Vicky Pattison has revealed that she is to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as she candidly discussed the "conflict" she has with herself over the idea of becoming a mother. The Geordie Shore legend, 38, has been consulting medics over the possibility that she suffers from the neurological condition.
PMDD and Motherhood Fears
The former Strictly Come Dancing star, who married Ercan Ramadan, 32, in 2024, also suffers from hormone-related mood disorder premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). She is so regularly impacted by this in her day-to-day life that she has wondered how she could cope with it if she were to become a parent.
Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast, Pattison said: "For me, the prospect of what I can be as a mother with PMDD is very scary. My PMDD fog almost lasts 10 days to two weeks before my period so that's half my life. So that's one thing trying to navigate that and say to my agents, 'Please, no live TV here,' or trying to move important meetings, or telling my husband I'm sorry for not being myself, or having my sister on speed dial in case I get dark thoughts. I don't know what that looks like trying to navigate that as a new mam or a mam at all, having to put someone else before me."
ADHD Diagnosis Process
Pattison added: "Some days I can't get out of bed. PMDD...I'm very sensitive to changes in hormones, that's what it is. My body just really reacts to that badly. I've also definitely got ADHD, we're going through the diagnosis process there, nobody is f****** shocked there!"
She continued: "So I'm on the floor in that week before my period. The happiness leaves my body. The thought of happiness, the hormones, everything. I feel lost. PMDD is like building a sandcastle with all of your good habits, nurture relationships, work hard, eat right. Once a month, a wave comes and takes it all away. You've got to rebuild and all it leaves in its wake is hopelessness and despair, so what type of mam am I gonna be when I know that's what I'm signing me child up for?"
Emotional Conflict Over Motherhood
Pattison, who after finding fame on the MTV reality series embarked on a successful media career with I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and Loose Women, warned Kate Thornton that she was about to become emotional, and then cried as she spoke about the mental battle she has with herself over the idea of motherhood.
She added: "All I want, after the childhood I had, which really lovely in parts with parents who really loved me, but was sometimes unsettled, quite loud and scary, all I want is to be able to give them structure and balance and consistent love and calm and I'm not that person for a lot of the month. I feel very conflicted. I've got so much love to give. I want a small version of Ercan more than anything - a small version of me is terrifying - but a small version of Ercan would be lovely."
Trying to Conceive Naturally
After being comforted by former X Factor presenter Kate, Vicky, who chose to freeze her eggs, also revealed that she and her husband are trying to conceive naturally. She said: "We are trying. He's over the moon, he just thinks it's going to be a Magaluf weekend swinging from the chandeliers and just having a great time, a honeymoon phase. But it's very different, we've got to get the ovulation sticks and do this and do that, and he's starting to realise it. He's being great."
