Paris Hilton spent most of her childhood feeling like something was wrong with her. She struggled in school, could not focus no matter how hard she tried, and felt constantly misunderstood by teachers and classmates. It was not until she received an ADHD diagnosis as an adult that things began to make sense.
According to Healthline, Hilton described the diagnosis as a turning point. "It was a huge relief. I just felt no one understood the way I felt, and then I [got to] know so much about ADHD," she said. "It made me feel so much less alone, and so many things started making sense. Like growing up, and the way I felt, and the way I was in life, knowing everything about it, it just all clicked for me."
Hilton recalled how difficult school had been before she understood why focusing was so hard. "It was really difficult, especially in school, because I felt that no matter how hard I would try or study, school was always so difficult for me; just being able to focus," she told Healthline. "I just felt like I was constantly getting punished in school, just because of the way my brain worked, and it was really hard to have these labels that weren't true…People would just assume I wasn't trying hard because of not being able to…keep up with everyone in the class."
One of the most persistent challenges was her morning routine. Hilton said mornings were the hardest part of her day until she began taking JORNAY PM, a prescription central nervous system stimulant. The medication works differently from most ADHD treatments. "It's a medication that I take at night, and it starts working 10 hours after I take it, so when I wake up in the morning, I'm ready to start my day, and really put things in place and be more organized," Hilton said. "[It's] extremely helpful in my life."
Hilton is now a mother and runs multiple businesses. She said the combination of medication and organizational systems has helped her stay present with her children. "Being a mom and entrepreneur, balancing all of it is definitely a lot, but now I feel like I've been able to really put these systems and tools in place where I'm able to be so present because I have everything really organized," she said.
She partnered with Collegium Pharmaceutical, the company that manufactures JORNAY PM, to share her story publicly. She described the current treatment as a significant change from what she had tried before. "I feel like this is the first time in my life where I really have my symptoms managed, and I feel like before, the treatment was not working, but now with JORNAY PM, it's just had such a meaningful difference in my life… I feel really happy," she said.
Justin A. Barterian, PhD, a psychologist and associate professor at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Healthline that stimulant medications are considered effective treatments for ADHD and can improve attention while reducing hyperactivity and impulsivity. He noted that many people see improvements in school or work performance when symptoms are adequately managed.
Hilton said she also wants others with ADHD to see the condition differently. She has described her ADHD as giving her a creative sparkle, and she has spoken publicly about wanting to reduce the stigma that often follows an ADHD diagnosis. She said she hopes sharing her experience will encourage others to better understand how their own brains work rather than treat the condition as a limitation.
ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders in the United States. It can affect children and adults, and many people are not diagnosed until later in life, sometimes after years of academic or workplace difficulties that were never fully explained.
