Anne-Marie has opened up about her battle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ADHD] in a candid new interview.
The singer-songwriter, now 32, said ‘struggles started in my brain at 16’ before ‘finding compassion for herself’ after beginning therapy during 2020’s lockdown.
She told Women’s Health: ‘Healthy to me means having a healthy mind. My struggles with my brain started when I was 16 and then I was diagnosed with ADHD’.
‘I manage my symptoms by building Lego – I’ve got a whole town in my house. I started therapy during lockdown, when I was feeling numb and rubbish. I went weekly for two years.’
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Honest: Anne-Marie, 32, has opened up about her battle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder [ ADHD ] in a candid new interview
Honest: The singer-songwriter, said ‘struggles started in my brain at 16’ before ‘finding compassion for herself’ after beginning therapy during 2020’s lockdown
She went on to say: ‘Therapy was a slow but amazing journey. I have compassion for myself now, but before therapy, I had none whatsoever’.
‘I was basically empty because I felt so much for other people that I gave them everything – leaving nothing for myself. But then I realised that when you are selfish and look after yourself, you can look after other people more’.
Anne-Marie also credited therapy with giving her the confidence to approach other artists and ask them collaborate on records after years of feeling inadequate.
Saying: ‘I felt confident enough to lock in a session with Niall Horan. Then, for Unhealthy, the only person I thought was right for it was Shania Twain. So I sent her the song – she loved it’.
According to the Line Of Best Fit Shania super fan Anne-Marie slid into the country singers DM’s to ask her to feature on her track Unhealthy, before they recorded together in May.
Elsewhere in the interview she touched on her struggles with body image as a teen and said her younger self equated being popular with having the ‘perfect’ figure.
‘I thought it was my own fault that I wasn’t popular, chasing a lower weight became an obsession. But ultimately, I was chasing body “perfection”, which doesn’t exist.’
Back in 2021 Anne-Marie again credited having therapy for helping her to normalise her ‘extreme’ thoughts and feelings.
Making her move: She also credited therapy with giving her the confidence to approach other artists and ask them collaborate on records after years of feeling inadequate (pictured with Niall Horan)
Star-power: Saying: ‘I felt confident enough to lock in a session with Niall Horan. Then, for Unhealthy, the only person I thought was right for it was Shania Twain. So I sent her the song – she loved it’ (Anne-Marie, L and Shania Twain, R, pictured in the studio together.
During an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine she explained that she always struggled with how extreme she thought her thoughts were, before speaking to a therapist and learning that how she was feeling was ‘normal’.
Her sessions inspired her to pen her album, aptly named Therapy, and Anne-Marie revealed that by seeking help she was able to make sense of the inner voice in her head.
She told host Ranvir Singh: ‘I’ve always thought that my thoughts are very extreme and before they come out of my mouth, it’s like the worst thing that I could possibly say.’
Admitting she struggled to voice how she was feeling, Anne-Marie credited her therapy sessions for helping her to realise her thoughts aren’t as bad as she first thought.
Honest: She also touched on her struggles with body image as a teen and said her younger self equated being popular with having the ‘perfect’ figure
‘Then as soon as I speak to my therapist… it’s like it’s actually normal how I feel,’ the singer said.
‘As soon as [your thoughts] comes out of your mouth it becomes normal, I think.’
She added: ‘ For most people, music has been there for them at some point in their life. Writing [music] is very therapeutic for me.’
‘Going to do actual therapy with a therapist helped me to write music from a different mindset.’
Anne-Marie also recalled a time when she had suffered from panic attacks and Ed Sheeran had been on hand to check in on her.
She described the singer as ‘one of the best people’ to have as a friend as she revealed: ‘The other day I had a panic attack and I emailed him. He said, “Are you okay? Do you want me to call?” He is honestly incredible.
If you have been affected by anything in this article, contact The National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service on 020 8952 280.
The full interview with Anne-Marie can be read in the November issue of Women’s Health UK, on sale now.
Content source – www.soundhealthandlastingwealth.com
