JOOLS OLIVER DISCLOSES AUTISM AND ADHD DIAGNOSES

Jools Oliver said on the Lessons From Our Mothers podcast that she has been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. She said she received her ADHD diagnosis about four years ago and later sought an autism assessment. Oliver considered an assessment after her children received autism diagnoses and she recognised similarities with her own behaviour. She said she had spent 45 years thinking something else explained the difficulties she experienced. Describing that period, she said: “It’s no superpower. It’s just a drain and it’s just really hard work.”

Oliver said she has been prescribed medication for ADHD but has yet to take it because of health anxiety. She said she fears something might happen if she takes the medication and described the decision as an ongoing situation. Oliver also said she experiences social anxiety and had often acted more sociable than she felt. She told friends and family about her diagnoses in an invitation to her 50th birthday party. She said some people did not attend and that she felt her disclosure had put them off.

Oliver, who owns a clothing brand and is married to chef Jamie Oliver, said she can feel things deeply and experience shifts in mood. She said empathy can sometimes feel painful and questioned whether some of her experiences relate to personality or the menopause. Oliver described learning about her diagnoses as “a little bit overwhelming”. She said understanding them had not removed the work involved in managing her day-to-day experiences.