Trevor Noah (Image: Rich Fury/Getty Images for the Recording Academy)
Comedian Trevor Noah has candidly discussed his experiences with mental health challenges and his diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In a recent episode of Diary of a CEO with podcast host Steven Bartlett, the 40-year-old opened up about these personal battles.
Trevor Noah, known for his role as the former host of The Daily Show, also runs the podcast What Now? with Trevor Noah and authored the acclaimed book Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood. During his conversation with Steven, Trevor revealed his ongoing fight with depression, which often left him feeling directionless and uncertain about what lay ahead.
He later learned that these feelings were connected to his untreated ADHD-related depression.
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Discussing the symptoms he experienced, Trevor said: “I would have the inability to choose where to place my focus right one of the things. So I would either be hyperfocused by something that I shouldn’t or I would have no focus for the thing that I should.
“So I could be having a conversation with you and let’s say there was a car outside revving its engine. At some point that’s all I’d be able to think about, even though you’re speaking to me, that’s all I’d be able to think about.
“Like, ‘who’s revving this engine, who’s driving this car, what is going on out there, what kind of car is that? It sounds like a V6, is that a truck?’
“But you’d be talking and then at the end of the sentence I just hear the last three words you said and then I’d try and to put it all together and act like I was paying attention.”
The comedian shares that it was only after a friend received an ADHD diagnosis that he recognised some of the symptoms as being similar to his own.
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Although Trevor describes himself and his friend as having distinct personalities, he ultimately chose to consult a doctor. Trevor mentions that his friend was skilled at concealing and masking their ADHD symptoms, which led to a moment of clarity and motivated him to seek a diagnosis.
This diagnosis came a few years later, following a thorough assessment and gaining a deeper understanding of ADHD.
“Two years ago my friend got diagnosed first told me about it changed his whole life,” he said. “Then when he was describing some of he symptoms I was like, ‘well that’s weird, that sounds a lot like me’, and we are very different person personality-wise.
“Then I asked him, ‘I don’t understand, I’ve never noticed these things in you’, and he was like, ‘yeah’, he was very good at hiding them. He was very good at masking them. It hit home so much that it made me think I need to get diagnosed.”
Trevor later recalled his school years, when he was diagnosed with ‘hyperactivity’. “I remember that when I was a kid, my school told my mum that I needed to go for a psychiatric evaluation because when I was really young the teachers complained I was just all over the place.
“My mom took me to a psychiatrist and the psychiatrist diagnosed me with ADHD. But back then it was called hyperactivity.”
Steven asked: “You’re the first person I’ve interviewed who has said that their depression was linked to their ADHD. Can you explain to me?” Trevor explained how his ADHD would cause him to focus on a recurring thought or idea that he would struggle to let go of.
“That’s where the depression would kick in. I would be perpetually stuck in a loop of meaninglessness. Or, what I like to call my zoom. I was stuck on my lens; the way I’d see life was literally like a lens.”
Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can vary from person to person (Image: Getty)
Trevor revealed: “When you’re getting focused, when you’re zooming in, you’re trying to place your focus on the object that you’re trying to place it on. If you zoom out too wide, you can’t see the object. If you zoom in too much, you also can’t see the object. You’ve got to find the right zoom.”
Trevor mentioned that there are times when thoughts and ideas get caught in a repetitive cycle in his mind, which often results in a sense of feeling ‘meaningless’.
“Sometimes when I’d be in that place I’d feel a little hopeless right. I would think to myself, ‘I hate this, this sucks, I don’t know what I want to do with life anymore’,” he said.
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There is a connection between ADHD and depression, as difficulties in directing attention can result in hyperfocusing on unimportant matters or failing to concentrate on what truly matters, which can contribute to feelings of depression.
This struggle to manage focus may cause the mind to become trapped in a cycle of repetitive thoughts, fostering a sense of emptiness and sadness.
The struggle to push certain thoughts out of your mind can feel incredibly heavy, often leading to feelings of depression and despair. Being trapped in this cycle can make life seem devoid of purpose, and the weight of it all can become quite daunting.
Adults with ADHD are nearly three times more likely to face depression compared to those without the condition. Research indicates that between 18.6% and 53.3% of people with ADHD also experience depression.
The Attention Deficit Disorder Association notes that having ADHD might heighten the chances of developing depression. There can be a significant overlap in symptoms between adult ADHD and depression, which can complicate the diagnosis.
For example, both conditions can disrupt your ability to concentrate on work and daily tasks. Additionally, issues with sleep and appetite are common in both depression and ADHD, particularly among those using stimulant medications for ADHD.
Symptoms of depression:
There are some distinctive symptoms of depression that don’t overlap with adult ADHD, including:
- Persistently feeling sad or “empty”
- Feelings of hopelessness, guilt, and worthlessness
- Loss of interest in activities and hobbies
- Recurring thoughts of suicide and death
- Having low self-esteem
- Feeling irritable and intolerant of others
- Having no motivation
- Finding it difficult to make decisions
Symptoms of ADHD:
The main signs of inattentiveness are:
- having a short attention span and being easily distracted
- making careless mistakes – for example, in schoolwork
- appearing forgetful or losing things
- being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming
- appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions
- constantly changing activity or task
- having difficulty organising tasks
The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are:
- being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
- constantly fidgeting
- being unable to concentrate on tasks
- excessive physical movement
- excessive talking
- being unable to wait their turn
- acting without thinking
- interrupting conversations
- little or no sense of danger
An Attention Deficit Disorder Association spokesperson said: “Because some symptoms of ADHD may resemble depression, it’s essential to seek professional medical advice to get the correct diagnosis. That said, it’s possible, and not uncommon, to have both ADHD and depression.
“So if you’ve been diagnosed with either, you can still seek medical advice and assessment for a possible diagnosis of the other. Many adults with ADHD are still not diagnosed or receiving the treatment they need.
“An ADHD diagnosis does not mean you will develop depression. But seeking proper treatment could be vital to lowering that risk – and learning to manage your ADHD will be an important step towards improving your mental health.”
In the UK, a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD, but they can discuss concerns with you and refer you for a specialist assessment if necessary. According to NHS, for adults with ADHD, medicine is often the first treatment offered, although psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may also help.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave. It’s most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but can be useful for other mental and physical health problems.