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Musician Grimes, born Claire Elise Boucher, recently shared that she was diagnosed with ADHD and autism this year—a revelation that made her rethink her childhood and mental health journey.
In a candid post on X (formerly Twitter) on March 22, the 36-year-old artist speculated that she might also have dyslexia, citing her lifelong struggles with spelling. She noted that an earlier diagnosis could have significantly changed the course of her life. “Got diagnosed w ADHD/autism this year and realized I’m prob dyslexic, which is why I can’t spell at all without spellcheck,” she wrote.
Reflecting on what it would have meant to know this as a child, Grimes suggested that she might have been placed on medication and discouraged from the obsessive tendencies that ultimately fueled her creativity and success. “Had we known this when I was a child, I would have worked so much less hard, been on drugs, and so many of the weird obsessions and motivations I had would have been seen as pathological,” she explained, adding that while her struggles were difficult, she’s glad she pushed through them.
She also spoke about the impact ADHD has had on her life, especially how her symptoms worsened when she wasn’t actively reading. This led her to critique certain online mental health content that, in her view, discourages positive habits like reading—something she considers crucial for managing ADHD and fostering independent learning.
“An ADHD account trying to pathologize one of the best things a child can do to help with ADHD (and also become an autodidact and knowledgeable person, etc.) is so dark… I can’t even begin,” she wrote.
With a background in neuroscience and Russian from McGill University, Grimes also expressed concern over the rising number of ADHD diagnoses in children and the widespread use of stimulant medication. She questioned whether this trend might be contributing to declining literacy rates and urged more thoughtful discussions on the topic.
Grimes shares three children with her ex-boyfriend, Elon Musk—X Æ A-Xii, Exa Dark Sideræl, and Techno Mechanicus.