Chen Yixin on going public with ADHD: 'It's more common than most people think'
The Singapore actress also said her parents, local celebrity couple Edmund Chen and Xiang Yun, didn't have big reactions to the revelation.
It’s a very intimate and personal part of her life, but local actress Chen Yixin disclosed that she has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an August interview with Pin Prestige.
But she wasn't trying to label herself as part of a community, doing it “more for myself”, she told AsiaOne at a press conference for her upcoming Mediacorp drama series All That Glitters.
Chen, 23, is aware of her celebrity status and how her act of going public with her condition might be perceived.
She said she wasn't “seeking pity” or “emphasising how much I have overcome to get to where I am now”, and was instead “just being public with a fact".
"I went public with it because it is stigmatised, but in reality it's more common than most people think… I wanted my followers to be comfortable having flaws too," Chen said in the interview.
Despite this revelation, she maintains that she doesn’t need to be treated differently as she can cope with it on her own.
And, one important thing to note, is that she “not trying to promote medication or glorify or sensationalise certain medical conditions”.
“That's one thing I am particularly sensitive with,” said Chen.
Saw similarities between ADHD and her condition
Her condition was something she only discovered two years ago when she was studying psychology and she saw similarities between the symptoms of ADHD and what she went through.
Chen explained to AsiaOne that she has “always been a bit suspicious” about her lack of focus since she started schooling, adding that she couldn’t sit still and found excuses to visit the washroom.
“I was confused that some people could focus on the entire lesson. I would rather zone out than focus.”
Her condition even affected her driving and conversations, she confessed. Fortunately, after starting on medication last year, things have improved.
'Would have been nice to be more aware of ADHD'
Chen also said it “would have been nice to be more aware of ADHD” and “it would have been nice to cope with my focus better”.
She added that it could have helped her parents save on tuition money as tuition is really expensive.
Her parents, celebrity couple Edmund Chen and Xiang Yun, didn’t have any big reactions to the news.
“They always knew that I was more physically active, but they knew it more as a personality trait. They were not surprised when they found out,” Chen shared.
Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.
