Anna Hartz
Robbie Williams has spent years discussing his mental health and conditions such as ADHD and Tourette syndrome. He has now shared another personal detail about his life.
Public figures often speak openly about their health in ways that can help others feel less alone.
The former Take That star has revealed that he has been diagnosed with autism, reports The Independent. Williams shared the news during a question and answer session held to launch his new clothing line.
Creative outlet
The 52-year-old singer said he already knew he had ADHD and had recently learned that he is also autistic. He said the diagnosis made him understand more about himself and explained parts of his life that had previously been difficult to understand.
Williams also spoke about the way he uses creative work to manage his attention. He said his ADHD allows him to become extremely focused on certain things, while making it difficult to concentrate on other tasks.
Creating images and making humorous material has become an important outlet for him. Williams said that when he is busy creating, he can stop thinking about himself. He described his mind as highly creative and said it can focus on almost anything, including things that might otherwise frighten or upset him.
The singer has spoken publicly about his mental health for many years. He has also discussed how his public image has sometimes hidden what he was really feeling.
Explains aspects of himself
During a podcast last year, Williams said he had become very good at hiding his true emotions. He explained that he often presented himself as confident, arrogant or larger than life. That image helped build his career, but he suggested it also came at a personal cost.
Autism can affect communication, learning, thinking and the way a person focuses on different things. It can also be linked with other conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Williams has not described his diagnosis as something negative. Instead, he said he likes having an explanation for some of the things he has experienced throughout his life.
His decision to speak about the diagnosis adds to his long history of discussing personal struggles in public. For Williams, understanding more about how his brain works appears to have given him another way of looking at both his challenges and his creativity.
