Two Popular Celebrities Recently Admit to Having OCD

By Dr. Lane, Sun, August 01, 2010

We typically idealize celebrities, assuming they are perfect or at least without serious challenges such as mental illness. However, they are just as vulnerable as everyone else. If fact, recently, two popular celebrities have admitted to having the challenging psychiatric disorder, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

Gorgeous Hollywood actress and model Megan Fox claims to suffer from OCD in a recent interview she did with Allure magazine. Ms. Fox reported that she obsesses about bacteria on the silverware used in restaurants, and in the toilets in public restrooms.

The other celebrity is Pauly D, the tattooed star of the hit MTV reality television show, Jersey Shore. Pauly D (short for Delvecchio) claims that his OCD began in adolescence. He reports that he always had to have his pants creased, religiously made his bed, and color-coordinated his closet. He also reports that each night he would always lay out the clothes he was planning to wear to school the next day, and that his hair had to be perfect.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD afflicts about 1% of the adult (18 or over) population in the U.S. Whether or not Ms. Fox or Pauly D truly meet the criteria for a diagnosis is difficult to say based on their reports. While many people engage in obsessive-compulsive behaviors, to qualify for a diagnosis of OCD the obsessions or compulsions must cause considerable distress, take up a significant amount of time each day, or significantly disrupt their life in some way. If they do actually have the disorder, they will hopefully be an inspiration to others, showing that one can be successful in life despite OCD or other types of mental illness.

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