Ellen DeGeneres shares she has bone disease, OCD and memory loss, says 'could disintegrate in the shower'

Ellen DeGeneres shared her journey of seeking mental health support which followed accusations of fostering a toxic work environment on her show
UPDATED SEP 28, 2024
Ellen DeGeneres detailed her struggles with multiple health issues, including OCD (Getty Images)
Ellen DeGeneres detailed her struggles with multiple health issues, including OCD (Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has detailed her health challenges in new Netflix special, 'For Your Approval.'

The 66-year-old comedian used her platform to candidly discuss her diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), among other health conditions.

Ellen DeGeneres discusses OCD and ADHD diagnosis

Ellen DeGeneres also shared her journey of seeking mental health support which followed accusations of fostering a toxic work environment on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'

DeGeneres revealed that a therapist suggested she might have OCD, saying she initially misunderstood the disorder.

"I may have OCD because a therapist said so, and I said, 'Yes, I am very organized,' because I thought that was the O," she said.

Ellen DeGeneres speaks up about getting
 Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres detailed her health challenges in new Netflix special, 'For Your Approval' (YouTube/@netflix)

DeGeneres admitted she was unfamiliar with OCD due to her Christian Science upbringing which didn't acknowledge disorders or diseases, however, she admitted it kept her "well adjusted," RadarOnline reports. 

Reflecting on her childhood, she added, "I look back now and I realize my dad for sure had OCD. He would check the doorknob 15 times before we'd leave, he'd check the faucet 15 times."

"He would unplug all the appliances before we left the house because lightning could strike and it could catch fire," she said, adding, "They say it could be hereditary."

She also shared that her wife of 15 years, Portia de Rossi, confirmed her suspicions about her own OCD tendencies.

"It's funny, I never thought of myself as obsessive. I think of myself as careful and everyone else careless and out of control," she said.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi attend the Netflix 2020 Go
Ellen DeGeneres said that her wife of 15 years, Portia de Rossi, confirmed her suspicions about her own OCD tendencies (Getty Images)

Ellen DeGeneres opens up on living with ADHD

In addition to OCD, Ellen DeGeneres opened up on her struggles with ADHD, noting that it affects her ability to focus.

"My ADD makes it really hard to sit down and focus on anything at all," she shared.

"So, I have ADD, I have OCD, I'm losing my memory," DeGeneres said, discussing how ADHD and OCD have impacted her.

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 08:  TV show host Ellen Degeneres appears at
In addition to OCD, Ellen DeGeneres opened up on her struggles with ADHD, noting that it affects her ability to focus (Getty Images)

DeGeneres then joked, "But I think I'm well-adjusted because I obsess on things, but I don't have the attention span to stick with it, and I quickly forget what I was obsessing about in the first place."

"So, it takes me all the way around to being well-adjusted, I think," she continued.

Ellen DeGeneres faces osteoporosis and arthritis

Ellen DeGeneres also revealed she suffers from osteoporosis, describing it as a "full-on" bone disease that makes her feel like a "human sandcastle," adding, "I don't even know how I'm standing up right now."


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@ellendegeneres)


 

"I could disintegrate in the shower," she added. In addition, the former talk show host discussed her experience with arthritis, recounting how she mistook the pain for a torn ligament.

"I had excruciating pain one day... I got an MRI, and they said, 'No, it's just arthritis.' I said, 'How did I get that?' And he said, 'Oh, it just happens at your age,'" she explained.



 

"It's hard to be honest about aging and seem cool," DeGeneres said. 

MORE STORIES

The post Khloe Kardashian liked featured Charlie Kirk speaking with a fan at an event about his devout Christian faith
Sep 13, 2025
Whitney Cummings sparked widespread outrage after posting a controversial tweet about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk
Sep 13, 2025
Prince Harry was spotted entering King Charles’s London residence, months after saying his father had ignored his calls
Sep 11, 2025
Rosie O'Donnell said Ellen DeGeneres’ friendship denial hurt so much she printed T-shirts for her staff reading, 'I don’t know Rosie, we’re not friends'
Sep 10, 2025
A post alleged that Karoline Leavitt called Patti LaBelle 'just a singer,' leading LaBelle to deliver a seven-word response that froze the studio
Sep 10, 2025
Jennifer Lopez feels free channeling emotions into music, but Ben Affleck is embarrassed and sees it as crossing a line, according to the source
Sep 9, 2025
Howard Stern added that he missed last week’s show due to illness, not contract talks, and addressed rumors of being fired from his own show
Sep 9, 2025
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement in August 2025 triggered a wave of pregnancy chatter after an ultrasound photo went viral
Sep 9, 2025
Ed Sheeran, 34, revealed that he was leaving Suffolk with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters, Lyra and Jupiter
Sep 9, 2025
From Ice Spice’s chaotic corset to Paris Hilton’s flame dress, see the celebs who landed on the worst-dressed list at the 2025 VMAs
Sep 8, 2025