Some chores hit differently when you’ve got an ADHD brain, and dishes might just be the worst offender. In this episode of Spicy Brain, Michelle is joined by her sister for a conversation that starts with dishwashing dread and ends up exploring how sensory overload, burnout, and masking all show up in everyday life. It’s messy, emotional, and (of course) ridiculously funny!

Together, they unpack the layers behind why something as simple as cleaning up can feel like an emotional landmine. There’s talk of tiny dream dishwashers, yelling as a family role, and that deeply relatable moment when you stare at a plate and just think... stupid dishes. Underneath the jokes is a shared understanding of what it means to live with a brain that’s wired a little differently, and how love and laughter can still live there, too.
Our favorite line from the episode is: Damn Dishes
00:00 – The sensory war zone of dishwashing
03:20 – Childhood roles and emotional triggers
07:00 – Why ADHD brains freeze on simple tasks
10:45 – Dreaming of tiny dishwashers
13:30 – Sibling banter meets ADHD overwhelm
17:15 – Finding humor in the middle of frustration
21:40 – Naming the feelings that chores bring up

Follow the show, share it with someone whose dishes are currently yelling at them, and leave a review so more spicy brains know they’re not the only ones in dishwashing damnation.

ADHD chores, ADHD sensory overload, ADHD burnout, ADHD masking, neurodivergent family dynamics, executive dysfunction, ADHD emotional overwhelm