Translating ADHD
Episode: Fun as Medicine: How Play and Joy Fuel ADHD Brains
Release Date: March 2, 2026
Hosts: Asher Collins & Dusty Chipura

Episode Overview

This episode explores the vital role of fun, play, and joy for adults with ADHD. Asher and Dusty, both coaches and adults with ADHD, challenge the belief that fun is a reward to be "earned" only after a to-do list is complete. They discuss how integrating play and small pleasures into daily life actually increases capacity, motivation, and executive functioning for ADHD brains. Practical strategies, personal stories, and frameworks are shared to help listeners prioritize fun as a form of self-care and productivity tool.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The "Shoulds" Trap and Delaying Fun

• Many ADHD adults avoid fun, feeling they must first finish endless to-do lists or get organized.
• Asher tells the story of a client who wouldn’t "let herself leave the house until it was organized," even though it was already tidy.
• Dusty recalls her own years of believing she had to “earn rest or fun” by finishing tasks, leading to a perpetual sense of being behind and not deserving enjoyment.

“I had it backwards ... with ADHD, we have to eat our dessert first to like, be hungry for dinner, right? ... Doing the fun thing first, proactively making time for fun ... actually gave me the wherewithal and executive function to then tackle the to-do list.”
— Dusty, [03:12]

Fun as Medicine: Fun Creates Capacity

• Fun and joy actively replenish energy and executive functioning, especially in ADHD.
• Self-care is reframed not as indulgence, but as essential for tackling harder tasks later.

“Fun and joy with ADHD create capacity.”
— Asher, [04:36]

• Coaches often begin work with clients by focusing on what puts energy back in the tank, not just productivity.

Transforming "Shoulds" Through Play and Aesthetics

• Dusty describes using aesthetics and ritual to make tasks more enjoyable (e.g., taking calcium pills from a pretty silver dish).
• Small pleasures—music, aesthetics, rituals—can make daily tasks feel rewarding rather than oppressive.
• The “Wall of Awful” (by Brendan Mahan) is discussed as the weight of executive dysfunction and shame that can be broken down with novelty and play.

“The ADHD part of your brain is basically like a toddler ... it needs a lot of breaks, it needs a lot of play, it needs a lot of silliness.”
— Dusty, [09:33]

• Fun and novelty are crucial for ADHD brains; if not satisfied, the need for stimulation leads to negativity or unhealthy habits.

When Fun is Hard: The Dark Playground Concept

• Asher introduces "the dark playground" (from Wait But Why): a state of wasted, unfulfilling time (like endless scrolling) that’s neither productive work nor true enjoyment.
• Without permission for genuine fun, many get stuck here, depleting rather than replenishing themselves.

Fun as Birthright, Not a Moral Reward

• Fun and joy aren’t things to be "deserved"; they’re morally neutral and important for everyone.
• Dusty references Casey Davis' approach and urges listeners to let go of the idea that fun must be earned.

“We really have to wrap our brains around this idea that fun is something that is our inherent birthright. Enjoyment of life is something that's our inherent birthright.”
— Dusty, [14:44]

The Four Cs of Fun: A Framework

• For those deeply burned out, Dusty suggests the “Four Cs of Fun” to make play accessible:
  • Create: Outputting imagination—art, music, organizing, cooking, etc.
  • Consume: Taking in—watching shows, eating, reading, gaming.
  • Commune: Connecting socially in any preferred way.
  • Cavort: Unstructured, physical, or silly play (e.g., dance parties, rolling down a hill, making snow angels).

“We need these different kinds of play. And I think if you're kind of burned out, it can be hard, but you can start with whichever one feels accessible and build towards the others.”
— Dusty, [16:58]

Overcoming Dopamine & Initiation Barriers

• Many clients find even hobbies they "should" enjoy (e.g., painting, bike riding) feel like chores when depleted or dysregulated.
• It’s normal for fun to feel hard to initiate because of executive dysfunction, but often, once begun, the joy returns.

“It's not that the thing that you think is fun is actually tiring and a chore ... that's the feeling of, like, executive dysfunction ... if you can get yourself to do it, so often once you start doing it, you're like, yay, this is awesome. I'm having a great time. I'm so glad I did this.”
— Dusty, [18:14]

Strategies to Make Fun Happen

• Set options in advance: Prepare a list (“dopa menu”) to choose from when initiating fun feels hard.
• Pre-deciding: Lay out materials or schedule enjoyable activities in advance to reduce barriers and decisions in the moment.
• Structure for hobbies and play: Using systems, reminders, or scheduling to ensure fun happens—just as you would for chores.

“You can bring this idea of structure and systems to, like, hobbies, fun, social stuff ... if you never get around to hobbies, fun, and social stuff, then using a system just like you would for getting yourself to clean your house, like a schedule ... it tracks and it works.”
— Dusty, [25:24]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “With ADHD, we have to eat our dessert first to like, be hungry for dinner, right?”
  — Dusty, [03:12]
• “Fun and joy with ADHD create capacity.”
  — Asher, [04:36]
• “The ADHD part of your brain is basically like a toddler ... if it would work for a toddler, like, it will work for your ADHD.”
  — Dusty, [09:33]
• “That time does end up going somewhere ... the dark playground ... not really enjoying what you're doing. You're not doing what you think you should or ought to do. You're not allowing yourself to have fun.”
  — Asher, [11:21]
• “Fun is morally neutral. You don't need to be a good person, you don't need to be a productive person ... to deserve fun and joy in your life.”
  — Dusty, [14:13]
• “There's like, big F fun, where we think of, like, fun as our hobbies ... but it feels boring and hard ... that's the feeling of, like, executive dysfunction.”
  — Dusty, [18:07]
• “You can make the stars align ... you can actually prepare to make the stars align.”
  — Dusty, [22:53]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:53] Topic intro: Fun as Medicine and “chronic shoulds”
• [02:31] Dusty’s reflection on endless to-do lists and the need to “earn” rest
• [03:12] Reversal: Putting fun first fuels capacity
• [04:36] Asher: “Fun and joy create capacity”
• [05:35] Dusty’s story: Making a routine fun with aesthetics (calcium pills in a silver dish)
• [09:15] Wall of Awful; using novelty and play instead of shame
• [10:49] Adapting fun to individual preferences
• [11:21] The “dark playground” concept
• [13:03] Fun as moral right; Casey Davis’ approach; the Four Cs of Fun framework
• [16:58] Discussion of cavorting, unstructured play, and reclaiming childlike playfulness
• [18:07] Initiation barriers, executive dysfunction, and “big F fun”
• [19:29] Strategies: Pre-deciding vs. options menu
• [22:23] Dopamine menus, limiting options, structuring fun and social connection
• [25:24] Applying structure to hobbies and fun as with chores

Closing Notes

• The hosts recognize that reclaiming fun requires intentional strategies—especially for those overwhelmed or burned out.
• They tease next week’s episode, which will dive deeper into “making the stars align”—preparing and structuring environments to make fun and play easier.
• The tone throughout is supportive, humorous, and compassionate, using personal stories and practical tools to “translate” ADHD realities into actionable advice.

For listeners: Prioritize joy, make play part of your ADHD self-care—and remember, fun is not a luxury, it’s medicine for your brain.