14 Celebs Who’ve Spoken Openly About Having ADHD

SZA, 36

Grammy Award-winning singer SZA, 36, has long been open about having ADHD, both in interviews and on her social media pages. In 2107, she spoke with i-D about the how the condition presented an obstacle as her fame grew after the release of her debut album, CTRL.

“Living with ADHD is really fucking difficult,” she told the magazine. “It’s a little embarrassing. Especially when I’m nervous, my mind is running a mile a minute. My ADHD speaks for me before I can speak for me. If I’m in public and people walk up to me—because I’ve never been famous before—I’ve probably lost something by the time everyone has left me. I’m easily disorientated. But I’m getting a hold on that.”

She’s also shared in the past that she’s had periods of taking medication and not and that she thinks medications impact her creative process. “I can’t make music on adderall cause I actually have adhd and instead of turning me up it turns me WAY down yet hyper focused (meaning 1000 takes later of the same line and no excitement or connection about it),” she wrote in a post on Twitter, now X, in 2020.

In 2021, the singer tweeted about what it’s like dealing with the condition without medication. “Having un medicated adult adhd is REALLY fucking hard and absolutely nobody has empathy for it cause we all grown and busy but GADDAMN. I be ready to tap OUT,” the singer wrote.

Nelly Furtado, 47

Hitmaker Nelly Furtado, 47, found out she had ADHD after caring for her two youngest children, who are now six and five years old. “I believe I’ve had it my whole life, but playing instruments six days a week as a kid kept me in check,” she told Fault Magazine in 2023.

Although becoming a parent pushed her to seek a diagnosis, Furtado told PEOPLE in a 2024 interview that she noticed symptoms long before. “When I was attending college, [I was like] ‘Boing, boing, boing, boing.’ I’ve had it my whole life,” she said. “But when I had my two youngest in close proximity, it made me very aware of my ADHD.”

She also told the magazine that she tries to find ways to ground herself every day to stay on track. Two of the methods that have helped her the most are exercise, especially dance, and mindfulness practices. She’s turned to dance, in particular, to keep her focused and regulated.

“I like to go to the dance studio,” Furtado added. “It kind of grounds me mentally, sort of keeps the ADHD in check, working with my choreographer and, in turn, turning out fun videos for TikTok while I dance.”

Furtado’s go-to tool is backed by science, too; regular exercise increases dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for reward and pleasure in the brain, which is helpful for those with ADHD. One study published in 2020 in the journal Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation found that even one exercise session can lead to immediate improvements in ADHD symptoms. 

Martha Plimpton, 55

The 55-year-old actress revealed earlier this month in a red carpet interview with Page Six that she received an ADHD diagnosis when she was about 50. “I’m actually a late diagnosis ADHD, like millions of others. It was actually a huge relief to be diagnosed,” she told the tabloid.

She noted, like other celebs on this list have, that certain behaviors and habits finally made sense after receiving her diagnosis.

She also mentioned she’s not ashamed of the diagnosis and doesn’t want to hide it—she even sported an diamond nameplate necklace with the letters “ADHD” to the premiere of her TV show, Task. “I’m glad to be sharing my ADHDness with the world,” she said.

Mel Robbins, 57

Podcasting powerhouse Mel Robbins, 57, revealed on her podcast, one of the best podcasts from women over 50, that she has ADHD. In a 2023 episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast focused on adult ADHD, Robbins shared that she exhibited many of the telltale signs that Pearson says are common among women with ADHD, in particular—trouble focusing, forgetfulness, anxiety and a feeling of being scatterbrained. Like so many others, Robbins received her diagnosis in midlife, at age 47. 

Interestingly, Robbins didn’t initially seek out her diagnosis. In the episode, she explains that a trip to her son’s pediatrician to discuss how to treat his ADHD actually resulted in her own diagnosis.

“I said, ‘This sounds a lot like me.’ [The doctor] leans back in his chair, and he looks at me with this sort of stunned look on his face, and he’s like, ‘Do I think you have ADHD, Mel Robbins? Of course you have ADHD. In fact, you’re probably the most ADHD parent I have in my entire practice,’” she recalled. A follow-up with her primary care physician and a visit to a specialist confirmed it.

Lily Allen, 40

Lily Allen revealed her ADHD diagnosis in a 2023 interview with the Times. Like others, she said the diagnosis provided an explanation for something she had noticed but couldn’t quite name. “I’ve actually just been diagnosed with adult ADHD,” she told the outlet. “I’ve had to completely switch off social media because as soon as I look at it, it can be hours of my day gone.”

In the same interview, the singer mentioned that she wasn’t surprised because other members of her family exhibit ADHD-like behaviors; research finds that ADHD does have a hereditary component.

“It sort of runs in my family. And it’s only because I’m here in America where they take these things slightly more seriously than they do in England,” she said. “I went to see someone and they said, ‘Have you ever thought about this?’ And I said, ‘Well, yes I have.’”

Although Allen wasn’t taking Adderall for her ADHD at the time, she told the Independent in 2021 about her addiction to alcohol and the prescription drug, which is a common remedy for ADHD symptoms. “And I got addicted to this drug because it made me invincible, and I could work really long hours and be all the people I was required to be,” she told the newspaper.

The singer has been sober for five years. Allen’s willingness to share actually shines a light on the fact that substance abuse issues are actually common among adults with ADHD. Knowing that she beat her addictions may provide hope for those trying to kick theirs (while having to deal with ADHD on top of them), too.

Jessie J, 37

Singer Jessie J revealed in a 2024 Instagram post that she had received a diagnosis for both ADHD and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This isn’t uncommon: Research finds that OCD, along with anxiety and depression, is a frequent comorbidity, or concurrent condition, with ADHD.

Although now deleted, according to Billboard the social media post read: “I was diagnosed with ADHD and OCD about 3 months ago. In telling people a lot of the reaction I got was ‘Yeah I mean we knew that’ (which I’m sure some of you are doing right now) 😂 and of course I knew to some extent but having a baby has let’s say… exposed it a lot more 🤪🥴which was comforting in a way, as it made it feel less heavy and scary,” she wrote. “But also in moments has made me feel like I can’t talk about it. F*** that. Here I am talking about it. Embracing it with the 🌎 😂.”

She also described a feeling that ADHD coach and author Shanna Pearson recently told Flow Space is common among women who receive a diagnosis in midlife—relief from finding an explanation for why things have long felt overwhelming or different.

“You have been a little different and felt things differently your whole life, and finally one day when you least expect it, someone really explains why and you can’t avoid it,” the singer wrote. 

She went on to say that the diagnosis has completely changed how she approaches her work and relationships, but that she’s thankful for answers.

“ADHD has such a wide spectrum,” the singer’s deleted post continued, “it’s like a mystery putting your version of it together, that’s how it’s felt for me. In really understanding ways to cope, excel and grow with it. Tbh I low key feel like it’s a superpower as long as you look at it from the right perspective and have the right support and people around you that can navigate it with you.” 

Gwyneth Paltrow, 53

Actress and entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow, 53, has always been open about her wellness journey, so it’s no surprise that she didn’t hold back when discussing her own experience with ADHD. During a 2022 episode of her popular Goop podcast, Paltrow sat down with clinical psychologist Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., to talk about ADHD in women.

While reading up on the condition after her daughter was diagnosed, Paltrow had an eye-opening moment. “I thought, oh my God, I have this, too!” she shared.

Paltrow’s candid revelation not only highlighted the often-overlooked struggles many women face with ADHD but also emphasized the importance of self-awareness and seeking support. Her openness about her diagnosis has helped shine a light on how ADHD can present in adulthood, particularly in women, who are frequently under-diagnosed.

Zooey Deschanel, 46

New Girl star Zooey Deschanel, 46, has ADHD. The actress famously enjoys doing crafts and shared in a 2011 post for her now defunct publication Hello Giggles that making them helps her manage her ADHD symptoms.

“Are you an unmedicated adult with Attention Deficit Disorder who also LOVES to do crafts? I AM!,” Deschanel wrote in a post about how to make a drawstring bag. “I barely have the patience to write this opening paragraph (I have already gotten up four times), so I need to focus my unfocused mind on projects that can be completed very quickly.”

In 2024, the actress also spoke with TODAY correspondent Zanna Roberts Rassi about how the condition impacted her upbringing and the need for compassion toward people who have it.

“I think it’s really important for people to understand that there are a lot of things that go along with ADHD,” she said. “You might have bigger emotions, you might have a harder time handling new information…I remember always growing up, people being like ‘You overreact so much’….with age I’ve learned to not do that, but we have to have empathy for people who are dealing with different things.”

Greta Gerwig, 42

In July 2023, Little Women director Greta Gerwig opened up to the Guardian about her ADHD diagnosis, which came later in life. Reflecting on her childhood, she shared how her mother managed her boundless energy by keeping her constantly engaged. Much like other women who are diagnosed with ADHD later in life, Gerwig recalled a childhood of hyperactivity mixed with bouts of intense interest and focus in activities that excited her, like reading. 

“As a kid, my mum was like, ‘Let’s sign her up for every activity. Let’s tire her out,'” Gerwig recalled. She described herself as an enthusiastic child with a wild imagination and a deep emotional range.

“I was interested in everything. I had a really active imagination and a lot of really deep feelings. I was emotional,” she said.

Gerwig’s self-awareness of her ADHD has helped her embrace the unique way her mind works, channeling that energy and emotion into her creative projects, including the blockbuster success of Barbie.

Lisa Ling, 52

While working on a story about the rising rates of ADHD, journalist Lisa Ling, 52, discovered her own ADHD diagnosis. Speaking on a 2017 episode of the Distraction podcast, she shared how observing the children and parents she was profiling hit close to home.

“As I listened to them talk about ADHD, I realized it wasn’t fair for me to just be an observer,” Ling said. “I’d always suspected I might have it myself, so after more than 30 years, I decided to get tested.”

Ling worked with one of the doctors featured in her episode, underwent a series of tests and finally received the confirmation she had long suspected—she, too, had ADHD.

Paris Hilton, 44

In her 2023 memoir Paris: The Memoir, Paris Hilton didn’t hold back when it comes to discussing her ADHD. The pages are filled with instances where the socialite and entrepreneur detailed how the disorder has impacted her life, like a constant feeling of disorganization. But she also details how it shaped her into the person she is today.

“It also makes me who I am,” she wrote. “So if I’m going to love my life, I have to love my ADHD. And I do love my life.”

She has since doubled down on that message—penning a Teen Vogue column titled “Why ADHD Is My Superpower,” releasing a song and music video called ADHD, and partnering with Understood.org through her nonprofit 11:11 Media on a campaign to center and uplift women with ADHD. The initiative exceeded expectations and sparked meaningful community engagement.

Busy Philipps, 46

For years, actress Busy Philipps says she struggled with anxiety, only to later discover that undiagnosed ADHD was a major factor behind it.

“I was diagnosed in fourth grade, but I wasn’t,” Philipps told Flow Space. “The medication back then was so different than it is now; with ADHD medicine back then, it was like you had one choice. And they tried that medicine, and I really hated it.”

It wasn’t until Phillips’ child was evaluated for ADHD due to school struggles, when she had a lightbulb moment. “As they went through the symptoms, I realized, ‘I have every single one of those,” she explained. “Everything they’re describing applies to me.’”

“I felt terrible all the time about myself,” she added. “I just thought, ‘I can’t do this. I’m not good at life. I can’t handle it all.’”

During a 2024 appearance on TODAY with Hoda and Jenna, Philipps shared how she decided to see her own doctor for an ADHD diagnosis. She explained that the process completely shifted her perspective.

Philipps was officially diagnosed with ADHD six or seven years ago, and since then, she says, she’s experienced “the most fruitful years of my career.”

Hilaria Baldwin, 42

In her 2025 memoir, Manual Not Included, Hilaria Baldwin revealed that she’s been considered neurodivergent since she was in school.

“Growing up being neurodivergent, I had to work harder in school than many of the people around me. I never felt like I was smart in the right way,” Baldwin wrote in an excerpt from her book. “I am relieved that now there’s less of a stigma around differences in learning and processing. This has given me the freedom to shed some of the shame I felt for so long.”

After drawing attention for several television appearances in which she appeared to forget English words—despite having been primarily raised in Boston—Baldwin has attributed her switching between English and Spanish, along with occasional lapses in vocabulary, to a combination of ADHD and dyslexia.

“When I get stuck or go off on tangents and forget what I am saying while I am saying it… If you only knew how loud it is in my brain at any given moment!” Baldwin wrote in her book.

Despite her language mix-ups sparking public controversy for a number of years now, she finally addressed the issue. “At that point, I had not discussed any of this publicly,” she continued. “I just existed in a land where sometimes I spoke one language and sometimes I spoke another, sometimes I mixed them and got mixed up, and I never talked about my processing differences. I just tried to be ‘normal.'”

Baldwin additionally claimed that ADHD treatment and speech therapy have both helped her along her journey with neurodivergence and with her language skills.

“I took speech therapy to enunciate better. The more I got treatment for the ADHD that I was trying to ignore, the better I got at separating the two languages and not getting as distracted,” Baldwin explained in the excerpt from her book. “I tried to improve myself in all the ways the internet trolls had told me I was broken. And then I got to the point where I realized: This is not helping me. I am mixed-up, but I am not bad or broken.”

Natasha Rothwell, 45

Actress, comedian and writer Natasha Rothwell, 45, was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023 when she was in her 40s.

The star of The White Lotus and Insecure told the Guardian in 2025 that she considers the diagnosis “a gift,” and that it helped her make sense of some of the frustrations she experienced in the past. She also stated that it now allows her to be fully herself.

“I’ve always felt a little neurospicy but have found ways to work with it and move through the world,” she told the newspaper. “Understanding that it’s just my factory setting has made me accept who I am in total. I consider the diagnosis a gift. I’m able to unmask some of my traits and let my freak flag fly.”