What has Ellen DeGeneres been diagnosed with? Triple diagnosis explained

Ellen DeGeneres spoke candidly about receiving a triple diagnosis after stepping back from the glitz and glamor of showbiz following controversy around a toxic workplace culture on her hit talk show.

In her 2024 Netflix special For Your Approval, the 68-year-old used humor to describe how she’s been feeling physically, saying: “I don’t even know how I’m standing up right now. I’m like a human sandcastle. I could disintegrate in the shower.”

What was DeGeneres diagnosed with?

She revealed she had been diagnosed with Osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and makes them more fragile. DeGeneres recalled suffering “excruciating pain” and initially fearing a ligament injury, though early scans suggested arthritis before the final diagnosis.

Reflecting on ageing, she admitted: “It’s hard to be honest about aging and seem cool.”

Alongside her physical health, DeGeneres discussed mental health challenges that led her to therapy after the allegations about various workplace scandals surfaced. During those sessions, she was diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

She said: “I may have OCD because a therapist said so and I said, ‘Yes I am very organized,’ because I thought that was the O. I didn’t know what OCD was.”

She explained that conversations about mental health were absent in her upbringing, adding: “I was raised in a religion, Christian Science, that doesn’t acknowledge diseases or disorders. So when I was growing up, nobody talked about anything.”

Looking back, she believes her father showed similar behaviours, noting: “He would check the doorknob 15 times… unplug all the appliances… They say it could be hereditary.”

DeGeneres also shared that she has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which affects focus and impulse control. Summing up her experience, she joked: “So, I have ADD, I have OCD, I’m losing my memory.” She added with humour: “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.”

The comedian discussed stepping away from fame

The comedian also briefly reflected on the backlash that led to the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show four years ago after 19 seasons. Speaking about public criticism, she said: “When you’re a public figure, you’re open to everyone’s interpretation… But you know the truth and that’s all that matters.”

Her “triple diagnosis” refers to osteoporosis, OCD, and ADHD - conditions affecting both her physical and mental health, which she addressed candidly through humour and personal reflection.

Featured Image: Credit: Brooks Kraft/Getty