10 Celebrities Living with ADHD

2012 Golden Goggle Awards

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is becoming a growing problem for people of all ages. People who suffer from ADHD often have an extremely difficult time focusing and getting things done.  As a result children with ADHD often find themselves falling behind in school, and being disruptive during class time.  Adults with ADHD also have a difficult time staying on track, which can result in stress at work and at home. Due to these symptoms, many people with ADHD often feel like they don’t fit in with others, and struggle to find their place.  However, there are many success stories in which people with ADHD have overcome their challenges to find tremendous amounts of success.  In fact, some of the most famous celebrities have admitted to suffering from ADHD, and their stories have provided both pride and hope to those in similar shoes.  Here are 10 celebrities who are living with ADHD.

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Howie Mandel 

Actor/comedian turned game show host, Howie Mandel, has had a very successful career over the last nearly 4o years.  Despite his seemingly effortless success, Mandel has been struggling with ADHD. However, Mandel has been very open about some of the challenges of having ADHD, and during an interview he stated: “I won’t tell you that having ADD/ADHD or OCD is a blessing, but both conditions are parts of who I am. They’re reflected in my comedy. While the conditions present challenges — I find it difficult to write or read a script — my career and life have been fruitful and fulfilling. I know some see ADD/ADHD as a gift, but, given a chance, I would gladly return it.”

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Chris Knight

Chris Knight is best-known for his rule as Peter Brady on the 60s and 70s era sitcom, The Brady Bunch.  While working on the show, Knight’s ADHD often made it difficult for him to remember lines; however, he was able to work through his struggles. After the show ended, Knight decided to pursue a career in the business industry . Throughout the 80s and 90s, Knight has found success in the business world and founded two of his own companies. During the 2000s Knight made a return to television, even landing his own VH1 reality TV show in 2005.

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Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles, younger sister of pop superstar, Beyoncé, has been diagnosed with ADHD twice. According to Knowles, she “didn’t believe the first doctor” the first doctor who informed her of her diagnoses, and refused to believe that ADHD was a real problem.  Knowles said she believed that doctors diagnosed people as a ploy to make them pay for medicine; however, when she was diagnosed a second time, she realized that she actually was suffering from the disorder.

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Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum is one of the hottest men in Hollywood.  He has starred in several popular movies including Magic Mike and Dear John.  However, Tatum’s rise to the top certainly hasn’t been easy.  Tatum admits to suffering from both ADHD and Dyslexia, both of which make learning and memorizing lines difficult for him. During an interview, Channing admitted that because of both disorders he has never felt “smart” growing up, and was often placed in special education classrooms. However, he says that he has used his strengths to help him find success, and he continues to work hard every day.

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Lisa Ling

Journalist and writer, Lisa Ling, has found success in an industry that demands close attention.  Ling worked successful in the industry for more than 20 years before being diagnosed with ADHD at 40 years-old. However, Ling, who says that she has no problems focusing while working on a story, has refused to let the diagnoses hinder her, stating: “While the diagnosis confirmed what I had always expected, I don’t feel inhibited. Rather, I feel I have more clarity.”

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Adam Levine

Maroon 5 frontman and Grammy Award winner, Adam Levine, was diagnose with ADHD as a teenager.  According to Levine:  “My doctor diagnosed me with ADHD in my early teens. What was really helpful to me was learning that this was a real medical condition – I had ADHD. The diagnosis helped explain the challenges I was having in school, including my difficulty focusing, sitting down and getting my school work done.” For a while, Levine believed that the disorder had not followed him into adulthood; however, he was wrong.  While working on his first album he had serious trouble focusing, and after meeting with a doctor, realized that his ADHD had not left him after all. Levine says he now has better tools to help him focus, and encourages other people with ADHD to remember that the disorder is not necessarily “a bad thing.”

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Ty Pennington

Ty Pennington is best-known for hosting the home remodeling series, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  Although he has proven that he has what it takes to focus on a tough job and follow it all the way through, this task certainly hasn’t been easy for Pennington, who suffers from ADHD. During an interview, Pennington shared that growing up with ADHD was “difficult” although he wasn’t officially diagnosed until he was in college.  According to Pennington, “ADHD hurts your confidence;” however, it appears that he has found a way to persevere.

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Jim Carey

Actor/comedian, Jim Carey, is one of the greatest talents of his generation.  However, his tendency to appear all over the place may be more than just an act. Throughout his life, Carey has suffered from both ADHD and depression, both of which can make it extremely difficult to function, especially in a demanding environment like Hollywood.  Although Carey does not tend to speak directly on his ADHD, he has found subtle ways to insert it into his comedy.

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Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez is one of the toughest girls in the film industry.  Often depicted as the unstoppable female character, Rodriguez has starred in films such as the Fast and Furious series and Blue Crush.  However, things for Rodriguez aren’t always as easy as they appear on-screen. In 2006, Rodriguez revealed that she suffers from ADD, stating: “I have a hard time focusing when I’m alone. I’m a scatterbrain, but I’m nervous of taking medication. I don’t really want to depend on anything to control my brain.”

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Michael Phelps at the Aquatics Centre

Michael Phelps

Michael Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all-time. However, there was once a time when success seemed completely out of reach for Phelps. After being diagnosed with ADHD at nine years-old, Phelps saw minimal results by using medication, and told his mother that he’d like to try to cope on his own. As a result, Phelps began swimming, and at the age of 15 he became the youngest American to compete in an Olympics in more than half a century.

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