Paris Hilton: Why I don’t hide my ADHD from my kids

If you have ADHD like me, there’s a one in four chance that one of your parents has it too. This means that my children may grow up to learn and think like me, and that’s not something to hide, it’s something to celebrate. In our home, I want them to know that being different doesn’t mean being broken. Every mind deserves to shine.

For most of my life, I thought there was something wrong with me. I was the girl who couldn’t sit still, who forgot things, and who didn’t thrive in a traditional classroom. People told me to “do my best.” So, I put on a mask — smiling, performing, excelling — while feeling like I was constantly falling behind. Like many women with ADHD, I’ve learned to shine on the outside while feeling a mess on the inside.

Motherhood changed that. I don’t want my children to inherit my silence. I want them to see that their minds, no matter how they work, are not chaotic; They are magical.

I’ve always felt like my brain is like a Ferrari with bicycle brakes – powerful, but difficult to control. But it’s also what’s helped me pioneer new worlds from reality TV to selfies, from my own perfume empire to founding 11:11 Media. My ADHD doesn’t slow me down. It fuels my creativity. Some days, my brain feels like a browser with 100 tabs open. But instead of fighting it, I’ve learned to see it as a gift; An endless engine of ideas and imagination.

That’s why I’m open with my kids about ADHD: the ups, the downs, the brilliance, and the struggles. The best thing I can teach them is not perfection; It’s how to design a life that works for them.

This belief has inspired my new series, Inclusive by Design, a project about how the spaces we live and work in can either drain us or help us shine. This was my first time collaborating with ADHD experts Sarah Greenberg, MA, MA, and Andrew Khan, PsyD, at Understood.org to create environments that truly support how my brain works. Together we discovered how small transformations, like color-coding my closet and organizing my craft area, enable Phoenix, London, and me to create together, using helpful tools like Google Gemini on Android Bringing calming, research-backed design elements into my 11:11 Media Office can transform everyday spaces into spaces that spark joy and belonging.

Because what I’ve realized is that when we design for all kinds of minds, we make life better for all kinds of people.

Research conducted by Understood.org found that 92% of women who learn and think differently report concealment, and Seven in 10 young women with ADHD (18-34 years) prefer to remain silent about their diagnosis.We are hiding. We overcompensate. We are burning. And in the process, the world loses our spark.

That’s why I’ve made it my mission to change the narrative and I’ve personally found so much power in sharing and owning my story. Whether it’s fixing the “troubled teen” industry or speaking out about ADHD, I want people to understand that neurodiversity is not something that can be fixed.

If you’re reading this and any of this sounds familiar, please know: you’re not broken. It may take some time to find the systems that help you succeed, but once you do, life becomes easier.

ADHD gave me the courage to break the mold, take risks, think differently, and lead with empathy. This is the legacy I want to pass on to my children: not a life of disguise, but a life of belonging.

Being different isn’t a mistake…it’s a wonderful thing. When we accept this, we not only change our lives, we change the world for the next generation.

💖 Comprehensive viewing according to design and visit Understood.org/adhd-women To explore resources designed to help women with ADHD thrive.

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