Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson

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Is your ADHD brain fog actually CDS?

August 13, 2026

Many people with inattentive ADHD feel like something is missing from their diagnosis. That missing piece might be cognitive disengagement syndrome, or CDS: a cluster of symptoms including daydreaming, confusion, daytime sleepiness, and more. CDS isn’t officially its own disorder. But scientists and clinicians are beginning to recognize it as something distinct from ADHD — though it often overlaps. Pediatric psychologist Melissa Miller explains how CDS differs from ADHD, what it looks like, a...

“Hope is not a plan:” How to manage ADHD at work (classic)

July 30, 2026

ADHD can create all kinds of challenges in the workplace. Like a list of infinite things to do and to remember. A busy, ever-changing schedule. And co-workers who don’t always know what’s going on in your mind.  There’s a lot to figure out. But recently, Rae Jacobson found herself wondering what it's like on the other side — to manage someone who’s neurodivergent and still figuring it out.  So, Rae called her former boss, Caroline Miller, the editorial director of the Child Mind Institute.  O...

What the rise of fidget toys means for neurodivergence

July 16, 2026

Fidget toys, like NeeDohs, are sold out and  banned in classrooms. Journalist Anna North joins us to unpack how fidget toys went from gag gifts to a generational obsession, and what that shift reveals about neurodivergence, attention, and play. Plus, fidget toys are not just for kids. We look at how they are destigmatizing fidgeting for neurodivergent adults. And we dig into the science behind fidgeting, the history of the fidget spinner, and whether this wave of acceptance for sensory needs ...