Elon Musk’s ex-girlfriend Grimes opens up about ADHD, Autism diagnosis and warns over mental health trends

Elon Musk’s ex-girlfriend Grimes revealed that she was diagnosed with ADHD and autism this year and believes she may also be dyslexic. Reflecting on how a childhood diagnosis might have shaped her, she suggested it could have led to different life choices and challenges.

“Got diagnosed w adhd/ autism this year and realized I’m prob dyslexic,” she wrote.

“I feel like, had we known this when I was a child, I would have worked so much less hard, been on drugs, and so many of the weird obsessions and motivations I had would have been seen as pathological,” Grimes stated. “I’m glad I overcame them. Prob[ably] wud have been drugged too.”

Concerns over mental health narratives on social media

The singer and songwriter, has expressed concerns over the rise of social media accounts focusing on mental health, calling some of them “extreme infohazards.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she criticised the way online communities discuss and promote mental health diagnoses, particularly self-diagnosis.

“I have to say, there’s this subculture of I guess ‘mental health’ accounts that I actually think are like, extreme infohazards,” Grimes wrote.

The dangers of self-diagnosis and mental illness contagion

Grimes also addressed the issue of self-diagnosis, warning that mental illnesses can sometimes be “contagious” in certain environments. She shared a personal experience from school, where she and other students began exhibiting symptoms of conditions they were studying.

“Not only can mental illnesses be contagious… but ppl r self-diagnosing,” she wrote.

Screen addiction and Dopamine burnout

According to Grimes, modern ADHD symptoms are often exacerbated by excessive screen time and “dopaminergic burnout.” She highlighted how reading helped mitigate her symptoms and criticised social media accounts that discourage activities like reading.

“My ADHD symptoms were infinitely worse when I wasn’t an avid reader,” she said. “An ADHD account trying to pathologize one of the best things a child can do to help with ADHD… is so dark… I can’t even begin.”

Concerns over social media’s role in mental health awareness

While acknowledging that some online mental health communities are helpful, Grimes cautioned against those that she believes are harmful to societal well-being. She suggested that some content actively works against personal growth and civilisation itself.

“I think the nature of this uninformed social media mental health subculture is rly a big concern,” she warned. “Some are great ofc but a lot of these seem like explicitly anti-civilizational and geared towards making people worse.”

Grimes speaks on mental health following Musk controversy

Grimes has candidly discussed her mental health struggles just weeks after publicly criticising her ex, Elon Musk, on social media. The musician has been vocal about her concerns regarding their children’s exposure to public life, particularly after Musk brought their son to a high-profile political event.

Concern over son’s Oval office appearance

In February, Musk, 53, took their 4-year-old son, X AE A-XII, to a meeting with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The child drew attention for sitting on his father’s shoulders.

Upon learning about the event, Grimes took to social media to express her disapproval.

“He should not be in public like this. I did not see this, thank u for alerting me,” she wrote. “But I’m glad he was polite. Sigh.”

Grimes calls for children’s privacy

That same month, Grimes reiterated her stance in an interview with Time, emphasizing that fame is something “you should consent to.”

“I’ve seen young ppl destroyed by the internet… The state of my children’s lives being public is of grave concern to me and I think about how to solve this every day,” Grimes shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter).