The ADHD Demigod

Today’s New York Times has a nice article on Michael Phelps as the new face of ADHD. Shortly after the Olympics, many fans wrote me with the observation that Phelps, as an incredibly gifted swimmer with ADHD, was probably a son of Poseidon. It’s hard to argue with that! In the Percy Jackson books, I describe ADHD as a survival skill — the ability to focus on everything around you and react with lightning reflexes. While my books are of course fiction, the NYT article takes a similar tack. Can ADHD be a blessing as well as a challenge? Phelps is a good case study, and it’s nice to hear ADHD described as a difference rather than a disease.