You know that moment when your brain checks out halfway through a task and just whispers, “Quit quit”? Yeah, we do too. In this episode of Spicy Brain, Michelle and Megan take a deep dive into the ADHD experience of emotional overload, where motivation crashes without warning and quitting mid-task is a form of self-preservation, not laziness.

They explore what happens when burnout and masking collide, how even small routines can become emotionally charged, and why sometimes it takes a metaphorical fire alarm to get moving again. Alongside the insights, you’ll hear Megan’s memorable confession about staying in bed just a little too long. She completes the story with a bathroom floor emergency and the kind of humor that only ADHD folks can truly appreciate.

Our favorite line from the episode is: You never laid in bed so long that you kinda piddled yourself???

00:00 – What even is a "quit quit"?
03:10 – ADHD burnout and the freeze response
06:30 – When motivation needs a siren to kick in
10:15 – Bedtime avoidance and bladder betrayal
15:40 – Emotional masking and the crash that follows
19:00 – How shame fuels the spiral
23:45 – Interrupting the loop with humor and honesty
Follow the show, share this episode with your favorite “quit quitter,” and leave a review so more spicy brains can find us.
ADHD motivation, ADHD burnout, ADHD freeze response, ADHD overwhelm, emotional regulation, neurodivergent masking, executive dysfunction

Ever feel like your brain is a shady little guy in a van whispering, “Psst… wanna feel something?” In this episode of Spicy Brain, Megan and Michelle explore how ADHD emotions can summon inner monsters, especially when stress from new jobs, burnout, or just life starts knocking. They talk through the ways overwhelm builds up, how it hijacks your sense of safety, and why naming your fear out loud can sometimes stop it in its tracks.

You’ll also meet an old friend. Megan’s drunk butler of executive function joins the podcast with zero chill and a flair for bad ideas. From existential dread at age four to breakthroughs during creative retreats, this one is equal parts real talk and ridiculous laughter. If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety is trying to take the wheel, you’re not alone, and this episode might just help you laugh it back into the passenger seat.

Our favorite line from the episode is: Hey little kid... you want some dopamine?

00:00 – The monsters under your ADHD bed
04:10 – New job nerves and rejection sensitivity
07:30 – Megan’s drunk butler returns
11:45 – When anxiety takes the wheel
16:00 – Dopamine-dealing fears and van metaphors
19:20 – Finding peace through curiosity
23:00 – Wrapping monsters in weighted blankets

Follow the show, text this episode to a friend who has a shady van brain, and leave a review to help other spicy brains find us.

ADHD anxiety, ADHD new job, ADHD burnout, ADHD emotions, rejection sensitivity, executive dysfunction, neurodivergent overwhelm, creative coping

Sometimes the ADHD brain just needs one magic word. In this episode, that word is Flap. Michelle and Megan dig into the hilariously effective power of made-up words, cheerleader chants, and bathroom anthems to snap out of overwhelm and find their way back to the task at hand. Whether it’s masking, burnout, or just trying to do the dang dishes, this episode is full of tiny tools that somehow manage to feel like big wins.

You’ll hear about Megan’s very official lanyard moment, what stadium sports have to do with laundry, and why naming your chaos can sometimes be the exact trick you need to move through it. If your ADHD brain likes a bit of play with its coping strategies, you’ll feel right at home.

Our favorite line from the episode is: BATHROOMS! Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na

00:00 – Introducing Flap and the power of playful resets
03:15 – Megan’s lanyard saga and confidence rituals
06:40 – When masking hits a wall
10:20 – Turning chores into sports cheers
14:30 – Overwhelm, music, and movement
18:50 – ADHD wins that don’t look like Pinterest
22:00 – Radical acceptance and joyful weirdness

Follow the show, send this to a friend who needs a laugh and a lanyard, and leave a review so other spicy brains can find us.

ADHD burnout, ADHD coping tools, ADHD masking, neurodivergent energy, executive function hacks, sensory strategies, playful ADHD tips

When your ADHD brain feels like it’s in a pressure cooker, sometimes the only option is to bust out a high kick and call it “decompress mode.” This episode starts with the return of Megan’s facial tics and spirals into a deeply funny, painfully relatable chat about what happens when your body says “nope” before your brain catches up.

Michelle and Megan get into the real stuff. They discuss why so many of us feel like we’re trapped in invisible contracts we never signed, or how scorecards might be the only way to remember what we’ve already accomplished. It’s a wild ride through the ways we try to function when everything feels like a test we didn’t study for. Expect some giggles, some catharsis, and maybe a reminder that you’re not broken. You’re just carrying a box full of distractions.

Our favorite line from the episode is: A Giant Box of Distractions

00:00 – Facial tics, career anxiety, and physical ADHD signals
05:20 – Burnout triggers and invisible expectations
10:45 – The chaos of masking and overcompensating
14:10 – Megan’s high-kick decompression move
17:30 – Life scorecards and what they actually do for us
21:00 – Finding calm when the world won’t slow down

Follow the show, send it to someone who needs a permission slip to decompress, and leave a review to help more spicy brains find us.

ADHD overwhelm, ADHD decompression, ADHD burnout, neurodivergent masking, executive function, ADHD emotions, ADHD podcast

Some days your inner executive function, or "butler" as we call it, is sharp and snappy. Other days? He’s passed out in a hammock with a mimosa. This week, Michelle and Megan return with a swirl of stories, starting with the poop-filled car saga you’ll never forget (thank you, Daisy). From there, they dig into the unpredictable nature of ADHD emotions and the moments when even basic tasks feel wildly out of reach.

You’ll hear how the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique became a lifeline, why emotional spirals sneak up out of nowhere, and how learning to ride those waves with humor might be the only way through. If you’ve ever felt like your brain has gone on vacation without telling you, this one’s for you.

Our favorite line from the episode is: Sorry, I'm in a Hammock and Can't Hear You!

00:00 – The poop car incident
06:10 – ADHD overwhelm and frozen executive function
11:50 – The “hammock butler” moment
16:15 – Real talk on emotional spirals and burnout
21:00 – Grounding tools and sensory breaks
26:00 – Reclaiming calm, one chaotic day at a time
If this episode made you laugh or feel seen, share it with a fellow spicy brain and leave us a review!

ADHD emotional regulation, ADHD burnout, neurodivergent overwhelm, executive dysfunction, ADHD grounding tools, ADHD podcast, humor and ADHD

Ever feel like your brain has been hijacked by an invisible force dragging you into emotional quicksand? In this episode, Michelle and Megan name that force: the Dementors. They share what it’s like to be suddenly pulled under by a wave of overwhelm, especially when burnout and ADHD collide. But this isn’t a doom scroll, because there’s sparkle here too!

From glittery sticker caves under desks to the sensory joy of curating a home that feels Pinterest rather than just looking like it. In this episode is all about reclaiming your space, your feelings, and your sparkle. You’ll hear real talk on the weight of masking, the impact of emotional hijacks, and how to hold onto the parts of yourself that light you up.

Our favorite line from the episode is: It Doesn't Look Pinterest...It Feels Pinterest

00:00 – Naming the 'Dementors': emotional overwhelm with ADHD
07:15 – Childhood memories and glitter caves under the desk
13:30 – Burnout, masking, and ADHD crash cycles
20:50 – The moment that inspired “It doesn’t look Pinterest… it feels Pinterest”
28:05 – Building spaces that support your nervous system
36:10 – Honoring emotions instead of fixing them
If this episode helped you name your own Dementors, share it with someone else navigating the same chaos—and don’t forget to leave a review!
ADHD emotional overwhelm, burnout and masking, ADHD home environment, neurodivergent emotional regulation, sensory-friendly spaces, adult ADHD podcast

What if your ADHD wasn’t something to fix but something to name… and maybe even laugh with? In this playful and heartfelt episode, Michelle and Megan explore what it means to find self-acceptance when your brain is a little loud, a little wild, and totally unique.

We talk about the power of metaphors for ADHD and how naming our quirks helps us make peace with them. Megan shares how her pug Daisy became the perfect stand-in for her ADHD—chaotic, affectionate, unpredictable, and absolutely lovable. From unexpected interruptions to emotional outbursts, Daisy reminds us that sometimes our messiest moments are also the most meaningful.

Through vulnerable stories and laugh-out-loud honesty, we explore how compassion, curiosity, and self-reflection can turn judgment into understanding. This episode is a warm invitation to stop apologizing for being different—and to start embracing the joyful chaos of being exactly who you are.

Our favorite line from the episode is: "I Just Daisied All Over You!"

02:18 – Daisy the pug as a metaphor for ADHD
07:40 – Why giving your ADHD a name helps with acceptance
12:05 – Megan’s childhood moments of “too muchness”
17:32 – The difference between laughing at yourself vs. shaming
24:48 – Emotional regulation and self-compassion
31:15 – Celebrating progress, not perfection
If this episode made you smile, feel seen, or snort-laugh in public, share it with a friend who needs a little extra self-love today. And don’t forget to follow Spicy Brain so you never miss an episode of neurodivergent goodness.

adhd self-acceptance, emotional regulation, neurodivergent metaphors, adhd overwhelm, burnout, embracing your brain, adhd podcast

Megan and Michelle dive into the unpredictability of ADHD in an episode full of honest laughs and sharp insight. From missing brunch menus to remembering Amazon returns mid-conversation, this one’s for anyone who knows the chaos of an ADHD brain doing its best to keep up. Along the way, they open up about burnout, masking, and what happens when emotional overwhelm catches you off guard.

They explore Dr. Tamara Rosier’s Your Brain Is Not Broken, unpacking how the book helped reframe their experiences with productivity guilt, dysregulation, and those spiraling ping-pong brain moments. It’s a vulnerable, funny, and grounding episode that reminds you ADHD doesn’t make you broken. ADHD just means you might need more lip balm and a really good laugh.

Favorite line from the episode: Wait...What???

00:00 — The brunch menu moment and forgetting everything
06:45 — What burnout feels like in an ADHD body
10:20 — Amazon returns, ping-pong brains, and distraction spirals
16:55 — Emotional masking and the crash that follows
21:40 — Dr. Tamara Rosier and reclaiming compassion
28:10 — Lip balm, lightness, and closing the loopFollow Spicy Brain wherever you get your podcasts and share this episode with a friend who needs to know they’re not alone in the chaos.ADHD, ADHD burnout, masking, emotional dysregulation, ADHD overwhelm, ADHD Women, Your Brain Is Not Broken, Tamara Rosier, neurodivergent podcast

Dive into the vibrant and messy world of ADHD with us, as we tackle the emotional clutter and overwhelming chaos that colors our days. This episode is all about navigating the highs and lows of ADHD; from the exhilarating “high kicks” of success to the “trash, trash, trash” mantra we use to clear our minds (and our spaces).

Join Michelle and Megan, two witty sisters with a knack for finding humor in the everyday chaos of neurodiversity, as they share strategies to combat burnout and avoid the pitfalls of emotional overwhelm. In this friendly chat, expect tangents that spark joy and revelations that give you pause. You'll hear Michelle revel in the moment she found the perfect home for her slippers right by her bed, ready to surprise and delight. Tune in and bring a friend along for the ride!

Favorite line from the episode: “I'm the Black Sheepgoat.”
0:00 – ADHD chaos and emotional clutter
4:19 – Radical acceptance and slipper storage
10:33 – The power of the high kick
16:55 – Trash talk: clearing physical and mental space
24:01 – Burnout, boundaries, and ADHD tangents
30:45 – Redefining what success looks like
37:20 – How to show up for yourself today
If you’re loving Spicy Brain, we’d love it if you shared it with a friend, gave us a rating, or left a review—it helps other ADHD women find the show!
ADHD, emotional clutter, radical acceptance, neurodivergent burnout, ADHD women, masking, overwhelm, organizing with ADHD, executive function, mental health, emotional regulation

Hey, Spicy Brainers! No, your ears aren't playing tricks on you. We're throwing it back to our second episode from the Sisters Sisters era. Our host had a bit of a "spicy" week and didn’t get around to recording new content. So buckle up for a blast from the past filled with sisterly love, chaos, and giggles!

Michelle and Megan set the stage for what was to come by diving into something near and dear to their hearts. That's right, puzzles! Michelle shares a hilarious memory of Megan mixing pieces from two completely different puzzles (yes, really) to make a unique, borderline impossible mosaic puzzle. Megan's explanation? She wanted a challenge that only a spicy brain could handle. It’s a delightful throwback that showcases how ADHD minds turn even cardboard chaos into creative brilliance.

Favorite line from the episode: “The World’s Most Difficult Puzzle.”

00:00 – Throwback intro from Spicy Brains present
01:48 – Two puzzles, one chaotic Rosey
05:03 – Why spicy brains crave challenge
13:55 – Creativity, cognition, and puzzle obsession
22:10 – Sisters, silliness, and support
29:30 – Why this moment still makes us laugh

Send this episode to a fellow ADHD puzzle lover or anyone who thrives on a little extra challenge. And hey, thanks for giving us grace on our spicy weeks.

Keywords: ADHD, childhood memories, puzzles, burnout, creativity, spicy brain, masking, ADHD women