Hacking Your ADHD

Episode: The High Cost of Undiagnosed ADHD with Sarah Templeton
Host: William Curb
Guest: Sarah Templeton, Counselor, Activist, and Author of The Prison Counselor
Date: December 8, 2025

Overview

This episode dives into the serious and often overlooked consequences of undiagnosed and unsupported ADHD—particularly the staggering prevalence of ADHD among incarcerated populations. Host William Curb and guest Sarah Templeton, a seasoned UK prison counselor turned activist, discuss the ADHD traits that can lead individuals into trouble with the law, the systemic failures in education and justice, and the urgent need for comprehensive ADHD screening, understanding, and support across all levels of society. This is not just a personal story: it’s a call for systemic change that affects individuals, families, victims, and whole communities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sarah Templeton’s Background and Motivation

[03:55]

• Former prison counselor in the UK, now activist and author
• Diagnosed with ADHD at age 51, leading to the realization of her deep connection with inmates
• Recognized the massive prevalence of ADHD in prisons, many undiagnosed
• Shifted her career to focus on early intervention and education: “My goal in life is to empty the prisons of ADHD.” – Sarah Templeton [05:05]
• Authored books for parents, teachers, and professionals to promote understanding and early support

2. How ADHD Traits Fuel the School-to-Prison Pipeline

[06:26]

• ADHD characteristics that land people in legal trouble:
  • Impulsivity
  • Inability to consider consequences
  • Intense risk-taking and thrill-seeking
  • Low boredom threshold
  • Heightened sense of justice (often misunderstood or unknown to the individuals themselves)
• ADHD persons in prison often do not know their behaviors are tied to brain wiring: “They don’t know about all these other traits and ways of thinking that we know because we’ve done the deep dive into ADHD.” – Sarah Templeton [06:26]

Notable Quote:

“I said, you know, why did you do that? ‘Cause I was bored. I was so bored, I just had to do something. And then that happened.”
– Sarah Templeton [06:26]

3. Raising ADHD Awareness Within Prisons & the Justice System

[11:41]

• Chronic lack of self-awareness among inmates and staff:
  • Inmates often internalize blame and shame rather than understand ADHD as a reason behind their actions:
    “They hate themselves because they can’t stop doing what they’ve always done… their self-esteem is on the floor.” [11:41]
• Sarah’s current initiative: Producing 31 professional videos featuring ADHD-diagnosed professionals (doctors, officers, counselors) to launch ADHD support groups in every prison [06:26]
• ADHD awareness among staff, including judges, solicitors, and police, is crucial for intervention and compassion

4. International Perspectives and Challenges

[14:53]

• The prevalence of ADHD in prisons is a global issue (UK, Australia, US, Southeast Asia)
• US system is “tougher on crime” and faces more barriers to addressing the neurodiversity epidemic – but recognition is growing
• In Australia, some states now proactively screen for neurodiversity in police stations and prisons [15:23]

Notable Moment:

“We agree, we know there’s as much ADHD in the prisons, but we are going to have a much tougher job of doing something about it here because we are much tougher on crime.”
– American prison and police staff, as quoted by Sarah [11:41]

5. The Critical Need for Early and Systemic Screening

[17:19]

• Advocating for universal, early screening for ADHD and other neurodiversities—starting in schools at age five, then at every stage (probation, police, prisons)
• Screening can be “life changing, sometimes even life saving” [21:18]
• Self-medicating behaviors with drugs and alcohol are rampant, further clouding diagnosis and intervention
• The economic argument: It costs far less to screen, diagnose, and medicate than to incarcerate (UK: £1,000/yr for treatment vs £48,000/yr for incarceration) [26:04]

Notable Quote:

“Screening is nearly always life changing, nearly always. And sometimes it’s life saving.”
– Sarah Templeton [21:18]

6. Systemic Failures and the Tragedy of Neglect

[22:00]

• Harrowing story: A client lost to suicide in prison, largely due to unaddressed ADHD needs [22:00]
• The lack of record-keeping on ADHD status in prisons is a major obstacle
• Addiction services, schools, and criminal justice all operate with outdated models or insufficient training for ADHD, often blaming and excluding rather than supporting

7. Deep Stigma and Self-Esteem Erosion

[31:54]

• Many individuals internalize “badness” or “hopelessness,” resulting in alcohol/drug abuse and risky behavior to fill dopamine gaps
• Standard addiction support techniques often fail for ADHD: all-or-nothing dopamine response requires different strategies
• Sarah shares her own battles with compulsive eating as an example of “dopamine chasing” behavior [36:24]

“I was four times the size I am now… It frustrated me hugely for literally for decades, why I could stay away from a buffet… and then I just couldn’t stop eating. Couldn’t stop, couldn’t stop, couldn’t stop. Never understood it. So I massively understand people with the drug and alcohol problems, because mine was food.”
– Sarah Templeton [36:24]

8. Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment

[40:10]

• UK NHS waiting lists for ADHD diagnosis are up to 15 years; private diagnosis only option for many, but stigmatized by the system
• Only “severe” cases (often those already in crisis) are seen
• Systemic attitude: If you’re not causing harm to others, are employed, or housed, you’re “coping”—thus not prioritized for care [43:23]

9. The Harmful Effects of Outdated Thinking

[45:42]

• Despite evidence, some in society (including politicians and some clinicians) still view ADHD as a discipline issue or “childhood disorder”
• Dismissing or withdrawing treatment in adolescence leads directly to criminalization for many [43:43]
• Suicides in prison are likely overwhelmingly related to undiagnosed or unsupported ADHD, but authorities keep no records [46:21]

10. Final Thoughts & Call to Action

[48:36]

• Educate yourself about adult ADHD—especially if you dismiss it as an excuse or a behavioral problem
• Sarah’s book The Prison Counselor serves as both a personal journey and a guide to deep understanding
• Ending prison deaths and breaking the cycle starts with understanding, early diagnosis, and system-wide reform

Notable Closing Quote:

“Just think of the deaths alone, the deaths in prison are probably all, if not all, due to undiagnosed or unmedicated ADHD. For that reason alone, things need to change.”
– Sarah Templeton [50:10]

Key Timestamps

• [04:05] — Sarah Templeton introduces herself and her journey from counselor to activist
• [06:26] — ADHD traits linked to offending and why most prisoners lack ADHD understanding
• [11:41] — The devastating impact of poor self-esteem and internalized blame
• [15:23] — International differences & need for global ADHD awareness in justice systems
• [17:19] — Early screening/school-to-prison pipeline discussion
• [22:00] — Use of screening in probation and tragic loss due to systemic ignorance
• [26:04] — Financial and social cost of failing to diagnose and treat ADHD
• [36:24] — First-person account of ADHD-related compulsive behaviors
• [40:10] — Serious systemic gaps in country-wide diagnosis and the impact on individuals
• [43:37] — The unwritten rules on who “gets” care: ignored until crisis or criminality
• [50:10] — Final call for societal change and awareness

Memorable Quotes

• “My goal in life is to empty the prisons of ADHD.” – Sarah Templeton [05:05]
• “They don’t know about all these other traits and ways of thinking that we know because we’ve done the deep dive into ADHD.” – Sarah Templeton [06:26]
• "Screening is nearly always life changing, nearly always. And sometimes it’s life saving.” – Sarah Templeton [21:18]
• “If you weren’t severe enough to be seen, you end up in prison.” – Sarah Templeton [43:43]
• “Just think of the deaths alone, the deaths in prison are probably all, if not all, due to undiagnosed or unmedicated ADHD. For that reason alone, things need to change.” – Sarah Templeton [50:10]

Segment Highlights

• Sarah’s prison counseling experience leads to major revelations and a mission for systemic change. [04:05-05:56]
• The cycle of impulsivity, shame, and punishment is misunderstood without ADHD education—for individuals and staff alike. [06:26-11:41]
• The school-to-prison pipeline harms undiagnosed kids globally; early screening is simple and effective. [17:19-21:18]
• Untreated ADHD leads to lifelong negative outcomes, not only for offenders but also for their victims and society at large. [23:44-26:04]
• Addiction and self-medication are deeply entwined with undiagnosed ADHD, and standard interventions often fail. [31:54-36:24]
• Systemic failure is the problem—not individuals, who largely want to change and succeed. [43:07-46:21]

Tone & Takeaway

The conversation is clear, passionate, and direct. Both William and Sarah balance empathy with urgency—highlighting the dire social cost of ignoring undiagnosed ADHD and advocating strongly for practical, actionable change. Their tone is supportive yet unflinching: the message is that lives can and will be saved with better understanding, compassion, and policy.

Recommended Action:

• Learn more about ADHD—even if you don’t think it affects you
• If you’re in education, justice, or healthcare: advocate for systemic ADHD screening and training
• Read Sarah Templeton’s book The Prison Counselor for an in-depth look at how prisons and society can (and must) do better