I know that climbing "inappropriately" (which I take to mean anything, anywhere, anytime) is one of the tell-tale signs of AD(H)D.

I am a fanatical climber (rock, ice, trees, walls). Although I was always climbing trees as a kid I was also afraid of heights pretty badly. But then I started climbing more than 10 years ago, officially that is -- learning about gear, ropes, how to rock climb without killing myself (hopefully), and from the start I just found it incredibly satisfying and have gradually overcome the worst of my fear of heights. Only recently have I been dxed with ADD and it struck me instantly that there is a connection between the two.

I have two questions for everyone out there:
- Who else is a climber?
- Anybody have any comments on what's so attractive to AD(H)D types that we love to climb stuff?

-g

I've had ADD all my life.
I used to climb trees when I was a kid.
I developed a fear of heights in my early 20's, after cheating death 3x prior to that time.
I'm not afraid to fall, I'm afraid to hit. :D
So, count me out.
I can't go higher than 8ft (on a ladder).
Plus, I'm on meds that make me dizzy.
Very contraindicated for climbers. :faint:

Hmm.. not sure about climbing. Than again, my ADD is the inattentive type..

I say anything that allows physical activity is always a draw for ADDers.

I have two questions for everyone out there:
- Who else is a climber?
- Anybody have any comments on what's so attractive to AD(H)D types that we love to climb stuff?

I only climb furniture,-LOL! Although I do not do high rock climbing I do enjoy a strenuous hike that involves some climbing. I am also very good at climbing trees even at 40+. My male partner {45+} has been known the climb trees with running chain saws. . . .

Some “experts” have linked ADD with a higher risk of risky behaviors like drug addiction but only because those “experts” never have bothered to look at those of us who have more healthy “risk” associated activities.

Personally I think it is a combination effect that may draw you to climbing

Risk
Physical activity
Motion

All three increase my focus and mental clarity , especially if they occur simultaneously.

I am ADHD = primarily hyperactive

My male partner {45+} has been known the climb trees with running chain saws. . . .
LOL! Must be hyperactive subtype.

The high stimulus and risk is certainly a factor. But the physical activity and motion is different for me than in other activities -- maybe it has to do with using your entire body. I imagine that gymnastics, martial arts or yoga might have the same kind of draw.

-g

I'm inattentive.. but as a kid, always climbing things... just, slowly! Not for the adrenaline rush, but for peace and oneness with nature, and treehugging. Now I'm old and fat and I haven't been up a tree in ten years. Damn, I gotta do something about that.

Lol! I'm inattentive, anxious, risk averse (for the most part; I do love roller coasters and things that are "safe" but I lost my sense of invincibility at a very early age). I did my share of tree-climbing, but grew out of it relatively quickly.

Yet I climb now (top-rope only and ATM indoors only) and love it. For me, it's the mental challenge as well as the physical. I have a drive to get to the top of the wall, and I'm constantly thinking about my next move, where my feet should be, where my hands should be. There's a definite goal, and I want to reach it; there's tangible progress (most of the time) and a satisfying end-point. I have to say this is the first sport that I'm actually addicted to.

I climbed indoors 2x a week for months to get ready for my move to Colorado, where I figured I'd do some outdoor climbing. I hung out with a big group of people that loved to hike and camp but not climb, so I'd go scrambling/bouldering along the trails while they hiked. I still have my equipment: brand-new nuts and hexes, La Sportiva shoes, Petzl harness, a bunch of carabiners/quickdraws but no top-rope. I had planned on taking some climbing classes to learn proper top-rope setup, but never followed thru (story of my life).

I got married, had kids, gained some lbs and haven't touched the stuff in a long time. I did bring my neices to an indoor gym last summer and fit into my shoes (but not the harness unfortunately) and found that I'm way out of practice. But I miss it and still hope to get back into it sometime soon. I miss how it got me into the best shape of my life, and the problem solving (exactly as TygerSan described).

Life does, unfortunately, sometimes get in the way of climbing... If you are now in Connecticut, you must not be that far from the White Mountains. Awesome climbing to be had up there, and you can take a course with a guide service for a refresher that doesn't require you to do all the leading yourself. I did a winter mountaineering course with IME this past December and learned a ton.
-g

My parents say I learned to climb before I learned to walk. Not little climbing either; balcony ledges, windows, bookcases on occasion (still have the scar)

There are questions on ADD screening tests that assess "risky behaviour" such as an affinity for "extreme sports" or other types of risky behaviour that is legal or not. I do believe certain types of climbing can be classified as "extreme sports". So I would not be shocked at all if someone told me there was a connection between climbing and ADD.

I don't rock or ice climb myself (although I want to try it someday) but I climbed trees a lot when I was young. It sure seemed easy to swing up into a tree when i was twelve...now I can barely hang from a branch, let alone move around and climb it!

I worked with a guy who was ADD and an avid climber...and snowbaorder...and who knows what else...he was very hyperactive/impulsive type and didn't work here very long because of it.

I used to climb tress so damned much that my step dad cut off all of the lower limbs of the trees in my yard so i would stop...and that ended my life as a monkey...

I love to climb! And I can do it fast. When i was a baby my poor mother gave up, and was always afraid her friends would call CPS on her because i liked to climb up and sit on the mantle above the fire place (this was at 18 months). By that point she had given up because every time she tried to get me down/off/whatever, I would just climb back up or find something else to climb.

Even now when I get drunk I might climb a tree or two. Which maybe is weird since I'm inattentive primarily.

scatter-g- What is IME? I haven't heard of the White Mountains but I'll check that out. Only moved here last May/June, so I'm not very familiar with the ranges and trails...yet. I'd really like to take a class on setting top-rope anchors (maybe after I lose a few lbs).

I am somewhat afraid of heights, so rock climbing at first was a bit scary. The worst was climbing at a gym in Normal, Illinois, in a silo. Looking down from the top was a bit un-nerving. My 2yr old son is a natural climber so I hope to build an outdoor wall in our backyard someday.

What is IME?International Mountain Equipment -- a gear shop in North Conway, NH. They run a whole range of courses through their climbing school -- called IMCS (Interntional Mountain Climbing School).

I haven't heard of the White MountainsOK, I can forgive that if you just moved east from the Rockies ;)

The whites are the home of Mount Washington, and there is a ton of great climbing there on granite, plus ice and mountaineering routes in the winter.

google "international mountain climbing school" -- you'll find all the info on them plus a bunch of pictures of the white mountains there.

Yeah, climbing used to scare the crap out of me too. It's only in the last couple of years that I've gotten used to being up high and looking down, or trusting the gear, so I know that I am tied in correctly, and that the anchor I am attached to won't pop off.

-g

I know that climbing "inappropriately" (which I take to mean anything, anywhere, anytime) is one of the tell-tale signs of AD(H)D.

I am a fanatical climber (rock, ice, trees, walls). Although I was always climbing trees as a kid I was also afraid of heights pretty badly. But then I started climbing more than 10 years ago, officially that is -- learning about gear, ropes, how to rock climb without killing myself (hopefully), and from the start I just found it incredibly satisfying and have gradually overcome the worst of my fear of heights. Only recently have I been dxed with ADD and it struck me instantly that there is a connection between the two.

I have two questions for everyone out there:
- Who else is a climber?
- Anybody have any comments on what's so attractive to AD(H)D types that we love to climb stuff?

-g
Wow never new this was a trait. I climbed EVERYTHING as a kid - counters, cars, trees, mailboxes, light posts, my house, other houses,

When I was older my best friend (diagnosed with ADHD) and I (not yet dx'd) used to rock climb, ski, hike, camp, and mountain bike like crazy. We could climb rocks that were sixty feet with no ropes - not a smart move at all, in retrospect. Once, we even broke into a swimming pool at night, stole the lane line roap, and then used the lane line rope with a free carabiner from the Marlboro boxtops to rappell from an eighty foot bridge - another really bad idea.

I havent climbed much anymore but i always still have the urge when I look at, well, anything.

Once, we even broke into a swimming pool at night, stole the lane line roap, and then used the lane line rope with a free carabiner from the Marlboro boxtops to rappell from an eighty foot bridge - another really bad idea.That's awesome -- glad you didn't get hurt...

The stupidest thing I ever climbed (in retrospect) was a bunch of bridges in NYC. Once I even dragged a date up the Manhattan bridge, up a 100+ foot ladder on the inner face of the tower, at night, slightly drunk, no rope, and a slight chance of getting arrested (it was in the mid 80's when there was no such thing as homeland security -- you could never get away with it now). She was a trooper and climbed up there with me. :D

Had never even heard of ADD in those days.

-g

LOL! Must be hyperactive subtype.



Resident male shows many signs of hyperactive ADD, I have been diagnosed as ADD primarly hyperactive and he makes me look like I am standing still.