People with OCD

If you or someone you know has obsessive-compulsive disorder, you are in good company. Throughout history some of our great thinkers and entertainers have worked very successfully in spite of the disorder.

Among the many people known to work with OCD are famously Howard Hughes and Michael Jackson, Jessica Alba, Donald Trump, Cameron Diaz, Harrison Ford, Rose McGowen, Howard Stern and Winona Ryder.

Leonardo DeCaprio who played Howard Hughes in the Aviator also has OCD. He has said that he must force himself not to step on gum stains when walking on the street or sidewalk and fights the urge to walk in and out of doors. He has said he doesn’t want the condition taking over his life.

Howie Mandel has OCD and mysophobia, a fear of germs and dirt. He rarely shakes hands with others and shaved his head to feel cleaner.

David Beckham has an obsession with order. Everything around him must be arranged in pairs. Anything out of order must be set straight immediately or it causes him extreme anxiety.

People who are believed to have OCD include Charles Darwin. He suffered from maladies as a teen with some of his conditions incapacitating him in his late twenties. We don’t know for sure, but many historians suspect OCD as one of his conditions.

Michelangelo also very likely had OCD. He always slept fully clothed and never removed his boots or shoes. He often isolated himself from other people with whom he had awkward social relationships. He often exploded in anger when frustrated and had to leave when making his point became difficult. Michelangelo would work on his masterpieces without breaks for days at a time often without interruption and to the detriment of his own health.

While OCD can be a burden there are many examples through history and in contemporary times which show that the compulsion can be mastered or worked around. You can look to Stanley Kubrick or Sir Winston Churchill or Charles Dickens for inspiration.

Source: Disabled World, NursingSchools