News | Entertainment
7 Mar 2026 21:10
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Shaun Ryder has described having ADHD as "having a f****** brain like a watering can" - but he is happy he wasn't diagnosed until he was 50

    The 63-year-old Happy Mondays frontman didn't know he had been living with the neurodevelopmental disorder until 13 years ago, but since getting more understanding of the condition he believes can have its advantages as a musician as well as its negatives in daily life.


    When asked if his ADHD has helped him creatively as a songwriter, he said: "Do you mean like having a f****** brain like a watering can? I suppose so.

    "This super-power stuff, which is the in thing at the moment, that ADHD is a super-power, it sort of is and it sort of isn't. There's good things and there's mad things about it."

    ADHD - or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder - is a neurodevelopmental condition linked to dopamine dysregulation, which affects attention, motivation, and reward processing.

    People with ADHD often struggle with inattention, impulsivity, and emotional regulation, while also experiencing enhanced creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, and problem-solving abilities.

    Step On hitmaker Ryder - a key figure in the late-80s and early-90s Madchester music scene - admitted that much of his wild, hedonistic past could be traced back to undiagnosed ADHD and the brain's pursuit of dopamine, often leading him to self-medicate.

    Yet he expressed no regrets about those experiences for they shaped who he is today.

    In an interview with website Contact Music, he said: "One of the f****** reasons I self-medicated as a kid was because of ADHD, it was to make me feel f****** normal and help me remember stuff.

    "But what happens and what you go through just makes you who you are, so I've not really got any complaints about that. I'm really f****** lucky."

    Shaun has mellowed significantly in recent years, and he credits his ADHD medication for improving his focus.

    He said: "The medication really helps ... The medication helps me focus, and I can focus on s*** now.

    "But when the meds start wearing off - they should last longer but they wear off after a few hours - when the meds start wearing off I start flying off in about 19 different directions at once, forgetting what I'm talking about."

    Celebrity Gogglebox star Shaun is heading out on a UK tour with the Happy Mondays to celebrate the 35th anniversary of their seminal album Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, and he is currently working on the band's first new album for 19 years.

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     07 Mar: Demi Lovato battled "insecurities" as a child star
     07 Mar: Harry Styles has found fame to be isolating at times
     07 Mar: Jamie-Lynn Sigler is still mourning the death of her "dear friend" James Van Der Beek
     07 Mar: Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show has broken the all-time global viewership record
     07 Mar: Ryan Reynolds is set to make his debut as a soccer commentator
     07 Mar: Christian Bale believes everyone has "chaos to them"
     07 Mar: Hailey Bieber "magically" got pregnant with her son - despite facing a potentially serious medical condition
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    At the Taupo Ironman pro series event, Trevor Foley has won the mens race in seven hours, 46 minutes and 44 seconds More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Fonterra dairy farmers now appear to be weeks away from a major pay day More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Demi Lovato battled "insecurities" as a child star 21:05

    Entertainment:
    Harry Styles has found fame to be isolating at times 20:35

    Entertainment:
    Jamie-Lynn Sigler is still mourning the death of her "dear friend" James Van Der Beek 20:05

    Entertainment:
    Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show has broken the all-time global viewership record 19:35

    Entertainment:
    Ryan Reynolds is set to make his debut as a soccer commentator 19:05

    Rugby:
    At the Taupo Ironman pro series event, Trevor Foley has won the mens race in seven hours, 46 minutes and 44 seconds 18:57

    Rugby:
    Blues coach Vern Cotter is leaning into their ugly recent record against the Crusaders ahead of tonight's Super Rugby encounter at Eden Park 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Christian Bale believes everyone has "chaos to them" 18:35

    Rugby:
    Blues loose forward Torian Barnes holds no grudges against the Crusaders as he prepares to start against them tonight at Eden Park 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Hailey Bieber "magically" got pregnant with her son - despite facing a potentially serious medical condition 18:05


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2026 New Zealand City Ltd