Barry Keoghan spent years unaware he had ADHD
Despite admitting everyone around him knew he had the condition, Barry Keoghan has admitted he spent his childhood totally unaware he had ADHD.
Barry Keoghan went years without knowing he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
The ‘Saltburn’ actor, 30, had a tough upbringing due to the death of his mum Debbie from drug addiction when he was 12 and said he ended up messing around at school like a “little brat” as a result, but never realised he was suffering from ADHD.
A GQ profile on the actor revealed for the past few years he’s taken medication for the condition and when his interviewer suggested he probably had it in childhood but nobody knew, Barry replied: “Everyone knew it, but I didn’t know it.”
The list of symptoms that comes with ADHD includes hyperactivity and impulsiveness, which can manifest itself in sufferers being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings, constantly fidgeting, being unable to concentrate on tasks and acting without thinking.
When asked when he felt in control, Barry replied acting and boxing gave him senses of relaxation.
He added: “Like, I can deliver the lines when I want. I can control the pace of how the dialogue’s going. I can do anything I want up here, basically.
“Like, they’re waiting on me. And when you get laughs – it made me feel relevant…. you feel heard and seen. At the centre of it. Where I was supposed to be. That’s the best way to put it. Nothing else mattered at that time.”
The ‘Banshees of Inisherin’ star added about how sport also helps him relax: “I get that with boxing – I get that looseness, that feeling of timelessness. That present feeling. It’s magical. And you chase that.”
