Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has hit back at men who ghost women after sex in a social media post detailing her experiences as a woman with ADHD. The actress, best known for playing Rosie Webster on the ITV soap, took to Instagram this week to share a carousel of images captioned with personal insights into how ADHD affects her daily life.
ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting brain function. People with ADHD may experience inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Many also experience Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), which causes intense emotional pain after failure or rejection due to the brain's inability to regulate emotions.
Discussing her romantic relationships alongside a picture of her younger self with a boyfriend, Helen admitted they have always been 'very intense' and she 'falls in love hard'. On the next slide, showing her crying, she wrote: 'Last time I had proper feelings for someone it just felt a lot. Intense. My friends say I'm like Cathy Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights lol. I get limerence and I also get terrible rejection sensitivity but I'm learning to deal with that better.'
Casual Relationships and Ghosting
'When it comes to sex I'm not a casual girl – I'm a lover girl/wifey and I do get [attached],' she wrote on another slide. 'I think guys that ghost girls after sleeping with them are big fat rats lol.' On a further slide, she added: 'I go for someone that I find exciting. I go for a soul connection. Someone that makes me feel understood. I look for the male version of me.'
Helen also discussed motherhood, her relationships with her parents, and her previous mental health struggles. She explained that her mental health was at its worst when she was 21, and that she had 'OCD intrusive thoughts postnatal'. She also described her experience of psychosis, admitting that she 'thought of the kids' to get through. Helen is the mother of three children – Matilda, Delilah and Charlie – whom she shares with ex-partner Scott Sinclair.
Positive Aspects of ADHD
The actress also highlighted the positives of ADHD, like always having a funny story to tell. The comments section was full of support from followers. Fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien, who plays Sarah Platt, left a series of love heart and clapping emojis, while Christine McGuiness added a love heart emoji. Many commenters related to Helen's experiences. 'Can relate to so many of these fellow ADHD queen,' Suzie McFadden wrote, while Nikki Shore added: 'I can relate to this so so much.'
