Comedian Trevor Noah says 'my depression was linked to ADHD' - symptoms and diagnosis


Comedian Trevor Noah has opened up about his mental health battles and his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. The 40-year-old spoke to podcast host Steven Bartlett on a recent Diary of a CEO episode.

Trevor Noah is a comedian and former host of the satirical news programme The Daily Show. He also hosts the podcast What Now? with Trevor Noah and is the author of the best-selling book Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood.

Candidly talking to Steven, Trevor shared his struggles with depression, which would make him feel lost and unsure about the future. His feelings were later discovered to be linked to untreated ADHD depression.

Trevor's ADHD diagnosis

Speaking about some of 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 says it wasn't until a friend was diagnosed with ADHD diagnosis that he realised that some symptoms sounded familiar. Despite Trevor describing him and his friend as having two different personalities, he still decided to see a doctor.

Trevor says his friend was good at hiding and masking their ADHD symptoms, which made the realization hit home and sparked a desire to get diagnosed. The diagnosis was made a couple of years ago after going through a proper assessment and learning more about 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.

Taylor Swift accepts the "Best Pop Vocal Album" award for "Midnights" from Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah presented an award to Taylor Swift at this year's Grammy ceremony -Credit:Getty

"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."

Trevor's experience with ADHD and depression

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."

Elaborating on this, Trevor explained: "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 says sometimes thoughts and ideas would be stuck on a 'loop' going around his head over and over, and it would often lead to a feeling of '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.

Is there a link between ADHD and depression

Woman looking out of window
People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse -Credit:Getty

A link between ADHD and depression exists, where the inability to choose where to place focus can lead to hyperfocus on irrelevant things or lack of focus on important things, contributing to depression. This inability to control focus can cause the brain to get stuck in a loop of recurring thoughts or ideas, leading to feelings of meaninglessness and depression.

The inability to get these thoughts out of one's head can be overwhelming and contribute to feelings of depression and hopelessness. The feeling of being stuck in this loop can be described as life feeling meaningless, and the concept of life becoming overwhelming.

Adults with ADHD are almost three times more likely to experience depression than adults without ADHD. Studies have also found that 18.6% to 53.3% of individuals with ADHD also have depression.

According to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, ADHD may increase your likelihood of experiencing depression. Some symptoms of adult ADHD and depression may overlap, making diagnosis tricky.

For instance, both may interfere with your ability to focus on work and tasks. Sleeping and eating problems may also be common in depression and ADHD, especially for those taking ADHD stimulant medications.

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.