What comes to mind when you read the words obsessive compulsive disorder? For many, the phrase likely conjures up an image of a person obsessively organizing their home or compulsively counting out their actions. OCD can certainly manifest in these ways, but the disorder is much more complex than television and film portrayals would lead you to believe.
The Mayo Clinic defines OCD as “a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions).” Often, people’s obsessions center around certain themes, such as cleanliness, contact with germs or dirt, sexual or religious fixations, or harming yourself or others. These obsessions and compulsions can vary in severity. In more severe cases, they may interfere with a person’s ability to function normally, causing shame and distress.
OCD affects about 2.5 million U.S. adults, or 1.2 percent of the country’s population. The average age of onset is 19, although about one-third of adults who have OCD first experienced symptoms in childhood.
Scientists haven’t pinpointed a definitive cause of OCD. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a person’s genetics, brain abnormalities, and environment are all thought to play a role. For some pediatric patients, OCD symptoms begin after an acute strep infection. This phenomenon is known as PANDAS, or Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infections.
Although some people mistakenly refer to keeping their home tidy as “being OCD,” this mental health condition is no laughing matter and should not be stigmatized in that way. OCD isn’t just being clean; it’s a serious disorder that typically requires therapy or psychiatric medication to treat.
With proper treatment, it is totally possible to live a normal life with OCD. That’s why a growing number of celebrities who have this condition have chosen to speak publicly about how it affects their life. Since OCD is sometimes minimized in casual conversation and depicted in a singular way in pop culture, people might not even realize they have it.
Keep reading to learn more about nine celebrities who have opened up about their experience with OCD, including David Beckham, Lena Dunham, and Charlize Theron.