STRICTLY star John Whaite has opened up about his ADHD and said “it makes life almost unbearable”.
The Bake Off star, 36, shared a video on Instagram saying: “as much as my ADHD can be a superpower, sometimes it makes life confusing.
John Whaite opened up about his ADHD battle[/caption]
The Strictly star said the condition can sometimes not feel like a ‘superpower’[/caption]
“Sometimes it makes life almost unbearable.
“I was promised I’d get older and wiser, but sometimes I feel like I’m just an ageing fool.”
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a condition where the brain works differently to most people.
John told fans in the clip: “Oh can we just talk about the reality of life with ADHD because you know a lot of the time we think we have a superpower and sometimes it can serve us very well.
“It can serve us in so many ways where we can fixate on things and achieve things and create things and really do the best work or something imaginable but often that’s such a pyrrhic victory because we bleed ourselves dry or we exhaust ourselves in doing it or we abandon plans or friends or family and the reality of ADHD is that it can make us believe that what we’re doing in life sometimes is the exactly the righteous course of action for us.
“It’s the right path in spite of what people who love us might say.
“And then when it gets to the point where we are our interest fizzles away, the reality kicks in and we see the truth and we see the situation for what it is.
“At that point we’re left kind of thinking f***, I’ve given up so much for this. I’ve ignored people who love me for this.
“And this is really exhausting because usually the older you get the wise you get.
“And while that can still be true in a situation where you have ADHD I think the reality.
“As you get older you don’t necessarily get wiser, you just get older and when you get older and you keep making silly little mistakes people become less tolerant of those mistakes because you’re meant to be older and wiser.”
He added: “So much as we can say that ADHD is a superpower it is, also lets admit it concrete block around us and I think we need to acknowledge.
“You know there’s so much positivity, but on the flip side of it can be so crippling and so dehumanising and annoying.”
“If I could chose to live life neurotypically at this point in my life, I would jump at the chance and I know that’s not very pro ADHD it’s not very kind of holding up the flag our community but sometimes it’s just exhausting, it’s horrific and sometimes I f****** hate it.”
His fans raced to share messages of support in the comment section.
One wrote: “Those who love you will always have patience and understanding. They will listen and understand when you are overwhelmed and frustrated. Asking for help is empowering.”
A second said: “Thank you for this. I see so many ‘quirky’ posts about ADHD (forgetting keys, being late) but the reality and guilt can be incredibly hard to live with. Solidarity.”
A third added: “Bless you John, hoping the coming days are kind to you.”
John has previously been honest about his diagnosis.
In 2023, he explained his experiences after he was diagnosed with the condition.
He explained: “I’ve known my behaviour over the past decade (and my thinking for the past 30-odd years) has not been ‘normal’.
“I’ve often questioned whether I have some personality disorder, deep-rooted psychological trauma, or just a brain that isn’t quite wired up right.”
Since finding fame, John has been open about his mental health battle and previously discussed suffering from bulimia and suicidal thoughts in 2019.
In 2021 he revealed on the Life On A Plate podcast how he was left feeling suicidal and quit fame to live on a farm after winning The Great British Bake Off.
He returned to university after the show to do his barrister training but ended up getting pneumonia from stress – leading him to drop out of the law course.
But he soon returned to public life after he was confirmed to be the first ever male celeb to be paired in a same-sex couple on Strictly.
What are the signs of ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common condition that affects people’s behaviour.
The NHS reveals that the symptoms in adults and kids are…
- Inattentiveness
- having a short attention span and being easily distracted
- making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork
- appearing forgetful or losing things
- being unable to stick at tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
- appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions
- constantly changing activity or task
- having difficulty organising tasks
- Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
- being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
- constantly fidgeting
- being unable to concentrate on tasks
- excessive physical movement
- excessive talking
- acting without thinking
- interrupting conversations
- little or no sense of danger
- mood swings, irritability and a quick temper
