Nick Cannon has opened up about his recent diagnosis with narcissistic personality disorder.
The Masked Singer host, 44, spoke about his mental health journey in an interview with People published on Thursday (November 28). “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,” he said.
Cannon admitted that he was previously diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and experienced dyslexia growing up. However, the Wild ‘n Out host said he “kind of always knew” that he is “a neurodivergent individual.”
“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,’” Cannon continued. “I just embrace mental health and therapy in such a strong way.
“To be able to say I’m an example for others, but also be healing during the self-process works too.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition that involves a person having an exaggerated sense of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and an inability to empathize with others.
The father of 12 first revealed his narcissistic personality disorder diagnosis during an episode of his Counsel Culture podcast earlier this month. Cannon explained to guest Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, a doctor of psychology, that he had been “clinically diagnosed” with narcissistic personality disorder and identifies with nearly all “markers” for the disorder.
“I’ve taken all the power away from the term narcissism because I’ve researched it and I understand it,” he said at the time. “Call me whatever you want… now if I didn’t know what it was, then I have issue with it.”
His two-year-old son Zillion, who he shares with Abby De La Rosa, was diagnosed with autism this year. For World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, the parents announced on Instagram that their son had recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
In the caption, the pair celebrated their son’s “unique energy” and his “dynamic” nature.
“Today our family recognizes World Autism Awareness Day which is beyond meaningful to us because our amazing two-year-old, Zillion, was recently diagnosed with ASD — joining the unique energy of others like Niko Telsa [sic], Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Michael Angelo, just to name a few dynamic individuals,” they wrote in a joint post. “Our beautiful boy experiences life in 4D and teaches us something new everyday!”
They added: “His love, strength and brilliance light up every room he enters! We are blessed that God had placed such an amazing spirit under our guardianship and we have accepted this assignment wholeheartedly!”
The pair concluded the post by asking for “a world of acceptance and compassion” in light of the impact the disorder has had on many families and children.
In addition to Zillion, Cannon and De La Rosa are also parents to Zillion’s twin brother Zion and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin.
The America’s Got Talent host shares twins Moroccan and Monroe with his ex-wife and singer, Mariah Carey. He’s also welcomed Rise Messiah, Powerful Queen, and Golden Sagon with model Brittany Bell; Legendary Love with Selling Sunset star Bre Tiesi; and Onyx with LaNisha Cole.
Cannon shares Halo Marie with Alyssa Scott. The pair previously welcomed son Zen, who died of brain cancer as an infant.
