In a new interview to promote her new memoir 'Dying of Politeness', the 'Thelma and Louise' actress shares she discovered she suffered the condition when she started seeing a therapist.
- October 20, 2022
AceShowbiz - Geena Davis has revealed that she carried a "huge burden of shame" before being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. The "Thelma and Louise" actress added she discovered she suffered the condition when she started seeing a therapist who told her she had it by their second session.
Mum-of-three Geena, who has daughter Alizeh, 20, and twin sons Kian and Kaiis, 18, with her former partner Reza Jarrahy, from whom she split in 2017, told "Loose Women" on Wednesday, October 19, "I had started with a therapist and I think by the second session she said has anyone told you, you have ADD. I carried a huge burden of shame most of my life, I thought there was something wrong with me because I couldn't finish or start a lot of things. I found it very shameful. But when I found out there's a reason and I'm not a bad person it was very interesting."
Geena added on the ITV chat show she is grateful she didn't become a mother until she was in her forties as it meant she could be more involved in their upbringing. The 66-year-old star said, "I'm really grateful that I had children in my 40s because I knew I'd be more involved. I didn't have a lot of self-esteem but I was really determined that my children would have self-esteem."
Geena, who is promoting her new memoir, told "Good Morning Britain" on Monday, October 17, Susan Sarandon transformed her life when she was "dying of politeness." The actress, who starred with Susan, 76, in the 1991 film, said she also showed her how to be "authentic."
Geena said about meeting Susan, "It totally changed my life, because somehow in my sheltered life, I had never spent time with a woman who says what she thinks without qualifiers in front of it. I was used to living as somebody who says, 'I don't know if you agree with this or if this is a good idea' – I was busy dying of politeness. As soon as I met Susan – 'Oh my God' – this was a whole different world. And it wasn't that anyone reacted differently to her. Everyone loved her and everything. I was like, 'Wow, you can actually be like that.' She showed me what it's like to live authentically and be in the moment."
