It’s not every day that a 30-year-old man in Hollywood opens up about his mental health. But when Will Poulter sat down with Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast, he did just that—sharing his ongoing battle with OCD in a raw and honest way. While many fans know Poulter for his role as awkward teenager Kenny in We’re the Millers and pastry chef Luca on The Bear, few knew about the internal struggles he’s faced for most of his life.
OCD is something I was diagnosed with in my early teens…I was probably 14 when I first started experiencing rumination and intrusive thoughts. Until it was diagnosed and until I received therapy, I just thought I was totally alone with this condition…I was so scared.
Poulter described how he would compulsively step on specific paving stones on his way home to keep his parents safe: “I can remember having this kind of voice in my head that told me if I didn’t walk on certain paving stones on the way up to my mom and dad’s house, that something terrible was going to happen to them.” It wasn’t until he received a diagnosis that he could look back and recognize those childhood behaviors as OCD.
His story highlights the exhausting and relentless nature of OCD, where intrusive thoughts distort the truth and make your worst fears feel real. As he described, OCD has a way of blurring the line between fact and feeling, making it seem like your worst thoughts define who you are.
OCD is so cruel…it takes what you value most or the version of yourself that you most want to be…and it creates a subverted version of that whereby it convinces you the opposite is going to happen, or you’re going to become the opposite of who you want to be.
Even when others would say they also had anxiety or intrusive thoughts, Poulter couldn’t help but feel that his experience was somehow different—or worse. This sense of isolation and shame is deeply familiar to many with OCD, but his story is a reminder that even when OCD feels overwhelming, you are not alone, help is out there, and there is no shame in seeking the care you deserve.
At NOCD, we’re committed to helping people with OCD access evidence-based care—because as Will Poulter discovered, the right knowledge and treatment can transform your life. Book a free call with our team to learn how specialized therapy can help you break free from OCD’s grip.