Camp ADHD – ADHD surprise

Camp ADHD was held a week and a half ago. If you missed it, don’t worry, they’re working on preserving the sessions through video and the written word. But I am sorry to have to tell you that nothing will replace the feeling of actually being there.

I was asked to be one of several speakers for the day. I was happy to accept and put together a presentation that was meaningful. As the camp was scheduled to begin a bit earlier in the day than I typically wake up, I intended to join in to just listen to the presentation before mine, give mine, and then return to my typical day.

As luck would have it, I woke up exceptionally early that day. So I was there when the camp opened. I was there when we watched Dani Donovan’s personalized message for us. I was there when Tanya gave her wonderful presentation on telling others about having ADHD. Then I gave my presentation.

And I stayed on the rest of the day.

Camp ADHD drew together around 150 people from around the world. People with diverse backgrounds and stories, and many different reasons why we came. But we all received the same thing when we got there.

Connection.

I’ve been part of the ADHD community for just over six months now, ever since I first joined Twitter and was immediately welcomed in and shown the way that we care for and lift up one another. But Camp ADHD brought this to a level I hadn’t experienced before.

Perhaps it was the stark contrast with Covid. Literally everything in my life has been shut down to some degree or other since March. This canceled nearly all social events and severed nearly all of my social connections. But that Camp ADHD Saturday I was connected with people who understood me. People who struggle with my struggles and who have the same fears and share many of the same problems. Being at Camp ADHD was being with Family.

So this is my thank you. Thank you to the organizers of Camp ADHD – Halo, Abby, Ana, and Gwilym. Thank you for bringing us all together–for having a vision of what this could be and making it happen. You orchestrated the single most important event that I’ve experienced since learning of my diagnosis, and in doing so you have given me an experience I could have received nowhere else. It’s a feeling I want to hang onto and an event I want to have happen again and again.

The song is admittedly cheesy…but also accurate.

I reached out to the other speakers from that day and have messages from a couple of them as well, which I’ll post below:

From Tanya | Twitter | Instagram
I was so excited to talk at Camp ADHD; such a fantastic idea, and wonderful to watch it all come together. I felt thoroughly supported and appreciated at every step, from chucking ideas around by email to on-the-day getting ready and setting up. The organisers were all so helpful and friendly, and provided such a welcoming platform to share thoughts and ideas – it felt really holistic and the energy was so positive. I can’t wait for the next one!!

From George | Twitter
In my humble opinion, this was one of the most well organised, fun, and life-enriching events I’ve ever attended (both on- and off-line). The attendees numbered over 100, and included YouTubers, ADHD advocates, people from all four-corners of the globe (as one of the organisers put it), and I am both humbled and honoured to have been given the opportunity to speak at the event. I’ve connected with so many more people during and since the event, both through social media and by virtue of having simply listened to their story during the event. I have no doubts in my mind that the next CampADHD will be just as good, if not better.