Wednesday, February 24, 2010
What Percy Jackson and the Olympians Can Teach Us about ADHD
When you watch a movie you have the power to suspend reality and imagine anything you want: nothing is impossible. You can even be a demigod with ADHD and dyslexia.
In the debut movie “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” Percy is a 17 year old high school boy with ADHD and dyslexia struggling with school, and getting into lots of trouble. Unbeknownst to him, he is also the son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.
The character Percy illustrates the real-life paradox facing individuals with ADHD and dyslexia. He has unique strengths that are way above average but also has some noticeable weaknesses. I have worked as an ADHD coach for over 10 years, and found often that there is no middle ground for ADDers. Percy’s ability to get things done in some situations is superior, and in other situations is very inferior.
