6 Famous People With OCD and What You Can Learn from Them?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, affects 2.5 million adults in the US, which may include you or someone you know.

The obsessive thoughts and compulsions that come with the condition can seriously affect your personal life. But with a robust social support system and treatment, you can deal with the condition and live an everyday and productive life.

I know the thought of living a “normal life” may sound like a pipedream now, especially if you’ve been suffering from an anxiety disorder for a long time.

So, here’s a list of six famous people with OCD.

I have shared snippets of the struggle that celebrities with OCD face; how they deal with it, and at the end of the article, there’s a list of actionable tips and key takeaways.

I hope when you finish reading this blog, you’ll have your ‘will to get better’ rejuvenated.

Let’s read on.

Six Famous People Who Have OCD

David Beckham

David Beckham revealed his OCD to the Independent. His mental health condition makes him obsessed with the idea of perfection. He said, “I have this obsessive-compulsive disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line or everything has to be in pairs.”

Beckham tried stopping his compulsions but couldn’t. According to Research, the reason for being unable to stop is too much brain activity in the area that detects errors — and too little activity in the areas that tell us to stop compulsive or repetitive behaviors.

But he has devised some strategies that have helped him lower its impact. For example, when his OCD symptoms flare up, he arranges Lego.

At Sydney’s well-being Summit, he also said that simple activities like walking the kids to school or taking a stroll in the park positively impact his mental health and well-being.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio has been very open about experiencing mild obsessive-compulsive tendencies, particularly during his childhood such as feeling an intense urge to step on sidewalk cracks or walk through doorways multiple times.

However, his experience provides a fascinating look at the difference between mild, manageable compulsions and severe clinical OCD. When preparing for his acclaimed role as the billionaire Howard Hughes in The Aviator, DiCaprio deliberately stopped fighting his childhood urges. To understand Hughes’s debilitating condition, he worked with an OCD specialist to understand the "sticky mental gearshift" of the disorder.

By intentionally letting his guard down to method act, DiCaprio’s compulsions worsened significantly. He recalled that it would sometimes take him 10 minutes just to walk to the movie set because he would get stuck doing repetitive actions.

While DiCaprio had to work to get his tendencies back under control after filming wrapped, he does not suffer from the chronic, debilitating clinical OCD that Hughes did, and he was able to use his conscious willpower to resume a normal life. His story is a great example of how OCD tendencies can exist on a spectrum, and how deliberately choosing not to engage with compulsions is a key part of symptom management.

Camilla Cabello

In a 2020 article, Cabello wrote an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, sharing how shame and stigma caused her to hide her struggles with anxiety and OCD for a long time.

She believed that if she were honest about her mental health struggle and internal battles, everyone would think something was wrong with her: she wasn’t strong or couldn’t handle things.

This is a thought that everyone suffering from the condition has, and it stops them from seeking help earlier. You might have that voice, too, telling you to hide away your symptoms and not talk about them, but that doesn’t help.

Isolating yourself is never the solution; instead, it worsens your symptoms. Cabello realized this fact and decided to seek treatment.

She tried Cognitive behavioral therapy, meditation, breath work, and self-care, which all helped her learn to manage her OCD.

In her op-ed, she also emphasized that conversations about mental health are just as important as those about physical health. She said, “owning our struggles and taking steps to heal is powerful.”

Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes was known as an eccentric personality when he was alive. The reason for his eccentricities was attributed to his genius and wealth, but upon his death, the real reason was found to be severe OCD.

He suffered from OCD contamination fears which turned him into a recluse, barely leaving his suite in Desert Inn for four years and causing him to develop crazy cleaning rituals.

He even created a staff manual on how to open a can of peaches. The directions included removing the label, scrubbing the can down until it was bare metal, rewashing it, and pouring the contents into a bowl without touching the can to the bowl.

His wealth and influence allowed him to force his compulsions on those around him, ordering staff to wash their hands multiple times and layer them with paper towels when serving his food.

His ability to command others to carry out his compulsions and the fact that he didn’t indulge in any social activities worsened his symptoms over the years.

As a result, he began using Codeine more and more, and at last, the meds led to his heart failure.

Howard Stern

Howard Stern revealed his struggle with OCD in his book “Miss America.” There he described how he couldn’t turn the car radio on without tapping the dial a certain number of times.

In an interview with David Letterman, he also recently opened up about his struggle and how therapy has helped him.

He said, “I think I did a lot of growing up. And I do attribute this to psychotherapy.” According to him, psychotherapy helped him appreciate everything good in his own life more.

Howie Mandel

Howie Mandel, a host, and comedian, is one of the most well-known people with OCD.

Over the years, he has publicly shared his struggle with the disorder.

In his autobiography, “Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me,” Mandel wrote about his extreme fear of germs, how he couldn’t tie his shoes because the laces had touched the ground, and how he shaved his head to feel cleaner.

“For me, there’s no cure,” he said. Indeed, OCD cannot be cured, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with those intense symptoms.

Howie Mandel is another stellar example of a person for whom treatment worked wonders. Howie takes medication and does psychotherapy to keep his OCD under control and stay ahead of his symptoms.

But getting treated isn’t a one-time thing when it comes to OCD. You must always watch your symptoms and use the coping mechanisms you learn to stay on top. “I will always have to manage symptoms and develop coping skills,” said Mandel. It’s a life-long process.

Actionable Tips

• Seek treatment for OCD and work with a therapist to develop coping mechanisms.
• Medication can help manage OCD symptoms and even other mental illnesses.
• Talking openly about OCD can help destigmatize the condition and allow people to give you the support you need.
• Developing a support system of friends and family can make a big difference in managing OCD symptoms.
• Engage in simple self-care activities like meditation or taking a walk with your loved one.
• Don’t isolate yourself due to shame or stigma.
• Try not to force your compulsions on others. It’s not a healthy or effective way to cope with OCD.

Key Takeaways

• OCD is a severe condition that can harm a person’s life but can be managed with treatment and support.
• With proper treatment and support, people with OCD can recover and lead fulfilling lives. It is essential to have hope and not give up on seeking help.
• Treatment for OCD can involve a combination of medication, therapy, self-care, and lifestyle changes.
• OCD is not a reflection of your strength or weakness.
• Conversations about mental health are essential; owning your struggles and taking steps to heal is powerful.
• Psychotherapy can be an effective tool for managing OCD symptoms.
• OCD takes constant management and requires constant vigilance.
• People with OCD may benefit from developing coping mechanisms to manage their symptoms.