'Game of Thrones' star Kit Harrington says he 'managed to forge a new life' amid ADHD diagnosis in rehab

Kit Harrington spoke about his mental health challenges and struggles with alcoholism
PUBLISHED JAN 13, 2024
Kit Harrington was diagnosed with ADHD during his rehabilitation (Tim P Whitby/Getty Images)
Kit Harrington was diagnosed with ADHD during his rehabilitation (Tim P Whitby/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Kit Harrington opened up about his diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during his stay at a rehabilitation center.

The 37-year-old actor shared insights into his mental health challenges, struggles with alcoholism, and social anxiety, all while he was starring in 'Game of Thrones.'


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by gameofthrones (@gameofthrones)


 

Kit Harrington says he 'managed to forge a new life' from rehab

Speaking on a recently launched neurodivergence-focused podcast named 'The Hidden 20%', Harrington revealed to the host Ben Branson that before he was diagnosed with ADHD at an American clinic, he was part of another rehabilitation program.

"I realized that my life was hinging on this. Luckily it was the right place at the right time. I managed to forge a new life from there," he said.

"I entered rehab drunk, sobered up in there, and went, ‘F--- this, not you guys in a circle. No, thank you.’ And I left that pretty quick and said, ‘I’ll try to deal with this by myself,’ which didn’t work after about four years," Harrington said of his rehabilitation experience.

Kit Harrington is now sober and 'present' despite ADHD struggles

The 'Criminal' actor who is a father-of-two, a two-year-old son and a six-month-old daughter, whom he shares with his wife Rose Leslie stated that he is now sober and "present" despite ADHD challenges.

According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, ADHD is “marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development."

"My head wants to go to every other thing in the room at once,” Harrington told the podcast host.

Kit Harrington struggles to find a balance between parenting and acting

The 'Baby Ruby' actor reflected on his struggle to find a balance between his acting career and parental responsibilities.

"The practicality of getting down to my work at the moment [I am] finding quite tricky. I don’t multitask well," said Harrington.

"If there’s more than one thing going on in my head I get overwhelmed. I get incredibly fretty, anxious. My head’s all over the shop. I can’t deal with it," he added.

Kit Harrington was upset by 'demeaning' comments after Season 8 of 'GOT'


 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by gameofthrones (@gameofthrones)


 

Harrington further explained how online comments about his eight-season stint as Jon Snow on 'Game of Thrones' impacted his mental health.

"That is a dangerous rabbit hole to fall down because you find all of the bad stuff that people are saying as well as the nice stuff,” he said of being upset by "demeaning" comments, according to People.

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