Famous People With ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, known more commonly by the abbreviation ADHD, can be an intimidating diagnosis.  However, if you discover that you have ADHD, it is important to know that there is no reason why it should become a barrier for you.  No matter your aspirations or desires, you can achieve whatever you want to achieve in life whilst having ADHD, because there are so many strong and successful people out there who are living proof.  Here is just a few of them!

Simone Biles

Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast, a 7-time gold medal winning Olympian, and is the most decorated gymnast in history.  Not only is she the holder of 25 World Championship Medals, but this year in 2022 she was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Joe Biden – Simone is only 25 years old.  She has taken the time to outwardly speak about her ADHD diagnosis and the medication she takes to manage it – even though her medical records were callously leaked by hackers, Simone did not allow it to hurt her. She has expressed how she is not ashamed about her diagnosis, and it’s clear that her ADHD has not stopped her from achieving her dreams.

Emma Watson

Emma Watson is most well-known for her career as an actress, beginning with her role as Hermione Granger when she was just a child.  From 2011-2014 she continued her education alongside her acting career, graduating from Brown University with a BA in English Literature. Also in 2014 she was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and helped to launch HeForShe, a UN Women campaign which advocates for gender equality – then in 2015, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.  Like Simone Biles, Emma Watson has had ADHD since a young age, and it has not stopped her pursuing her goals and passions in life.

Will.i.am

Will.i.am is an extremely popular and successful rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer – he was also the founding and lead member of the musical group Black Eyed Peas. In addition to his music career, he has also appeared a judge and mentor on the TV talent show series’ The Voice UK, The Voice Australia, and The Voice Kids.  Also, in his career so far he has recieved a Latin Grammy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, as well as a total of seven Grammy Awards.  The musician has talked in detail about how he lives and works with his ADHD.  He’s said that though it’s hard to keep his attention and he’s always moving and thinking about loads of things at once, those traits work well for him in his line of work, especially when it comes to working on his creative ideas.

Simone Biles, Emma Watson and Will.i.am are just three examples of so many people who live their lives to the full, unhindered by their ADHD.  Of course, it goes without saying that everyone experiences ADHD differently, and that one person’s coping methods and strategies may not work for someone else.  However, these individuals prove that no matter what your interests are, whether they’re athletic, artistic or academic, ADHD does not have to be a barrier for you, or for anyone.