YouTuber Lele Pons Reveals OCD Diagnosis in New Documentary

What Happened: Venezuelan YouTuber Lele Pons revealed in the first episode of her docuseries, “The Secret Life of Lele Pons,” that she lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Tourette syndrome and ADHD.

“When I was little I couldn’t move, I was stuck in one place. I couldn’t move and my dad had to carry me around places,” Pons said. “There’s thoughts and there’s actions. There are things that you don’t want to do, but your brain and your thoughts are telling you to do them.”

• The impact of mental illness: Pons shared with Entertainment Tonight that she’s had to take weeks off from work at a time to manage her OCD symptoms when she gets triggered
• Other celebrities with OCD: Pons isn’t the only celebrity to reveal their struggle with OCD. Others include Camila Cabello, John Green, Howie Mandel and Mara Wilson, among others.

The Frontlines: OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that result in behaviors (compulsions) designed to reduce the discomfort of the unwanted thoughts. Compulsions can range from repetitive actions like checking locks, counting or repeated hand-washing, but there are many ways the condition can show up for people.

• An estimated 2.3% of the U.S. population lives with OCD at one point in their lives
• OCD is highly treatable with therapy modalities such as exposure and response prevention therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

More about OCD: Sign up for our weekly mental health newsletter.

Inside Life With OCD: Take a peek inside what it’s like to live with OCD in this Mighty special. Click on the image below:

A Mighty Voice: Our contributor, Mindy F., described what living with OCD is like for her:

If I could sum up what obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is for me, it would be control. Controlling the chaos in my brain, and my surroundings. A way to bring a sense of order to an otherwise chaotic world around me. It is a never-ending loop of intrusive thoughts, rituals and coping mechanisms. It’s perfectionism with a twist.

From Our Community: 

If you could let people know one thing about your OCD, what would it be?

Add your voice: Join The Mighty by downloading our app or comment below. You can submit your first person story, too.

Other things to know: For more on face masks, check out the following Mighty articles:

• 5 Types of OCD You Might Not Have Heard Of
• 5 Things to Do If You Were Just Diagnosed With OCD
• What Is OCD Treatment, and How Does It Work?

More helpful thinking: If you’re struggling with OCD, know you’re not alone and help is available. Working with a mental health professional can help. You can search for therapists in your area using this helpful tool.