Seven Celebrities with OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder plagues some of Hollywood's top stars.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, can happen to anyone, regardless of your age, race, or socio-economic status. This type of anxiety disorder afflicts millions of people all over the world, and yet few people are aware of its existence or acknowledge the effects it has on their lives.

That's why it may come as a surprise to hear that many famous celebrities have dealt with or are currently dealing with obsessive compulsive disorder. Not only are you not alone living with OCD, but you share the disorder with some of the most popular actors and actresses in today's media.

Celebrities with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Daniel Radcliffe

The Harry Potter star dealt with serious OCD in his youth. He once stated it took him as long as five minutes or more to turn off a light because of his compulsions, and that seeking help was the most important step he made in coping with the disorder.

Learn more about fears of doubt and harm in OCD.

Frank Sinatra

Barbara Sinatra — the wife of the late, great Frank Sinatra — shared a little known fact about her husband in her memoir. In it she stated that her husband had an obsession with cleanliness, and would sometimes take as many as 10 showers a day or more to keep himself clean.

Learn more about contamination fears in OCD.

Howie Mandel

While the actor/show host has led a very successful career, often using his phobias and OCD behaviors as part of his humor and charm, Howie Mandel's OCD has drastically affected his life. He refuses to shake hands with anyone he meets, often giving a "fist-bump" instead, and has walks around his home with gloves to protect himself from germs.

Learn more about washing and cleaning compulsions in OCD.

Charlize Theron

Charlize has organizational compulsions. She describes it as the inability to let someone's cabinets be messy, claiming she occasionally gets insomnia as she thinks about the disorganized cabinets. On occasion, it's believed that she herself will go through even a stranger's cabinets to ensure they're in order.

Learn more about organizing compulsions in OCD.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio lived with mild/moderate OCD for most of his adult life. He often feels the urge to walk through doorways multiple times. While he claims to generally have his OCD under control, he says that when playing the lead character in "The Aviator" (a movie with about an individual that suffers from OCD) he stopped trying to control it in order to do a better job at the lead role. Unfortunately, once he stopped controlling it, it became harder to control, and took many months before he was able to limit the hold OCD had on his life.

Learn more about repeating compulsions in OCD.

Howard Stern

While Howard Stern comes off as a confident man on his long running radio show, OCD was his coping mechanism for the severe anxiety symptoms he was experiencing as he was coming up the radio circuit. He engaged in numerous compulsions, which he has yet to share, that he used as a way to cope with the serious stress he experienced on a regular basis. As an example, he would spend one to two hours in a bathroom touching things before work every day.

Learn more about unusual compulsions in OCD.

Cameron Diaz

While the actress has yet to claim she has OCD publically, she's known throughout Hollywood for her obsessions and compulsions. She's described as a "frequent hand washer" and has a fear of touching doorknobs, often opening them with her elbows or scrubbing them clean in her free time.

Learn more about washing and cleaning compulsions in OCD.

Actors, Actresses, & OCD

OCD is a term that's often thrown around without much conscious thought, and many actors and actresses use the term erroneously, claiming they have OCD when in reality they simply have a few quirks that are otherwise unrelated to anxiety or compulsions. But many famous celebrities truly suffer from the disorder, and find that living with OCD is a constant challenge, and one that can affect their lives every day. The above list represents just a small sample of the celebrities that are struggling or have struggled with OCD, and because the disorder comes in so many different shapes and sizes it's possible that some celebrities have yet to even realize that they show signs of OCD symptoms.

Learn more about the symptoms of OCD.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera is an anxiety activist that is committed to promoting knowledge about anxiety and anxiety disorders. He writes about OCD and other issues.