Anyway, I Have ADHD

Ever gone from “I love this” to “burn it all down” because of one tiny mistake?

Same.

In this episode of Anyway, I Have ADHD, Han gets into rage quitting, sensory overload, and why the ADHD brain can treat mild frustration like a full-blown emergency.

We’re talking about the time she shut down an entire candle business after one spectacularly bad night, crochet projects unravelled into oblivion over microscopic mistakes, and the much less funny side of overwhelm: when noise gets so intense your nervous system reacts before your brain has caught up.

The interesting bit? Those reactions can feel the same while coming from completely different places.

One is a fuel problem. The reward has disappeared, the task feels pointless, and your brain wants out.

The other is a flood problem. Too much noise, too much input, too much everything, and your nervous system has hit capacity.

Same “I cannot handle this” feeling. Very different fix.

In this episode

• Why frustration can make ADHD brains more likely to quit

• Reward sensitivity and the disappearing “keep going” signal

• Why tiny mistakes can derail entire projects

• ADHD sensory processing and noise sensitivity

• Why rage can sometimes begin as overload

• The shame that can hit straight after

• Fuel problems vs flood problems

• What your brain may actually need in the moment

This week’s one thing

When you hit the “I cannot do this anymore” point, ask:

Is this a fuel problem or a flood problem?

If it’s fuel, shrink the task, change it up, or add an immediate reward.

If it’s flood, reduce the input. Step away, put headphones in, find thirty seconds of quiet, whatever lowers the volume.

Two different problems. Two very different fixes.

Research referenced

• Seymour, Macatee & Chronis-Tuscano (2019), Frustration Tolerance in Youth With ADHD, Journal of Attention DisordersPlichta & Scheres (2014), reward anticipation and ventral-striatal activation in ADHD, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

• Tripp & Wickens (2008), dopamine transfer deficit theory, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

• Benarous et al. (2020), sensory processing difficulties in ADHD-related populations, Frontiers in Psychiatry

• Bijlenga et al. (2017), atypical sensory profiles in adult ADHD, European PsychiatryLane & Reynolds (2019), sensory over-responsivity in ADHD, Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

• Research around masking and later diagnosis in women with ADHD reflects a broader body of literature rather than one single paper.

Got your own rage quit story? Send it to @neurospicenation on Instagram or TikTok, or head to neurospicenation.com.

Anyway, I Have ADHD is a podcast for people whose brains work on a different operating system and nobody gave them the manual.

New episodes every Wednesday.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a healthcare provider or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

🎧 Spotify

🎧 Apple Podcasts

🌐 https://www.neurospicenation.com

📱 @neurospicenation

Got a garage full of scuba gear you've used four times? A sewing machine that's never been switched on? Welcome to the hobby graveyard, and no, it's not a discipline problem. This week Han opens up her own graveyard (scuba gear, crochet, knitting, jewellery making, a whole vegan society, a candle business, and yes, chickens) and gets into the actual brain science behind why ADHD brains chase new hobbies hard and then drop them just as fast.

In this episode:

• Han's full hobby graveyard inventory, and why it's more common than you think

• The real neuroscience of the chase (novelty, dopamine, and why fewer D2/D3 receptors mean a stronger pull toward the new and unfamiliar) and the crash (habituation, and why the buzz fades once there's nothing left to predict)

• A third, different story: the hard stop, when a hobby gets dropped mid-frustration rather than fading out slowly, and why that's a separate ADHD trait, not you being dramatic

This week's one thing

Before buying into a new hobby, ask one question: can I try this cheap or secondhand first? For the hard stops, leave the abandoned project somewhere visible instead of packing it away, so your calmer brain gets a chance to look at it again later.

Research referenced in this episode

• Sethi et al. (2018), "A neurocomputational account of reward and novelty processing and effects of psychostimulants in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder," Brain

• Seymour, Macatee & Chronis-Tuscano (2016), "Frustration Tolerance in Youth With ADHD," Journal of Attention Disorders

• Shaw, Stringaris, Nigg & Leibenluft (2014), "Emotion Dysregulation in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder," American Journal of Psychiatry 

• Slobodin, Har Sinay, Zohar & Chen (2025), "A controlled study of emotional dysfunction in adult women with ADHD," PLOS ONE

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a healthcare provider or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

🎧 Listen on Spotify  or Apple Podcasts

🌐 Check out our website for free downloadables, to submit your horror stories, and Brain Dumps (the blog)

📱 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @neurospicenation

Ten minutes for a full face of makeup. Twenty-five minutes to pick a top. This week Han breaks down why ADHD brains genuinely can't tell those two numbers apart, and it's not a discipline problem.

In this episode:

• Why "I'm basically ready" is the biggest lie Han tells herself daily

• The actual dopamine mechanism behind ADHD time blindness (striatum, internal clock, dyschronometria)

• The one practical thing that helps, no 12-step morning routine required

This week's one thing: 

Externalise the clock. A visual timer you can see draining in real time works better than a countdown you have to check and interpret.

The Time Timer (the one with the red disc that shrinks) is the specific version mentioned in this episode, and it's a good place to start if you want to try this today.

Building something for this too:

DopaDo is the app Han's building for exactly this kind of thing, including a built-in visual timer. If you want updates as it comes together, sign up here on our website.

Research referenced in this episode:

• Time Perception Deficits in Children and Adolescents with ADHD: A Meta-analysis (1,620 ADHD participants) 

• Understanding ADHD Time Perception and Dyschronometria: Neurolaunch

Tell me your time blindness story. The "I'm basically ready" lie you tell yourself, the twenty-five minutes that felt like two, all of it. I genuinely want to hear it, it's not just something I say.

This podcast is for general information and isn't a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, please reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Got a time blindness horror story, or literally any ADHD thing you want me to pick apart, validate, and give the full episode treatment? Reach out, link below.

🎧 Listen on Spotify  or Apple Podcasts

🌐 Check out our website for free downloadables, to submit your horror stories, and Brain Dumps (the blog)

📱 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @neurospicenation

This week we're talking about the doom pile, the fully sorted, completely finished in your head task that somehow becomes permanent furniture in your house. Han unpacks why sorted tasks still don't move, what the shame spiral does to them, and the one tiny thing that actually gets them gone.

In this episode

• Why a doom pile isn't a laziness problem, it's task paralysis, and the difference actually matters

• The dopamine and "out of sight" reasons your brain won't initiate an already-decided task

• The shame loop that makes piles heavier the longer they sit, and the one small shift that breaks it

This week's one thing 

Pick the pile. Don't sort it, don't finish it, don't even decide today's the day. Just carry one item to where it needs to go. That's the whole ask.

Research referenced in this episode

• Marx, I., Hacker, T., Yu, X., Cortese, S., & Sonuga-Barke, E. (2021). ADHD and the Choice of Small Immediate Over Larger Delayed Rewards: A Comparative Meta-Analysis. 

• ABCT Fact Sheet, Behavioral Activation. 

This podcast is for general information and support purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a healthcare provider, or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts: 

🌐 neurospicenation.com 

📱Instagram + TikTok: @neurospicenation

This week we're talking about the bit nobody warns you about after diagnosis, telling people. Who actually needs to know, how to say it without writing a TED talk, and what to do when someone reacts like you've confessed to a crime. Plus the actual research behind why some of the pushback lines land harder than they should.

In this episode:

• Who actually needs to know your diagnosis, and who doesn't

• Scripts for disclosing at work and with family, including the conversations nobody prepares you for

• What to say when someone hits you with "but you're not hyper though"

This week's one thing: 

Disclosure is a tool, not a test. You decide who earns it, how much detail they get, and when.

A note before you go: 

This podcast is for information and connection, not medical advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a professional, or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Research referenced in this episode:

• McIntosh, C.K., Hyde, S.A., Bell, M.P. and Yeatts, P.E. (2023), "Thriving at work with ADHD: antecedents and outcomes of proactive disclosure," Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: adults with ADHD who are more aware of stigma are less likely to proactively disclose at work, while those who feel psychologically safe are more likely to 

• Oscarsson et al. (2022), cited in a 2026 Frontiers in Psychology review: even when people disclose to get support, supervisors often lack knowledge of ADHD and underestimate the difficulties adults with it face 

• Faraone & Larsson, "Genetics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder," Molecular Psychiatry: mean heritability of ADHD across 37 twin studies is 74%. 

• Weyandt, L.L. et al. (2003), "The Internal Restlessness Scale," Journal of Learning Disabilities: adults and college students with ADHD report significantly higher internal restlessness even without visible hyperactivity. 

Links:

• Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts 

• Instagram & TikTok: @neurospicenation

This week we're talking about the grief nobody warns you about after an ADHD diagnosis. Not grief for a person, grief for the years, the friendships, and the version of yourself you could've been if someone had caught this decades earlier. Plus the story of the friendship blow-up that changed how Han understood herself completely.

In this episode:

• Why post-diagnosis grief is real, research-backed, and doesn't resolve the way normal grief does

• The friendship-ending fight that Han didn't understand until years later, and what was actually happening in her brain the whole time

• A free worksheet to help you process the anger from before your diagnosis, without needing to "just sit with your feelings"

This week's one thing:

If you catch yourself spiralling on something you're angry about from before diagnosis, set a timer for ten minutes and write down every specific thing you're actually angry about, not vague feelings, actual specifics. Get it out of your head and onto paper so it stops running the show. Free worksheet linked below if you want the template version.

Links:

• Spotify + Apple Podcasts

• Website: neurospicenation.com

• Instagram/TikTok: @neurospicenation

• Free worksheet: coming shortly

Research referenced in this episode:

• Carr-Fanning, K., Lynam, A.M., Nicholson, T., & McGuckin, C. (2025). From ADHD Diagnosis to Meaning: Does Grief Theory Enhance Our Understanding of Narrative Reconstruction? Brain Sciences, 15(10), 1045. 

• Attoe, D. E., & Climie, E. A. (2023). Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women. Journal of Attention Disorders, 27(7), 645–657.

• SFU / Research in Neurodiversity (2026). Adults with ADHD masking study (91% camouflaging finding). 

• "I wish I could just be myself": Experiences of social camouflaging in adults with ADHD. ScienceDirect. 

• Jong, A., Odoi, C.M., Lau, J., & Hollocks, M.J. (2024). Loneliness in Young People with ADHD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Attention Disorders, 28(7), 1063-1081. PMID: 38400533, PMC11016212.

This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If anything in this episode has stirred up something heavier for you, please reach out to a professional, or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, they're there 24/7.

This week we're sorting the pile on non-medication ADHD support - what's backed by real research, what's promising but not proven yet, and what's just expensive vibes. Plus a very honest tour of Han's productivity system graveyard (RIP, Filofax) and why traditional planners were never built for ADHD brains in the first place.

In this episode:

• Han's productivity system graveyard - Filofax, bullet journals, colour-coding, and why none of it stuck

• The six non-medication approaches with real evidence behind them, sorted from most-proven to jury's-still-out - plus who you'd actually see for each

• Why "just get a better planner" was never the answer

🔥 This week's one thing: 

Pick ONE approach. Not all six. If you've been meaning to move your body before a hard task, try that this week - that's the whole ask.

🔎 The Research

• CBT, mindfulness-based CBT, and psychoeducation for adult ADHD - 2025 systematic review and network meta-analysis

• Physical exercise as add-on treatment for adult ADHD - the START study RCT (2025) 

• Physical activity and core ADHD symptoms in adults - 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis 

• Evidence-based coaching for adults with ADHD - CHADD overview 

• Organisational skills support for adults with ADHD at work - Frontiers systematic review

💜 Follow the show:

• Spotify and Apple Podcasts

• Website: neurospicenation.com

• Instagram/TikTok: @neurospicenation

I'm not a doctor, and nothing in this episode is medical advice. If you're thinking about starting therapy, coaching, or any treatment approach, have that conversation with a GP or qualified professional who knows your situation. If you're really struggling right now, Lifeline is there - 13 11 14, any time, day or night.

You got a script - or you're about to - and nobody fully explained what you're actually taking. This week Han breaks down every ADHD medication available in Australia, how they work in your brain, what the PBS means for your wallet, and why the prescribing system is the way it is. Plus Han's full medication journey - the 2pm crash, the dexamphetamine top-up, the brain rave at 2am, and the combination that finally worked. No medical jargon, no judgment, just the stuff you actually needed someone to explain.

In this episode:

• ​Every ADHD medication available in Australia - stimulants and non-stimulants - how they work and what to expect
• ​ The PBS reality - what you actually pay and how the Safety Net works
• ​ Who can prescribe stimulant medication in Australia and why it varies by state

This week's one thing:

If your medication isn't quite right - wearing off too early, side effects that aren't settling, something just feels off - that is information, not failure. Write down exactly what's happening and when, and take it to your next appointment. Adjustments are part of the process.

Research links:

• ​How stimulants work in ADHD brains - The Conversation
• ​PBS medication costs
• ​ADHD stimulant prescribing rules by state
• ​Clonidine - Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
• ​Guanfacine/Intuniv Australia - Flourish Paediatrics

This podcast is for information and connection, not medical advice. Nothing in this episode is a substitute for professional medical support. Please talk to your GP, psychiatrist, or prescriber about what is right for you. If you are struggling, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

You've had the "oh" moment. Now what?

In this episode Han walks through the entire Australian adult ADHD assessment process - step by step, with real costs, actual wait times, and the exact words to say to your GP. Plus the thing her psychiatrist did that she didn't expect, and the shared care arrangement that makes ongoing medication significantly cheaper.

In this episode:

• The step by step Australian adult ADHD assessment process - GP referral to diagnosis

• The DSM-5 criteria, what the assessment actually involves, and the three possible outcomes

• The cost reality, the shared care arrangement, and what to ask before you assume anything

This week's one thing:

Before your GP appointment do two things. Take the WHO ASRS - link below. And write down three specific ways your symptoms are affecting your daily life right now. Walk in prepared.

Research and resources:

• WHO Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS)

• Cost and wait time data - University of Wollongong 2026

• Medicare rebates explained

• Full diagnosis guide Australia:

• ADHD medication rules by state

• GP reform status by state

Links:

🎙️ Follow the show: Spotify |Apple Podcasts

🌐 Sign up for updates: neurospicenation.com

📱 Instagram & TikTok: @neurospicenation

This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, please reach out to a qualified professional or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

A diet pill made Han calm. A doctor asked about coffee. And thirty one years of thinking she just had a difficult personality suddenly made a lot more sense. In this episode Han shares her late diagnosis story and breaks down why stimulants affect ADHD brains so differently - and why so many women and girls get missed for so long.

In this episode:

• Why stimulants have the opposite effect on ADHD brains

• Why women and girls get missed - masking, internal hyperactivity, and performing competence while quietly drowning

• Why the 2000s Ritalin culture made late diagnosis worse for everyone

This week's one thing: If today felt like someone was reading your diary - take that seriously. Book the GP appointment. The script is: "I think I might have ADHD. I'd like a referral for an assessment." That's it.

Research referenced:

• Paradoxical calming effect of stimulants - Scientific Reports (Nature)

• How stimulants affect the brain - NCBI

• Non-prescribed stimulant use in college students - Health Central

  
  

🎙️ Follow the show: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube

🌐 Sign up for updates: www.neuospicenation.com

📱 Instagram & TikTok: @neurospicenation

This podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health support. If you're struggling, please reach out to a qualified professional or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.