Whether on her podcast, Busy Philipps is Doing Her Best, her new QVC+ late-night series Busy This Week or even in character on Girls5eva, Busy Philipps isn't someone to shy away from the tough topics. From divorce and co-parenting to mental health and career hurdles, she's outspoken about her personal journey first and foremost — and if others can relate, she's happy to swap stories.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Women's Health Month, and the mom of two daughters (Birdie, 15 and Cricket, 10) is sharing her story as a woman diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

"When I started to talk about it on my podcast, so many women around my age started reaching out saying, 'This story is exactly what happened to me,'" Busy tells Good Housekeeping. "What is so great about having the platform that I have, being able to reach women and moms, is that I'm able to speak to my own experience and find community. If it can help somebody else, that's fantastic."

We chatted with the Freaks and Geeks star about how she manages her mental health on a daily basis and one lesson she tries to instill in her kids when discussing complex topics like this. (Hint: It's something that's kind of our specialty here at Good Housekeeping.)

"I'm obviously not a doctor," Busy emphasizes, "but my own experience I think is very relatable. We know that the percentage of women newly diagnosed with ADHD has nearly doubled in the last few years. I think in large part that has to do with people talking more freely about it, de-stigmatizing what it is and having more of an understanding that it does manifest or present itself in a different way than how it does with boys and men."

"Once I had my ADHD diagnosis and I started treatment (I take a non-stimulant ADHD medication), it really shifted so much of my life in an incredible way. Not just my productivity ... also how I feel about myself and my abilities and my confidence," Busy reveals.

Busy's eventual diagnosis and treatment plan came from her doctor, but she set up an appointment for herself after taking her older daughter to be evaluated for ADHD, and resonating with many of the symptoms on the checklist.

"We try to reiterate with our kids, if this is a thing that you're feeling or you're concerned about, we're concerned about it, and let's go talk to a person who's an expert at it," Busy says of parenting along with her ex-husband. "That's the best thing we can do. And I think that that really should hold for adults as well."

busy philipps in office
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The "cool mom" from Mean Girls also admits that, like all of us, she's still learning to navigate the conversations that arise at the intersection of technology and parenting. Her number one piece of advice? Talk to an expert!

"We always try to talk age appropriately to our kids, but we do try to talk about everything. And it definitely shifts and changes, especially as my kids get older," she shares. "One thing that's so great about social media is this access to information ... and one thing that can be tricky, especially for younger people who are very impressionable, is they identify with a thing and then make a declaration for themselves of what they've decided based on a TikTok that they saw."

"Every family is its own unique family," Busy concludes. "I'm trying to raise kids that are aware and able to express themselves and also understand that there are many sides to consider."

If you or someone you know is struggling and need professional help, the American Psychological Association's Psychologist Locator tool can help you find a licensed therapist in your area.