Paris Hilton says being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult helped her understand struggles she faced since childhood and the labels she said were placed on her as a child.
"People would think, 'Oh, she's not trying hard. She doesn't care. She's lazy.' Or I just feel like people just thought, 'Oh she's dumb,'" Hilton told ABC News, adding, "[It was] difficult to constantly have people be judging me for something that I couldn't control."
Hilton, 45, an entrepreneur, DJ and mom of two, said she was diagnosed with ADHD -- short for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder -- in her 20s.
ADHD is a condition that affects focus, self-control and impulse regulation, making it harder to pay attention and stay organized, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
Hilton said she remembers having difficulty focusing in school, but said ADHD wasn't something she heard people talk about when she was a child.
In her adult years, Hilton said friends began discussing the condition with her, which eventually led her to learn more and speak with a doctor.
"It was such a relief for me to know that it's just because my brain works differently," Hilton said of receiving a formal ADHD diagnosis.
Hilton's experience of being diagnosed with ADHD later in life is one shared by many women.
Research shows that women are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than men and men are typically diagnosed earlier. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 13% of boys ages 3 to 17 were diagnosed with ADHD in 2022-2023, compared with 7% of girls.
More recently though, a better understanding of how ADHD affects women, and an increased awareness of the condition thanks in part to social media, have led to more diagnoses. One study found that the percentage of women [ages 23 and 49] who were newly diagnosed with ADHD nearly doubled between 2020 and 2022.
About 11.7% of U.S. children ages 3 to 17 had a current ADHD diagnosis in 2024, while 6% of U.S. adults had a current ADHD diagnosis in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hilton said in some cases, women may begin recognizing ADHD symptoms in themselves after becoming mothers and having their children evaluated for the condition.
"Some of their kids may have ADHD and then they go get them tested and then they hear what the doctor's saying and they're like, 'Oh I can relate to so much of what you're saying, like maybe I have it," she said.
One reason for the gap in ADHD diagnoses earlier in life may be how ADHD symptoms present in girls, who more often exhibit predominantly inattentive symptoms, while the hyperactive and impulsive presentation is more often seen in boys, according to Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, a nonprofit organization that provides resources and education on ADHD.
Hilton said the lack of a diagnosis may lead girls to wonder what's wrong with them.
"It's very confusing and really affects your confidence and who you are," she said, adding of her own diagnosis, "I felt like it made so much of my life finally make sense."
Now a mom of two with a busy career, Hilton said she works with her doctor on a treatment plan and has learned to view ADHD as a strength. She said she encourages other women who may see similar symptoms to, "talk to a doctor and figure out a treatment plan that works for them."
"I wouldn't be the entrepreneur that I am today without it," Hilton said of ADHD. "So I really see it as my superpower and my sparkle."
Anyone who suspects they may have ADHD should talk to a health care professional for an accurate diagnosis.