"I could disintegrate in the shower"— Ellen DeGeneres jokes about being diagnosed with OCD, ADHD, and osteoporosis in Netflix special

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres, 66, recently opened up about the health challenges she has been facing as she ages in her latest Netflix special, For Your Approval, which premiered on September 24.

In her stand-up routine, DeGeneres shared with her audience that she has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), adding a layer of humor to what are often serious subjects.

"It's hard to be honest about aging and seem cool," she said.

The comedian remarked as she discussed her experience with osteoporosis. DeGeneres discovered after a bone density test that she had "full-on osteoporosis," a condition that weakens the bones, making them more susceptible to fractures. According to the National Institutes of Health, Osteoporosis affects around one in five women over age 50.

While discussing her condition, DeGeneres joked:

"I don't even know how I'm standing up right now. I'm like a human sandcastle. I could disintegrate in the shower."

DeGeneres also shared how her age led her to unexpected health complications.

"I had excruciating pain one day and I thought I tore a ligament or something," she explained.

After getting an MRI, she found out it was arthritis, with her doctor dismissing the cause with a simple, "Oh, it just happens at your age."

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Ellen DeGeneres opens up about OCD diagnosis and family history

During her show, DeGeneres expressed that she first saw the symptoms of OCD when in therapy, the accusations of maintaining a toxic workplace at The Ellen DeGeneres Show greatly affected her mental health.

OCD has been defined by the Mayo Clinic as the experience of a person with a set of ideas or phobias that trigger the need for repetitive behaviors despite the fact that they are disturbing to the individual.

"I may have OCD because a therapist said so, and I said, 'Yes, I am very organized,' because I thought that was the 'O,'" she quipped.

Growing up in a Christian Science household, DeGeneres said, "nobody talked about anything" related to health or disorders. Her father's behaviors, which included checking doorknobs and unplugging appliances numerous times before leaving the house, led her to realize that OCD might run in her family.

"They say it could be hereditary," she mused.

DeGeneres' wife, Portia de Rossi, quickly confirmed that she had OCD tendencies, although DeGeneres always considered herself more "careful" than obsessive.

Apart from her OCD, Ellen DeGeneres said she is also has ADHD, which stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to the CDC, this is a developmental disorder that may lead to a person having a problem focusing and controlling his/her impulses.

"My ADD makes it really hard to sit down and focus on anything at all. I mean, do you know how hard it was for me to put this together?" she joked with the crowd, adding that her memory is also fading.

She continued:

"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 in the first place."

She also humorously suggested that this might make her "well-adjusted."

Ellen DeGeneres' health revelations come after a rough year in her career, amid allegations that her show created a toxic workplace. Despite the show wrapping up in 2022 in its 19th season, the comedian continues to think about the criticism she received.

"When you're a public figure, you're open to everyone's interpretation," she said.

Despite the controversies, Ellen DeGeneres stated that she has learned to move on, focusing on her own well-being rather than what others think of her. She concluded by saying:

"I used to care what people thought, but I just can't anymore."

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Currently, Ellen DeGeneres continues to perform stand-up and recently released her Netflix special For Your Approval. While she has stepped away from daytime television following the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she remains active in producing content through her production company, focusing on new creative projects and charity initiatives.