Celebrities With ADHD: Karina Smirnoff of 'DWTS' How 'Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Manages ADHD

Most people think of ADHD as trouble, but not “Dancing With the Stars” pro Karina Smirnoff. Dancing helps her manage symptoms – and gave her a fabulous, star-studded career. But the disorder has cost her relationships too. Find out how the championship dancer copes with ADHD… Even after practicing 14-16 hours a day, “Dancing With the Stars” pro dancer Karina Smirnoff still has energy to spare. Why? She has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The developmental disorder that makes people distracted and hyperactive actually helps the dancer and aspiring actress. “Dancing is one of the few things I can really focus on,” Smirnoff says. “It’s never boring, and that’s very good for someone with ADHD.” Her success in the field proves it: She’s a five-time U.S. National Champion, World Trophy Champion and Asian Open Champion. When Smirnoff, 34, joined “DWTS” six years ago, her first assignment was teaching hunky heartthrob Mario Lopez. They came in second on the reality show, but first with each other: The couple fell in love and were an item for two years. Was ADHD a factor in the breakup? Smirnoff isn’t saying, but she does admit it has cost her some relationships with men. It’s tough on her girlfriends too. She found out she had the disorder four years ago, when a well-meaning friend nudged her into getting a diagnosis. So how does Smirnoff, who doesn’t take drugs as part of her ADHD treatment, cope as an adult with ADHD? Read on to find out. What’s it like to have ADHD? It’s hard because ADD [attention deficit disorder] and ADHD are usually thought of as something [only] kids have. Many adults are living with it, but they’re either too afraid or embarrassed to go to the doctor because of the stereotypes associated with it. What kind of stereotypes? People think you’re a problem or troublemaker because you move around a lot and have a hard time sitting still. A person with ADHD bouncing off the walls can become distracting or annoying to people around them. If someone has ADHD but isn’t diagnosed, they may be always late to work or forget to do what their boss asks them, and that can contribute to stereotypes too. Many times a person with ADHD had trouble in school. They may have gotten bad grades, so people thought of them as dumb. But that’s really not the case. Did you have trouble in school? Yes, I had a very hard time concentrating on homework. I would skip subjects when trying to study for a test or forget I had a homework assignment. I couldn’t focus on just one thing. Looking back, I’m sure I drove my teachers crazy. How did you handle it? When I was a teen, I figured out it was easier to work on homework in 15-minute intervals, then take a 5-minute break to goof off, run to the fridge or watch TV. The best time for me to study was at night when everyone went to bed. There were no distractions then: My parents weren’t talking; mom wasn’t making dinner; they weren’t watching the news. Those typical household things would grab my attention from homework – literally, everything took away my attention. Did you tell your parents you were having trouble concentrating? No, we never talked about it. Growing up in Russia, people never gave ADD or ADHD much thought or attention. If you were hyper or fidgety as a kid, you were just told to behave yourself. If you didn’t, they’d give you a spanking and move on. No one thought there could be a real [disorder to explain why] a kid couldn’t sit still. Were you especially active as a kid? I was definitely very hyper. I had a lot of energy. How did your parents manage your behavior? My parents put me in figure skating when I was 3 years old to try and burn off energy – they tried to tire me out. After figure skating came gymnastics, ballet, piano lessons, aerobics, then ballroom dancing. I tried a little bit of everything because my parents wanted to keep me busy so I would be tired at the end of the day and finally stop going. Did you stop? No, I’m sure they wished that I did. Since your family never talked about ADHD, how did you learn you had it? I was 14 when we came to the U.S., and not long afterward some friends said, “You seem like you have ADHD.” I thought they were crazy – that there was no way I had that. But [they were irritated because] I’d always be running all over the place and could never just hang out. I was always going a million miles an hour. Sometimes I think they would have liked to have taken out my batteries so they could get a break. Through my teens and 20s, my friends would joke around about me being hyper or like the Energizer Bunny. Then a few years ago, a friend had a serious talk with me and suggested I talk to my doctor and see if I have ADHD. Were you hurt by your friend’s suggestion? No, deep down, I wanted some answers about my behavior. It was the right time in my life. Everything just fell into place. I got an appointment that was convenient, so I thought, What the heck, I’ll go. Are you glad you went? I wasn’t at first. I had to do a ridiculously long test to see if I have ADHD, and in the middle of it I thought, What the heck am I doing this for? Of course, I started to lose concentration on the test. That should have been a clue that I did really belong there. But I did it, and after looking over my results and examining me, the doctor said I had ADHD. How did you feel when you heard the ADHD diagnosis? I thought, Wow, it really is a real disorder? I thought my friends were just making it up. But I was freaked out that I had just been diagnosed with it. I told the doctor, “That’s not good!” Then I stopped and thought about it – and it all made sense. I realized I didn’t just have a lot of energy; there was a medical reason I was so active. What was your doctor’s reaction? He assured me that it’s actually very common and nothing to worry about. He was trying to make me feel better, because he also told me all geniuses have a degree of ADD or ADHD. I’m still waiting for my genius to come out. How do you stay focused when you’re teaching a new partner to dance on “DWTS”? I get very impatient because I get distracted. So to avoid getting off track, it’s easier to tell my partner, “I have ADHD, and it’s something I can handle.” Then I tell them, “I need you to help me, so I can help you.” I tell my partners that my ADHD will help us, rather than being an obstacle. Of course, they think I’m crazy, but I tell them I have enough energy for both of us to train 14-16 hours every day. They’re usually not sure if that’s a good thing, because they can’t imagine being active for that long. Are there benefits of ADHD? Yes, we’ll goof around or tell jokes and laugh, but ballroom dancing is such a demanding workout that you need a lot of energy and stamina. I think that’s why it’s perfect for me. I can just keep going and going. It’s very rewarding. And dancing is such a challenge, and each dance is so unique. With every dance you create a new character, dance to new music and do new steps. Do you ever get distracted because your partner is goofing off? When I danced with [former teen idol Aaron Carter], he was just like me. He was very easily distracted and all over the place. That’s fine if you don’t have ADHD, but because I’m like that, I thought, How are we ever going to get anything done? But we worked together to keep each other grounded. It actually worked well. Does ADHD affect your personal life? I’ve had friends get mad at me because of my behavior. It has also interfered with my love life. How so? It can be very hard on a relationship, especially if you’re with someone who’s calm. I try [to prevent] my ADHD from interfering, but it often does anyway. For instance, I’m always late. No matter how much time I allot myself, it never works out that I get someplace early. I’m constantly changing the subject and running from one place to another, and I’ve been involved with guys who want to just hang out and relax at home. They don’t understand that it’s almost impossible for me to sit still and watch a movie for two straight hours. It’s also tough to go out to eat in a noisy restaurant and have a conversation. I’ll get distracted and change the subject because of the noise and commotion. Or I’ll forget to do something I said I’d do. It’s not on purpose; I just get distracted and forget to call a person back or run an errand. These things are hard on someone who has never experienced ADHD or had a relationship with someone who has it. And I understand that. So how do you smooth things over? I apologize – a lot! Whether it’s because I was late or I’m fidgeting, I always say, “I’m sorry.” I also remind the person that I’m not late on purpose or forgot to call just to irritate them. It’s just part of me. But sometimes they can’t take it. Do you have any tricks to keep it from interfering? It’s getting easier the more I learn about ADHD. I’ve only known that I have it for a few years, so I didn’t have the benefit of growing up with the diagnosis and learning coping skills at an early age. One thing I do is write down appointments – things I said I’d do – in my calendar and put them in my phone. That way I remember I’m supposed to call someone at a specific time or do something. That has helped tremendously. So has just knowing I have ADHD. Before, I would have completely forgotten to call someone or be someplace. Now that I know, I can remind myself. Watch Smirnoff on season 14 of “Dancing With the Stars” on Mondays, 8 p.m. ET, and Tuesdays 9 p.m. ET, on ABC. For more information and expert advice, visit our ADHD Health Center. How Much Do You Know About ADHD? Do you battle inattention and restlessness? You could have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). About 8-9 million adults have ADHD. Many adults are unaware of their disorder, as it was never diagnosed in childhood.