Reality STAR Paris Hilton has opened up about her ADHD diagnosis. How the diagnosis helped the 43-year-old woman accept her differences.
“Growing up, I was always told that I was too energetic, too distracted, too talkative—just too much of everything,” Hilton wrote in a Teen Vouge essay.
According to the former Simple Life star, her “constant need” for stimulation combined with problems at school not being able to accommodate her ultimately led her to enroll at Provo Canyon School. The school where he was the victim of serious abuse, something he has spoken about at length before.
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“I wish someone had asked, ‘What really happened to him?’ Instead, I spent years feeling misunderstood, punished for the way my brain worked. It wasn’t until years later that I realized what was really going on,” Hilton continued, before discussing how ADHD often goes undiagnosed in women and girls.
“At first, being diagnosed felt like a label—something that confined me, defining me based on what I couldn’t do, based on what made me different,” she wrote.
“It’s something I used to hide, worried about how people would perceive it. Would people think I was too random, too unfocused, or incapable of success? But those challenges were only one side of the coin. The other side revealed something beautiful : creativity, passion, resilience, and a mind that thinks in bold and unexpected ways.”
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For this mother of two, ADHD isn’t a “limitation” for her—”it’s a superpower.”
“It’s my secret weapon in a world that often tells us to play it safe,” Hilton wrote.
“My brain doesn’t follow a straight line—it zigzags and explores uncharted territory, allowing me to push boundaries and stay ahead of the curve,” he adds.
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“ADHD is the reason I can anticipate trends, giving me the creativity to build an empire, the drive to continually push boundaries, and the empathy to connect with people on a deeper level.”
Hilton says this neurodevelopmental disorder allows him to focus excessively on the things he loves most in life.
“Because my brain thrives on new things, bold ideas, and innovation, I see the world as full of possibility, and I have learned to embrace that energy,” he wrote in the essay.
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“But let’s be realistic: ADHD can also be überwhelming and exhausting because my mind is constantly throbbing with thoughts, ideas, and distractions,” he adds. “People often see the glamorous and successful side of me, but behind the scenes, there are days when the voice inside my head can be so loud that it’s hard to find clarity.”
Giving herself “grace” and finding people who could be part of her support system were some of the most important ways in which Hilton learned to support herself through her ADHD diagnosis—but she still pushed for change in how our culture views ADHD.
“The stigma surrounding ADHD—and neurodivergence in general—needs to change,” he wrote.
“We live in a world where we are often expected to fit into boxes, follow rules, and do things the same way as everyone else. But my ADHD has taught me that the most magical things happen when we let ourselves go from those expectations. We need to stop labeling neurodivergent individuals as ‘disordered’ and start recognizing the unique talents they bring.”
Hilton’s music album Infinite Icon—which was released on September 6, nearly two decades after releasing her self-titled debut in 2006—even features a song, simply titled “ADHD,” that serves as “a celebration of my journey and a message to others that ADHD is something that should be embraced, not hidden.”
“I want people, especially young women, to know that being different is beautiful, and that your ‘flaws’ can actually be your greatest assets. I have faced challenges, of course, but ADHD has given me an inner strength and self-confidence that I would never have known otherwise.” anyone can take it,” Hilton wrote, sharing her advocacy work through the nonprofit 11:11 Media Impact.
“For anyone out there who feels like he’s 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,” he concluded the essay. “Embrace your differences, because that’s what makes you unstoppable.” (People/Z-3)
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