ADHD podcasts that are actually worth your time

Podcasts and ADHD are a good match. No need to sit still, no need to stare at a screen, and you can listen while doing something else. My brain loves that. I drive, I swim (waterproof earbuds), I do the dishes, and meanwhile someone is talking to me about dopamine or working memory.

What follows is what I've listened to, what I thought of each, and my recommendations.

How to ADHD, Jessica McCabe

Started as a YouTube channel, now also a podcast. Jessica McCabe is diagnosed ADHD and it shows in everything she does. Her approach is educational, honest, and never condescending.

This is probably the most accessible ADHD resource in the world. Episodes are short, which helps when your attention drops after 20 minutes. If you're new to ADHD, start here.

ADHD reWired, Eric Tivers

For ADHD adults who want concrete tools. Tivers is an ADHD coach and the episodes are practical. Time management, organization, productivity. All with a real understanding of what it's like to have ADHD (not just "make a to-do list").

Huberman Lab (specific episodes)

Andrew Huberman isn't an ADHD specialist, but his episodes on dopamine, focus, and sleep are among the best-sourced I've listened to. Long format (2h+), which is either perfect for hyperfocus or impossible depending on the day.

The dopamine episode helped me understand things that 10 articles hadn't managed to explain. The sleep episode changed my evening routine.

ADHD Experts Podcast, ADDitude Magazine

Short episodes with actual researchers and clinicians. Less personal than the others, more informational. Good if you want to stay up to date on ADHD research without reading papers.

Why podcasts work well for ADHD brains

The audio format has something that clicks with the ADHD brain. You can move while listening. You can do a manual task (cooking, cleaning, exercising) that occupies the part of your brain that gets bored, while the listening part absorbs the content. It's multitasking, but the kind that works, because the two activities don't use the same circuits.

Personally, I absorb a podcast better while walking than an article sitting at a screen. The article, I skim it, skip paragraphs, check my phone in the middle. The podcast, if the subject interests me, I'm in it for 40 minutes without dropping out.

Where to start

How to ADHD to get started, then Huberman Lab if you want to go deeper on the science.

And set it to 1.5x speed if your brain asks for it. It's not cheating, it's adapting.