10 Successful People with OCD Who Prove That Anything is Possible
It’s no secret that having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be debilitating, especially when you are trying to achieve a goal. It may seem like it’s impossible to have OCD and still be successful, but these ten famous people prove that anything is possible when you set your mind to it.
Through their own personal battles with the disorder, they were able to find the tools and strategies they needed to achieve success in whatever industry they chose.
While their stories are quite different from one another, they all have one thing in common — they were able to beat OCD through determination and hard work. Here are 10 successful people below.
Susan Suffield — Author, Blogger, Certified Life Coach
Susan Suffield, a blogger and certified life coach living in Northern California, was once told by a doctor that she would never overcome her Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
Suffield refused to accept her doctor’s grim prognosis and decided to fight back. With dedication and hard work, she has been able to overcome many of her compulsions.
Today, Susan Suffield operates one of California’s most popular blogs and continues to work as a life coach while also serving as an advocate for those with mental illness.
I want other people to know that you can go through difficult things in your life but come out stronger, says Suffield. You just have to not let it stop you.
Barbara Baskin — CEO, The New York Times
With an estimated 1 in 50 people diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), it’s safe to say that there are more successful people who live with OCD than you may think.
Barbara Baskin, CEO of The New York Times, was once quoted as saying, Obsessive focus will get you a long way in business. As part of her role at The New York Times where she has been for 16 years, Baskin monitors sales and traffic numbers daily.
When she began experiencing compulsive behavior toward numbers and details, her family doctor advised therapy and Baskin started seeing a therapist who specializes in obsessive compulsive disorder every two weeks.
Tina Fey — Writer, Producer, Actress
Tina Fey overcame her obsessive-compulsive disorder to become a successful comedian, writer, and producer. With two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards, she’s also had much success on screen.
She rose to fame as a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1997; as head writer of SNL (1999–2006); and through roles in comedy films such as Mean Girls (2004), Baby Mama (2008), and Sisters (2015).
Thomas Barrack Jr. — President Trump’s Billionaire Friend
Barrack’s $30 billion dollar net worth proves that a little bit of money doesn’t go as far as it used to. Although he has been deemed wealthy and successful, Barrack suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder.
He even goes so far as to count things in multiples of three, a common compulsion for those who suffer from OCD. He also makes sure that all his tables have an odd number of chairs and thinks about how much any given event will cost him on a daily basis, which keeps him up at night if he hasn’t finished planning it yet.
Celine Dion — Singer
In 2008, Dion talked about her struggles living with obsessive-compulsive disorder in an interview. I couldn’t control it, she said. I was spending hours in front of a mirror and would not move until I did everything perfectly.
Sometimes I had to sit on my hands to prevent myself from doing things. Her self-perseverance and dedication led her to win five Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and two Juno Awards for Entertainer of the Year.
Michael Phelps — Olympic Swimmer
Michael Phelps is one of the most successful Olympians in history. He’s a 19-time gold medalist and has set numerous world records. And yet, he admits to having been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
According to his mom, Phelps was afraid of everything from dying from AIDS to stepping on cracks. It wasn’t until he was 15 that a doctor told him that his fears were actually related to his OCD.
Phelps admits that it took him a long time to overcome these compulsions, but by age 17 he was able to swim without even thinking about them.
Leonardo da Vinci — Artist/Inventor/Scientist
Although da Vinci didn’t suffer from severe clinical OCD, there are some indications that he did have obsessive compulsive traits. Most notably, his extreme focus on detail and fine brushstrokes during painting sessions and his insistence on surrounding himself with mirrors in order to practice drawing hands repeatedly.
Da Vinci was also extremely detailed oriented when it came to inventions, which he would build in his mind before putting them down on paper or trying them out.
His job as a military engineer required him to be organized and focused at all times, characteristics which today would likely be described as obsessive compulsive tendencies.
Overall, many of da Vinci’s qualities correlate strongly with symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder.
Walt Disney — Founder of Disney Company
After returning to Kansas City, he struggled financially and took a job selling newspapers. He was fired after three weeks when his boss discovered that Disney wasn’t reading any of them.
Shortly after, he started to experience symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). He would become obsessively concerned about things such as dust or other people stealing his ideas for cartoons.
To cope with these irrational fears, he had a series of mechanisms and rituals that made him feel better. Later in life, these rituals became more elaborate, like an afternoon nap each day at a certain time and regular Sunday morning visits to graveyards where his parents were buried.
John F. Kennedy Jr. — Congressman
John F. Kennedy Jr. was one of a handful of Congressmen diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He had just begun his first term in Congress at 30 years old when he began suffering from panic attacks that caused him to feel that something was very wrong.
His symptoms were so severe that he actually ended up checking himself into a psychiatric hospital for several weeks to learn how to cope with them.
Despite his struggles, he went on to have a successful career as an attorney and television personality before dying in a plane crash over Martha’s Vineyard at age 38.
David Copperfield — World Renowned Magician
World renowned magician David Copperfield has been suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder since he was 12 years old. His stage name, Copperfield, even comes from his compulsive desire to avoid stepping on cracks and lines.
While he recognizes that it’s a disorder that needs treatment, he doesn’t let it define him or stop him from accomplishing his goals and making a positive impact on people’s lives through magic.
He has said in interviews that people have come up to him in tears after watching one of his shows because they suffer from anxiety or depression but seeing him perform for them was transformative for them because they realized it’s OK to be different and unique.
It’s very empowering, he told The Guardian. You can do anything in life if you believe.
Conclusion
Even though it’s one of psychiatry’s most common disorders, some of society’s greatest thinkers, artists, and leaders have suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder. Although many of them went on to accomplish incredible things, it is clear that living with OCD can be a challenge.
I hope these examples prove to you that having OCD does not mean you are doomed to a life of misery. In fact, many people diagnosed with OCD go on to live full and happy lives — thanks in part to their treatment.
If you feel like your symptoms may be getting in your way, please seek help right away; there are treatments out there that can help make living with your condition much easier.
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