who it’s for: first and foremost for high school students, college students, and other young people diagnosed with ADHD; it will also be useful for those who notice certain separate manifestations. The book is especially helpful if you often get distracted even by important things, miss deadlines due to planning difficulties, put tasks off, can’t maintain order, act impulsively, and then regret what you said or did.

Why this book was published: attitudes toward ADHD are often extreme—some reduce the problem to a “lack of discipline,” while others immediately suggest only medication. Here another approach is chosen: no labels and judgments, just clear ways to provide support. If small children still get help from parents, then teenagers and students are expected to be independent—and that is especially hard with ADHD. Grace Friedman received her diagnosis at 12 and knows these difficulties from the inside; as a specialist, Sarah Cheiett has been helping children and young people for many years. Together they wrote a honest, living, humane book that is easy to read, with advice that is clear and doable for both teens and adults.

About the authors: Grace Friedman learned about her ADHD at 12 and experienced the same challenges she describes. At 22, she speaks up for young people with ADHD as an author and blogger and created the ADDYTeen.com community, which is read daily by people around the world. She wrote her first book, “Embracing Your ADHD” (“Hugging Your ADHD”), at 15; it was downloaded from the website thousands of times. Grace shares her personal experience, energy, and working approaches that helped her achieve success.

Sarah Cheiett is a Doctor of Medicine and an expert in working with children with ADHD. She graduated from Princeton, then attended medical school at UCLA, received a scholarship in pediatric neurology, and runs a private practice. In her work she uses both medication and non-medication methods, carefully evaluates their pros and cons, and where possible emphasizes psychological adaptation and self-regulation skills. She lives near San Francisco with her husband and four children.

Key topics: ADHD, teens and students, attention and hyperactivity, behavior, emotions and feelings, emotional intelligence, psychology, and self-regulation.