Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about a triple diagnosis that occurred after she took a step away from showbiz following allegations against her.
The 66-year-old star opened up about her health struggles in her latest Netflix special, For Your Approval.
Watch the trailer below:
“I don’t even know how I’m standing up right now. I’m like a human sandcastle. I could disintegrate in the shower,” DeGeneres joked.
DeGeneres revealed she has been diagnosed with Osteoporosis, a condition where bones become brittle, often occurs when “bone mineral density and bone mass decrease, or when the structure and strength of bone changes,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
The comedian recounted experiencing “excruciating pain” one day and assumed she had torn a ligament.
After getting an MRI, doctors initially believed she had arthritis. Reflecting on the challenges of getting older, she added: “It’s hard to be honest about aging and seem cool.”
In the special, DeGeneres also opened up about the mental health struggles that led her to seek therapy following the toxic workplace allegations that surfaced in 2020. It was during these therapy sessions that she was diagnosed with OCD.
“I may have OCD because a therapist said so and I said, ‘Yes I am very organized,’ because I thought that was the O. I didn’t know what OCD was,” she revealed.
“I was raised in a religion, Christian Science, that doesn’t acknowledge diseases or disorders. So when I was growing up, nobody talked about anything. There was no discussion of anything.”
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DeGeneres also noted that, looking back, she believes her father had OCD.
“He would check the doorknob 15 times before we’d leave, he’d check the faucet 15 times, he would unplug all the appliances before we left the house because lightning could strike and it could catch fire. They say it could be hereditary,” she said.
Later in the special, DeGeneres revealed that she also has ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it difficult for her to focus and sit still.
ADHD, as defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), affects a person’s ability to concentrate, control impulses, and manage hyperactivity.
“So, I have ADD, I have OCD, I’m losing my memory,” DeGeneres said.
“But I think I’m well-adjusted because I obsess on things, but I don’t have the attention span to stick with it, and I quickly forget what I was obsessing about in the first place. So, it takes me all the way around to being well-adjusted, I think.”
DeGeneres also touched on the 2020 controversy surrounding her alleged toxic workplace, which ultimately led to the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022 after a successful 19-season run.
Reflecting on the public scrutiny, she noted: “When you’re a public figure, you’re open to everyone’s interpretation. And I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘What other people think of me is none of my business.’ Because people will say all kinds of things and you have no control over that. But you know the truth and that’s all that matters.”
