mental health

How Did I Beat Musical Burnout (and How You Can Too) - Fighting the ADHD Burnout - My Global Game Jam Experience

Hazem Abbas

Feb 19, 2025 — 6 min read

Table of Content

Hey there, fellow ADHD warriors, tech nerds, and anyone who’s ever hit “repeat” on their favorite song until it became the soundtrack of their nightmares. My name’s Dr. Hamza Mousa , and I’m a medical doctor, software developer, and—because life needs some spice—a horse rider.

Yep, you heard that right: one foot in the operating room, one hand on the keyboard, and the other gripping reins. It’s chaotic, but hey, isn’t that what ADHD is all about?

Now, let me tell you a story about how I solved one of my biggest frustrations: listening to the same music over and over again until I started hating it. And trust me, if you’ve been there, you know exactly what I mean.

Why We Loop Music Until It Hurts

Let’s start with the “why.” If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably looped your favorite classical piece or power anthem while coding, studying, or even riding horses (yes, I do that too). Why? Because music helps us focus—it’s predictable, grounding, and acts as an anchor in our otherwise chaotic brains.

But here’s the catch: after a while, that anchor starts feeling more like a weight dragging you down. Your brain gets bored of the same notes, the emotional connection turns toxic, and suddenly, Beethoven sounds less inspiring and more annoying. Sound familiar?

Turns out, this happens for a few reasons:

Predictability = Comfort Zone : Our ADHD brains crave stability, so we cling to familiar tunes.
Dopamine Overload : Listening to the same thing triggers dopamine at first—but then your brain gets lazy and stops caring.
Emotional Baggage : Songs are tied to memories, and replaying them too much can make those feelings overwhelming.

So yeah, looping songs is great… until it isn’t.

Raindrops Saved My Playlist (No, Seriously)

Here’s where things get interesting. Years ago, one rainy day, I was coding late into the night when I decided to step outside just to feel the raindrops on my face. Something magical happened: as the rain pattered around me, I realized I could listen to old favorites without cringing.

The random rhythm of the rain created a natural “background noise” that tricked my brain into thinking the music was fresh again. It was like rediscovering an old friend without all the baggage. That moment sparked an idea: what if I could recreate this effect digitally?

My Secret Weapon: Layered Listening

Fast forward to today, and I’ve turned this little epiphany into a full-blown system. Here’s how it works:

I play two audio streams simultaneously—one is my “anchor” music (usually classical pieces or nostalgic tracks), and the other is a randomized ambient sound generator. Think rain, ocean waves, forest rustles, or even city traffic. The result? A dynamic listening experience that keeps my brain engaged without burning out.

For example, I’ll queue up Vivaldi’s Four Seasons while layering soft rain or distant thunder in the background. Or maybe throw on some lo-fi beats paired with wind chimes. Each combination feels new, even though the core track stays the same.

I published this now, even though I have been doing it for years, because I was encouraged by my friends to do so, as they suffer from ADHD, and they said my approach helped them a lot, and I have a duty to share my experience and my technique, so here we are.

Hidden Gems in My Game Jam Project (“Bubbles”)

This layered approach also made its way into my recent VR project at Global Game Jam 2025, (Bubbles) . Without giving too much away, I embedded a hidden music player inside the game that subtly blends ambient sounds with user-selected tracks. Players didn’t even realize why they stayed immersed for hours—they just knew something felt… different.

Friends encouraged me to keep exploring VR for mental health, and now I’m working on four new concepts aimed at helping people manage stress, anxiety, and focus issues. Stay tuned—I think these projects might change lives.

I called it "Piece of Mind", as my primary goal is to create a mind relaxing environment to relax and reset our busy ADHD brain. You can read about it at the Global Game Jam site, and you can test it yourself here, either using VR headset or as a browser game.

How YOU Can Try This Hack

Ready to give it a shot? Here’s how to fool your own brain:

Dual Audio Streams : Open two tabs or apps—one for your favorite song and another for ambient sounds. Tools like Noisli or Ambient Mixer are perfect for this.
Nature Sounds FTW : Rain, waves, forests—you name it. Apps like Calm or Spotify have endless options.
DIY Playlists : Alternate between songs and ambient interludes if switching apps feels like too much effort.
Automate It : If you’re tech-savvy, write a script to overlay random ambient sounds onto your music automatically. (Shoutout to all my coder friends!)
Step Outside : Sometimes, nothing beats real-life nature. Go take a walk in the rain—it’s free therapy.

In the following a list of the best open-source natural ambient sounds apps that I collected and published here:

Final Thoughts (and a Call to Action)

As someone who juggles medicine, development, and equestrian adventures, I know firsthand how important it is to find tools that work for YOUR brain—not someone else’s. Layering ambient sounds with music has been a game-changer for me, and I hope it helps you too.

If you’ve tried this hack—or if you’ve got questions about ADHD, productivity, or VR projects—I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email at [hamza(at)medevel[dot]com]. Let’s chat, brainstorm, and maybe even collaborate. Who knows? Your input could inspire my next big idea.

Until then, keep experimenting, stay curious, and remember: sometimes, all it takes is a sprinkle of randomness to reignite your passion for the things you love.

Now go press play—and don’t forget to add some raindrops. 🌧️🎶