American TV host and actor Nick Cannon has revealed that he has been diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, saying he is embracing therapy and using the process to heal.
The 44-year-old star of The Masked Singer made the disclosure during an interview with PEOPLE while serving meals at the Los Angeles Mission’s Thanksgiving celebration on November 27.
“I still don’t understand it all the way, but I kind of always wanted to get tested for it. I did a bunch of tests,” Cannon said. “I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD. Even as a kid it was dyslexia, but just knowing that I’m just a neurodivergent individual, I kind of always knew.”
Cannon explained that the diagnosis has helped him look at his life in a new light. “I feel like there’s so many labels out there, but it’s like, to be able to embrace it and say, ‘Look, I’m healing. I need help. Show me.’ I just embrace mental health and therapy in such a strong way,” he said.
The entertainer first shared the news on his *Counsel Culture* podcast earlier in the month, where he confirmed to psychologist Dr. Cheyenne Bryant that he had been “clinically diagnosed.” He admitted that he related to almost all the “markers” of the disorder.
“I’ve taken all the power away from the term narcissism ‘cause I’ve researched it and I understand it,” Cannon said on the podcast. “Call me whatever you want… now if I didn’t know what it was, then I have issue with it.”
Away from his mental health journey, Cannon, who is father to 12 children, also spoke about his hectic holiday schedule. “It’s very complicated. I’m a busy man on Thanksgiving,” he told PEOPLE. “I’m going to be full by the end of the day, but everybody specializes in certain things, you know what I mean? Some people got good sweet potato pie, some people got amazing fried turkey.”
He added that December would also be packed with family activities. “Everywhere from Aspen to Santa’s Village, all of those things. All the kids want to go to the snow. So a little bit of East Coast, a little bit of Aspen, a little bit of Big Bear,” he said.
