Former rock singer and interior designer Pearl Lowe has shared a deeply personal revelation about her family's mental health, disclosing that three of her four children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
From Primrose Hill Chaos to Somerset Calm
Pearl Lowe, 55, was a prominent figure in the hedonistic Primrose Hill social scene of 1990s north London. Her life, fuelled by cocaine and heroin, spiralled out of control before she sought refuge in the tranquillity of rural Somerset. However, her hard-won peace was disrupted three years ago by a life-changing diagnosis of ADHD, a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
The bombshell diagnosis was just the beginning. Lowe, now known as the 'Queen of Vintage' for her interior design work, has revealed that the condition extends through her family. Three of her four children – Alfie, 29, Frankie, 26, and Betty, 20 – whom she shares with her husband, Supergrass drummer Danny Goffey, have also been diagnosed with ADHD.
Her eldest daughter, model Daisy Lowe, 36, from her previous relationship with Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, does not have the condition. "My kids all have ADHD except Daisy," Pearl stated. "They're all healers and bring lots of strays home that need help."
A Neurodiverse and Creative Family Dynamic
While promoting her interiors book, Faded Glamour in the City, Lowe elaborated on how her children manage their ADHD. She described her daughter Betty as the most similar to her. "She's really quite strong, but has gone on the meds. She loves them, and it helps her and she's gone to university," she explained. "The others are not treated, but they're aware of it."
Lowe, once close friends with supermodel Kate Moss, reflected on their family life. "We're a neurodiverse family, we're all creatives and it's hard having a crazy path." She noted a disparity in how her sons perceive their condition. "Frankie got diagnosed really young but says he's grown out of it. He doesn't realise, you don't grow out of it. Alfie says he 'definitely has ADHD' but hasn't been diagnosed." With characteristic candour, she added, "It's just Betty and I who are the bad ones, the mental ones."
The Link Between ADHD and Addiction
Drawing from her own turbulent past, Pearl Lowe believes there is a powerful connection between ADHD and addictive behaviours. She claims that 'eighty per cent of ADHD sufferers are addicts,' a statistic that underscores the complex challenges faced by those with the condition. Her personal journey from addiction to stability in Somerset gives weight to her perspective on the struggles intertwined with neurodiversity.
The family's story highlights the hereditary nature of ADHD and the varied ways it manifests and is managed within a single household. From medication and formal diagnosis to self-awareness without treatment, the Lowe-Goffey family embodies a spectrum of experiences with the condition.
