Paris Hilton has spoken out about her ADHD diagnosis — and she says she now believes the much-misunderstood condition is one of the secrets of her success.
In a long, moving essay for Teen Vogue, the 43 year old star has talked about how she came to be diagnosed with ADHD — attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder — after years of believing it was her personality that was causing her problems. “Growing up, I was always told that I was too energetic, too distracted, too talkative — just too everything,” she writes. “My mind was constantly racing, jumping from one thought to the next, like a pinball bouncing around inside my head or a Ferrari with bicycle brakes (a metaphor Dr. Edward Hallowell, MD once described to me). I wish someone had asked, “What’s really going on with her?” Instead, I spent years feeling misunderstood, punished for the way my brain worked.”
Hilton explains that she wasn’t properly diagnosed until adulthood — which is frequently the case for women. “Studies show that girls are diagnosed with ADHD only one-third as often as boys because their symptoms don’t always align with the hyperactive, disruptive behaviors typically associated with ADHD in boys,” she says.
As a reality star, socialite, singer, actress, businesswoman and — phew! — DJ (did we miss anything?!), Hilton ticks a lot of ADHD boxes: she’s creative, entrepreneurial and with way too many ideas and ambitions to stick to one career path.
“Would people think I was too scattered, too unfocused, or incapable of success?” she says. “But those challenges are just one side of the coin. The other side reveals something beautiful: creativity, passion, resilience, and a mind that thinks in bold, unexpected ways. ADHD isn’t a limitation; it’s a superpower. It’s my secret weapon in a world that often tells us to play it safe.”
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Now a mom of two — son Phoenix was born in January 2023, while daughter London came along just 10 months later, in November of the same year — Hilton, who is married to entrepreneur Carter Reum, admits that her busy life can be overwhelming. “My mind is constantly buzzing with thoughts, ideas, and distractions,” she says. “People often see the glamorous, successful side of me, but behind the scenes, there are days when the noise inside my head can be so loud that it’s difficult to find clarity.”
Hilton first mentioned that she had ADHD — or ADD as it was more commonly known then — in an interview with Larry King in 2007 following her release from a 45 day jail spell for driving without a valid license (it had been suspended in 2006 due to a DUI charge). She explained then that she had been on medication for the condition since childhood, a fact which felt surprising at the time, when so few people, particularly celebrities, had talked about ADHD.
Now, though, more is understood about the condition — and Hilton is hoping that by speaking out, she will help break the stigma for other girls and women who show symptoms. “To anyone out there who feels like they’re struggling with ADHD or any other challenge, I want you to know this: you are not alone, and you are not defined by your diagnosis,” she says. “Embrace your differences, because they are what makes you unstoppable.”
Naturally, Hilton has written a song about ADHD on her new album, Infinite Icon, because “I want people, especially young women, to know that being different is beautiful.”
