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Busy Philipps Says ADHD Diagnosis Made Her Realize 'Maybe I Wasn't an Airhead'

Busy Philipps said on Jennie Garth's 'I Choose Me' podcast that her ADHD diagnosis at 39 helped her realize how the condition impacted her performance in the classroom as a kid.

Philipps, 45, who joined Jennie Garth on the Wednesday, May 14, episode of her I Choose Me podcast, said she felt like a bad student, but now realizes her experience was largely a result of her attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (more commonly known as ADHD). The organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(CHADD) states that girls with ADHD present "inattentive" symptoms like "forgetfulness, trouble paying attention, and problems with organization," while boys' symptoms — including "blurting out or being unable to sit still in class" — present more physically, meaning teachers or parents notice them more, leading to a higher childhood diagnosis rate. Philipps said it wasn’t until her child Birdie was getting evaluated for potential learning differences that she realized she identified with many of the symptoms on the doctor’s checklist.

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