Ellen DeGeneres, best known for hosting “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” for 19 years, is updating fans on her physical and mental health in “Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval,” her new comedy special on Netflix.
While the hour-long standup routine has its fair share of jokes, Ellen also offers an intimate glimpse into her life as she’s aged, revealing diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit disorder (ADD), and osteoporosis. The revelations are part of a larger conversation about how she was, in her words, pushed out of the entertainment industry—first for being an openly lesbian woman, and again in 2020 due to accusations of fostering a toxic work environment.
Ellen notes that the 2020 saga—when she was “kicked out of show business for being mean”—is what led her to seek therapy in the first place, confront her struggles in a more serious way, and ultimately uncover her OCD and ADD diagnoses.
Being diagnosed was just the first step in Ellen’s ongoing learning process. Growing up in a religious household, she had little understanding of what OCD was, and she now realizes she belongs to the estimated 2.3% of the population—around 1 in 40 people—who live with the condition.
How Ellen learned she has OCD
OCD is a chronic mental health condition characterized by two types of symptoms: obsessions and compulsions.
But this isn’t exactly common knowledge. When she first learned she might have OCD, Ellen herself was a bit unclear on what it meant: “I may have OCD because a therapist said so,” DeGeneres said. “And I said, “Yes, I am very organized,” because I thought that was the “O.””
Obsessions—the “O” in OCD
The “O” in OCD actually stands for obsessive—used to describe the distressing intrusive thoughts, images, feelings, sensations, or urges that people with OCD experience.
DeGeneres reiterates how she never thought of herself as obsessive until asking her wife, actress Portia de Rossi. “I think of myself as careful, and everyone else careless and out of control. I asked her what I obsess about, and she said, ‘You obsess about time.’ And that’s true.” She acknowledges she “obsesses” over things like time and animals.
Ellen is far from alone—time and animals are just two of the many different themes that obsessions can latch onto. Here are some other common examples:
- Intense fear about becoming contaminated or becoming ill
- An extreme need for perfection, symmetry, or things to be “just right”
- Fears and doubts about one’s “true” sexuality
- Consistent worry about violating religious, moral, or ethical beliefs
- Fixations on bodily sensations or involuntary bodily functions
- Unwanted thoughts about violence or hurting oneself or others
- Doubts and fears surrounding relationships, most often the intimate ones
- Recurring doubts about things that happened in the past (false memory OCD)
We can help you tackle your obsessions, no matter what they are
Compulsions—the “C” in OCD
In response to obsessions, people with OCD engage in compulsions: repetitive behaviors or mental acts done to reduce distress or anxiety, or to prevent something bad from happening. But they don’t lead to long-term relief, and actually make obsessions worse over time.
Ellen shares that when she looks back, she realizes her father most likely had OCD, too. She remembers the compulsions he would engage in, like checking, a very common experience for many with OCD. People with any theme of OCD might repeatedly make sure their stove is off, verify that their door is locked, or repeat something a specific number of times to feel “just right.”
“He would check the doorknob 15 times before we would leave,” DeGeneres said. “He would check the faucet 15 times. He would unplug all the appliances before we left the house because lightning could strike, and it would catch fire. They said it could be hereditary.”
Other common OCD compulsions include:
- Tapping/touching (i.e. tapping your knee a certain number of times in order to feel “okay” or “just right”)
- Reassurance-seeking (i.e. asking a loved one, “Did you see me push anyone when we were walking down that busy street?” or “Do you really love me?)
- Avoidance (i.e. refusing to go to places, be in situations, or take in stimuli that may trigger your intrusive thoughts)
- Excessive washing/cleaning (i.e. hand washing, showering, or disinfecting surfaces multiple times a day)
- Rumination (i.e. turning something over and over in your mind, even for hours a day)
- Mental reassurance (i.e. giving yourself reassurance, such as “I would never do anything awful like that because I’m not a bad person”)
Is OCD hereditary?
What Ellen heard is correct, to a degree: genetics do likely play a role in the onset of OCD—twin and family studies offer strong evidence highlighting the significant role genetics can play in contributing to OCD. But the story doesn’t end there. “We can say that genetics sometimes play a role, but there aren’t quite enough studies to show how strong the genetic components may be for OCD,” explains Tracie Zinman-Ibrahim, LMFT, CST, an OCD specialist.
Environmental influences, including childhood trauma, prolonged stress, or other mental disorders, can also influence the onset of OCD. Some children learn compulsive behaviors, including hand-washing, needing things to be symmetrical, or constant checking or counting, from their parents, caregivers, and others as they grow up.
Sometimes just living with someone with OCD can make you pick up those habits/compulsions or strong beliefs/fears about things, says Zinman-Ibrahim.
“My grandmother had OCD. She would insist that everyone was wearing socks or shoes at all times. She would also change the bed sheets if anyone’s feet touched anywhere except the end of the bed because it was seen as contaminating the bed if your disgusting feet touched too close to where you lay your head to sleep. One of my big contamination OCD triggers is feet and floors. I clearly got that from her.”
How to seek help for OCD
OCD can be extremely difficult to live with, but it’s also highly treatable. Exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy was created for OCD specifically, and it remains the gold standard form of treatment. In ERP, you carefully and gradually confront your obsessions and learn to resist the urge to perform compulsions—effectively interrupting the cycle of OCD. Medications can also be a helpful component of treatment, particularly when combined with ERP.
Accessing effective treatment is crucial for everyone living with OCD, whether they’re a celebrity or not. Normalizing discussions around mental health helps reduce stigma and encourages individuals to seek help without fear of judgment.
Feeling that she’s been labeled as a “one dimensional character,” Ellen ends her comedy special describing herself as “just a multifaceted person with different feelings and emotions. I can be happy and sad and compassionate or frustrated,” DeGeneres said. “I have OCD and ADD. I’m honest. I’m generous. I’m sensitive and thoughtful. But I’m tough and I’m impatient and I’m demanding. I’m direct. I’m a strong woman.”
Ibrahim adds, “It’s great to have celebrities come out and normalize having OCD, as well as share some of the less commonly known ways it manifests. Their openness can inspire others to recognize their own experiences and seek the support they deserve.”