Three creative celebrity minds living - and thriving - with ADHD

Mental health can be a touchy topic. Many people prefer to keep any issues of the sort out of the spotlight for fear of judgment. That very judgment stems from a lack of understanding, open-mindedness and relatability. However in this day and age of technology bringing people closer together than ever before, many are finding others they could call a part of their tribe.

Celebrities are widely considered to be perched upon the top tier of western society’s hierarchy. They are the glamorous, the wealthy and the people without problems. However, many A-listers have opened up about their internal battles with their mental health. Depression, anxiety and ADHD top the list of the most common mental illnesses diagnosed among the rich and famous. 

Ty Pennington

Ty Pennington is a former television host, artist, carpenter, author, and former model and actor

Ty Pennington, best known as the star of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, has been vocal about his ADHD for many years. While only officially diagnosed in college, Pennington knew he had ADHD from very young. He recalled the inability to sit still in class and finding difficulty concentrating on a singular task.

Only after high school did he formally discover his diagnosis. It “lifted a massive weight” off his shoulders, leaving him reassured about the way he thought and behaved. Throughout his life, Ty was drawn to the arts and sought refuge in drawing and design. His mind flourished in art class and he found creativity calmed the chaos. 

Pennington felt a greater sense of self-acceptance following his diagnosis. Finally realizing he was not wrong, but different, helped him thrive in the areas he knew he was good at. Within five years of his diagnosis, he soared to new heights in his career and now, years later, he remains one of the world’s greatest designers. 

Will.i.am

William James Adams Jr., also known as will.i.am, is an American hip-hop artist and record producer.

International music star will.i.am has opened up about his life being neurodivergent. Thinking back to his school days, he remembers his scattered mind jumping to a different thought every few seconds which hindered his focus. He eventually grew to use his ADHD as a weapon of mass creation through his time in the music studio. 

He attributes his revolutionary ideas to his brain always leaping between thoughts and beats, leading him to create melodies that ultimately turn into hit songs. The musician has stated that music helps control his thoughts. His otherwise scattered mind finds order in beats and lyrics where it would not in mathematics or literature. Each person finds salvation in at least one area of life. We are not meant to all be good at the same one thing for it would discount the rest of what makes us different and useful to society. It takes discovering our “thing” to help us feel a greater sense of belonging. 

Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles, the younger sister of Beyonce Knowles, is a Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter, performance artist, and actress.

Another celebrity formally diagnosed with ADHD is fashion and music mogul Solange Knowles. The soulful musician was initially skeptical of the mental health issue that it took two diagnoses to convince her that she required help. 

Knowles opened up about it, saying that she believed that ADHD was an invention of major pharmaceutical companies to sell medication to unassuming masses. It was not until her second diagnosis that she decided to seek treatment and has since, according to her, flourished. The star has gone on to tour the world as a chart-topping sensation and become a mother. 

Traditionally, ADHD was believed to be monopolized by men. However studies in recent years have shed light upon how women often suffer just as much but are often misdiagnosed due to their general lack of hyperactivity. Women are now receiving the treatment they require in greater numbers than ever before. 

Creative minds across the globe vary in levels of neurodivergence. Many of the greats of this generation have turned out to have lived with ADHD. Their public testimonies have proved to increase relatability and understanding amongst the general population. They showcase the fact that a person can not only live with ADHD, but prosper significantly with it. Use it as your greatest weapon and see your life change for the better.