Aimee Lou Wood reveals ADHD diagnosis ‘with autistic traits’ as she opens up about symptoms as child
Aimee Lou Wood has opened up about her ADHD diagnosis while candidly sharing the symptoms she experienced as a child.
The 31-year-old British actress, who first rose to fame on Sex Education before taking on several Hollywood projects with the latest being The White Lotus, spoke to the Sunday Times over the weekend (5 April) to discuss her diagnosis, which she said was accompanied by 'autistic traits'.
According to the NHS, 40 per cent of autistic people are estimated to also have ADHD, with the two conditions co-existing being referred to as AuDHD.
While everyone presents differently, common symptoms of AuDHD include social communication struggles, repetitive behaviour, and 'not listening'.
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Aimee's diagnosis in question only came recently as she shared: "I got diagnosed a few years ago with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) with autistic traits. But then it's been advised that I should go for an autism assessment."
"They think that maybe it's autism that's leading the charge, and the ADHD is almost a by-product of the masking," she shared.
Aimee went on to explain that, as a child, she was 'almost mute', 'very socially anxious' and 'couldn't sit down and eat a meal'.
"My mum had to leave food around the house and I'd have to snack around. Now I know it was neurodivergence," she continued.
Elsewhere in the interview, Aimee opened up about how her rapid rise to fame in Sex Education caused her to struggled with insecurities about her appearance - something which prompted her to try and 'desexualise herself'.
"I remember feeling quite vulnerable after Sex Education. If it had been all of us getting our boobs out, then I would feel better. It felt like I was the one that had done the freakiest stuff," she explained.
However, the actress said that she wasn't concerned by her more intimate scenes with The White Lotus, because she had 'really helpful chats' with her fellow co-stars that made her feel 'less alone'.
"When I was younger and I was dealing with my eating stuff, it was my worst nightmare to get my body out. But I'd worked through that stuff - and then I was back to covering up," she shared.
"I look back and there was so much in the way that I started to desexualise myself. Sometimes you just want to put on a sexy dress and be a siren, but I denied myself that."
Last month (23 March), Aimee appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show to discuss the internet's latest obsession and her thoughts on the comments about her teeth.
"I mean I can’t believe the impact my teeth are having," she said.
"Because the Americans can’t believe [my teeth], but they’re all being lovely," she shared, before explaining that she's happened upon videos of orthodontists analysing her teeth, as they were 'dissecting what is wrong' with them.
However, much to Aimee's delight, those such clips still ended with the doctors saying: "But we don’t think she should change a thing!"
She reiterated just how much this praise meant to her, especially given the 'bullying' she’s been subjected to in the past for her appearance.
"It feels so lovely. A real full-circle moment after being bullied for my teeth, forever," Aimee gushed before joking: "I hope that people don’t start like filing their teeth so they have gaps!"
Topics: Celebrity, Aimee Lou Wood, The White Lotus, Sex and Relationships, Sex Education, TV And Film
Rhiannon Ingle