Alia Bhatt's Hidden Struggles: ADHD, Anxiety & Finding Peace as a New Mother

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Alia Bhatt's conversation with Jay Shetty, where she opens up about motherhood, mental health, and finding her authentic self.

1. Early fascination with television shaped her acting career

Alia's childhood was marked by a deep fascination with television and movies. She spent hours in front of the TV, which became her gateway to dreaming and imagination. This early exposure to entertainment sparked her interest in becoming an actor.

Despite her parents' backgrounds in filmmaking and acting, Alia emphasizes that her connection with television was personal and one-on-one. She recalls being particularly captivated by watching actors like Govinda and Karishma Kapoor dance in different locations and wondering about the world behind the screen.

2. Long-term friendships as stabilizing forces

Alia maintains close relationships with the same group of nine friends she's had since childhood. These friendships have remained constant despite her early entry into acting at age 17 and the challenges of maintaining relationships while living a celebrity lifestyle.

She credits her friends for their patience and understanding of her hectic schedule. Alia acknowledges that her career sometimes led her to take these friendships for granted, but she makes conscious efforts to nurture these relationships. Her friends now treat her daughter Raha as "a new girlfriend in the family," shifting their attention to her.

3. Motherhood transformed her perspective on life

Becoming a mother to Raha has dramatically changed how Alia views the world. She describes forgetting what life was like before motherhood, noticing how her days are now completely full from 7 AM to 10:30 PM. The experience has given her a heightened sense of empathy and gratitude.

Motherhood has also widened her perspective, making her more aware of others' struggles. She shares a practice of looking out from her balcony at the various lives unfolding around her, which helps put her worries into perspective. This broader view reminds her to be grateful for her privileged position.

4. Balancing protection and presence as a parent

Alia describes motherhood as a "beautiful combination of extreme love with extreme worry." Since Raha's birth, she has become intensely protective, experiencing constant concern about her daughter's wellbeing. She recognizes this protective instinct as normal but acknowledges it's something she'll need to manage throughout her life.

Despite these worries, Alia strives to be fully present with her daughter. She takes to heart advice from parents with older children who urge her to "enjoy this time." Unlike other areas of her life where she's always thinking ahead, with Raha she makes a conscious effort to stay in the moment and appreciate each stage of her development.

5. Witnessing her husband's transformation into fatherhood

Alia shares her observations of how becoming a father has changed her husband, Ranbir Kapoor. She describes seeing "stars in his eyes" when he looks at their daughter Raha, noting a new "fullness" to his character that wasn't there before.

She enjoys watching Ranbir and Raha's unique bond develop, describing their relationship as being like "two friends" who sometimes interact like "two adults or two toddlers." Alia secretly records their interactions, capturing precious moments between father and daughter that reveal new dimensions of her husband's capacity for love.

6. Clinical diagnosis of ADHD and anxiety provided clarity

Alia reveals she was recently diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety after seeking professional help when she experienced physical symptoms in social gatherings and had difficulty focusing. Rather than feeling stigmatized by the diagnosis, she found it empowering to have clear information about her challenges.

The diagnosis helped her understand why certain situations were difficult and allowed her to implement specific strategies to manage her conditions. While medication was an option, she chose to work on these conditions without it. Alia emphasizes that having a name for her experiences made them easier to address.

7. The challenges of being receptive to others' energies

Alia describes herself as highly sensitive to the energies of those around her, likening it to "twinkly light" that quickly absorbs others' moods and emotions. This sensitivity can make social situations overwhelming, especially when multiple energies are present. She sometimes behaves "strangely" at parties due to this overload.

Because of this sensitivity, she prefers smaller gatherings with familiar people whose energies she understands. Her close team knows her well enough to provide support during overwhelming situations. This heightened receptivity influences her preference for solitude or small intimate circles rather than large social events.

8. The importance of accepting one's authentic "weirdness"

When asked what she wishes people knew about her, Alia references the TV show "Friends," specifically when Phoebe is described as "wonderfully weird" by her partner. This resonates deeply with Alia, who takes pride in embracing her own quirks and unconventional aspects.

She values self-acceptance and encourages others to embrace their unique traits rather than striving for perfection. This philosophy reflects her comfort with being herself rather than conforming to expectations, something she's maintained since childhood when she was comfortable being alone despite social pressures.

9. The dream of solitude amidst a busy life

Alia shares that one of her current dreams is to take a solo trip for four days. She and Ranbir have discussed each taking personal time away, recognizing their shared need for solitude despite being homebodies who enjoy time together.

This desire reflects her self-described nature as someone who "thrives individually" as well as in partnership. She envisions a beach location where she can connect with water (fitting her Pisces nature) and read books uninterrupted. The simplicity of this dream highlights her value of quiet reflection amid her hectic lifestyle.

10. Finding meaning through astrology and number patterns

Alia reveals a fascination with astrology and numerology. As a Pisces and "number six," she enjoys finding connections between star signs, birth numbers, and personality traits. This interest provides her with frameworks to understand relationships and compatibilities.

She notes patterns in her relationships—getting along well with other "number sixes" and those with numbers three and nine, while rarely connecting with "fours." This system helps satisfy her self-described need for information and patterns. When she discovers correlations, like being a dreamer and finding that Pisces are described as "dancers and dreamers," it creates a sense of validation and cosmic alignment.