Chynna Phillips Baldwin Opens Up About Her 'Crippling' ADHD: 'I Feel Pretty Alone'
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
The Wilson Phillips singer, 55, said she's thinking about seeking help to deal with her "severe case" of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD
Chynna Phillips is opening up about dealing with “crippling” ADHD over the years.
On Thursday, the Wilson Phillips singer, 55, posted a video on her California Preachin’ YouTube channel and revealed that she has a “severe case” of attention deficit disorder (ADD). (Note: Since 1987, ADD has been an outdated term for what experts now call attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.)
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders and can result in difficulty paying attention and controlling impulsive behaviors, or being overly active, according to the CDC.
“I have a pretty severe case of ADD,” Phillips said in the video. “It’s pretty crippling, not funny. I have been talking to my doctor about this for a while because I’m not quite sure what to do about this situation because it’s gnarly.”
The singer said she’s never really discussed how “severe” her disorder is and shared that it’s typically “impossible” for her to focus for more than 30 seconds at a time.
“I think a lot of people don’t understand the severity of ADD and how much it can impact a person’s life in a negative way,” she said. “I am trying to come to terms with it and I think I’m going to seek serious counsel on what to do.”
Phillips said she knows people will likely urge her not to take drugs for her ADHD and assured that she always tries a holistic approach first before turning to medication. She also revealed that although she’s sought medical attention for her anxiety and depression in the past, she’s never gotten help with managing her ADHD.
“I think it’s because I’m a little bit in denial about it,” she admitted. “I am afraid of changing my behavior and changing my patterns because I have relied on them for so long. I’m scared of what life will be like without ADD. I suppose there’s a part of me that’s afraid of who I am without my ADD. It defines me a little bit — my sort of zaniness and my inability to focus has sort of become my personality. I’m a little nervous about giving it up.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Phillips shared that she’s also “in a lot of pain” because as she gets older, a lot of people — including her husband Billy Baldwin — have less of a threshold for it. She said ADHD “doesn’t serve me” and she's “causing my own interruption” with everyday tasks.
“If anybody else struggles with ADD and is identifying with what I’m saying, please comment below because I feel pretty alone in this, even though I know it’s an epidemic and that so many millions of people suffer from this,” she said in the video. “There’s a little bit of shame wrapped up around being ADD.”
Phillips joins a list of celebrities who have talked openly about their experiences with ADHD, including Tallulah Willis, Michael Phelps, Julia Fox, Ty Pennington, Justin Bieber, Mary Bonnet and more.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
