Gwyneth Paltrow Discusses Struggles with ADD, Anxiety, and Intrusive Thoughts

Gwyneth Paltrow has revealed she believes she has ‘Attention Deficit Disorder’ and is struggling with mounting anxiety, intrusive thoughts and a ‘messed up’ nervous system.

The Oscar-winning actress, 53, made the candid admission about her mental health on the latest episode of her Goop podcast.

She revealed that after decades of practicing strict wellness regimes, she’s now having to relearn how to regulate her mind and body.

‘I would like to be more intentional about how I spend my time,’ she said. ‘I think I have a bit of ADD and I can really get pulled in lots of directions. I would love to try to not do that so much and feel more grounded throughout the day.’

Speaking this week, Gwyneth also said her nervous system is so ‘messed up’ by stress, hormones and fame that she’s struggling to switch off. 

The mother-of-two went on to detail how anxiety – something she’s never experienced before – has started to creep in. 

‘I’ve lived a very intense life in the public eye for a really, really long time,’ she said. 

‘And so I think whenever we’re at the mercy of people’s opinions and all the energy behind the opinions – I’m very sensitive, as most of us are – it kind of frays my nervous system.

‘Also, I have a lot of anxiety for the first time in my life, which is a symptom of hormonal changes. I think it’s an oestrogen dominance thing. It makes you really anxious. 

‘So part of it is physiological, part of it is psychological, part of it’s emotional and part of it’s public life.’

She continued: ‘I don’t know why it is that in the past couple of years it’s hit me so hard. 

‘But I know there’s something wrong because my cortisol [stress hormone]… like I’ll get in bed exhausted and my heart will start to race. 

‘And then I’ll have intrusive thoughts, which I’ve never had in my life ever. My sleep is still pretty okay, but sometimes I wake up first thing in the morning and I’m filled with dread. 

‘So there’s a lot of parts to it, but definitely there’s a big nervous system component.’

ADD is a neuro-developmental disorder marked by persistent problems with attention and impulsivity. 

The term is primarily used to describe the predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which focuses on symptoms like poor focus and disorganisation without significant hyperactivity – however in the UK it is seen as an outdated term and is no longer an official diagnosis.

Gwyneth said she’s working with professionals and leans heavily on her family for comfort. ‘I have two therapists. One is a nervous system specialist,’ she said. 

‘I have amazing friends, amazing, amazing, amazing women in my life, whom I can call if I need help.

‘And then I get a lot of healing from my family, from my kids and my husband. If I can be with everyone, especially if all four kids – my step-kids and my kids – and my husband and I, if we’re under one roof, my nervous system calms down.’

The Iron Man star went on to explain how everyday workplace challenges now trigger disproportionate emotional responses. ‘Sometimes I’ll get an email or some work thing or there’s a problem or an issue and I really take it like it’s a slap in the face,’ she explained. 

‘I would really like to rewire myself so that medium or bad news doesn’t feel so terrible.’

The founder of lifestyle brand Goop has not spoken publicly before about being affected by what she refers to as ADD personally – but in a 2022 episode of her podcast, she talked to psychologist Dr Kathleen Nadeau about how ADHD in women is frequently misdiagnosed or overlooked, with symptoms often mistaken for anxiety, stress or hormonal imbalance. 

The wellness mogul shares daughter Apple, 21, and son Moses, 19, with her ex-husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, and is stepmother to film producer husband Brad Falchuk’s two teenagers from his previous marriage.

Long known for her extreme wellness protocols, from IV drips and infrared saunas to detox cleanses, Gwyneth added that she’s learning to loosen her famously rigid regime.

‘I recently have actually started being less strict with my anti-inflammatory diet, which I had to be for a few years for some specific reasons,’ she said. 

‘But it felt really well to sort of relax a little around like having a drink once in a while, having some hot fudge sundae once in a while. So that’s been kind of great.’