Grimes Discloses ADHD and Autism Diagnoses
Musician Grimes has publicly shared her recent diagnosis of both Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder.
The 37-year-old artist took to social media platform X on Saturday, March 22nd, to repost a meme referencing “excessive reading” in childhood as a potential indicator of ADHD.
In her post, Grimes expressed concern about some online “mental health” content, labeling certain accounts as sources of potentially harmful information. “I have to say, there’s this subculture of ‘mental health’ accounts that I think are, like, extreme info-hazards,” Grimes wrote, before revealing her personal news. “[I] got diagnosed with ADHD/autism this year and realized I’m probably dyslexic, which is why I can’t spell at all without spellcheck.”
Reflecting on the potential impact of an earlier diagnosis, she stated, “I feel, like, had we known this when I was a child, I would have worked so much less hard, been on drugs, and so many of the weird obsessions and motivations I had would have been seen as pathological and I could have written off certain things that were very hard for me but I’m glad I overcame them.”
Concerns Regarding Online Mental Health Content
Grimes elaborated on her apprehension about online discussions of mental health, recalling her school experiences. She mentioned that learning about various mental illnesses in class would sometimes lead to her experiencing symptoms, which would then subside after the lessons concluded.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
She also voiced her opinion that many individuals are currently “self-diagnosing” potential learning disabilities, raising questions about the accuracy and impact of such self-assessments.
Grimes on Screen Addiction and ADHD Symptoms
The musician further suggested a link between screen time and ADHD symptoms. “Also, I feel a huge percentage of ADHD is screen addiction and dopaminergic burn-out,” she commented. “My ADHD symptoms were infinitely worse when I wasn’t an avid reader.”
Grimes criticized social media accounts that might negatively portray beneficial childhood activities. “An ADHD account trying to pathologize one of the best things a child can do to help with ADHD (and also become an auto-didact and knowledgeable person etc etc) is so dark. I can’t even begin,” she stated.
Clarifying Misinformation
In a subsequent social media message, Grimes, whose given name is Claire Elise Boucher, explained her motivation for speaking out against what she perceives as misinformation online.
Parental Perspective and Neuroscience Background
“I have kids (and I did go to school for neuroscience btw) — so I am very interested in what’s going on, especially as I see my friend with older kids be again and again diagnosed with ADHD and told they need stimulants,” Grimes shared. She noted a generational shift in diagnoses, adding, “No one my age had this. Despite the stimulants literacy is way down — it seems valuable to solve this problem.”
Grimes, who has a background in neuroscience and Russian studies from McGill University, is a parent to three children with former partner Elon Musk: sons X Æ A-Xii, Techno Mechanicus, and daughter Exa Dark Sideræl.