Eddie Murphy Shares Surprising Nightly Routine Linked to OCD Symptom Unawareness

Eddie Murphy’s bedtime routine sounds harmless at first, just a quick check before sleep. But in his new documentary, Being Eddie, he’s described how that “just in case” habit turned into something that ate up hours of his night, lock after lock, stove after stove, gas after gas.

What makes it complicated is how easy it is to miss the pattern while you’re living inside it. Murphy says he didn’t even have the language for it when he was a kid, so the compulsions felt like normal caution, not a symptom. And once you’re the guy everyone watches on screen, your private struggles can be even easier to misunderstand, ignored as quirks instead of recognized as OCD.

Here’s the part that really sticks: he didn’t know it was OCD until much later, and the routine kept getting louder in the dark.

The Escalating Ritual: Uncovering Hidden Struggles

Murphy shared how his routine of checking and rechecking the locks on his doors every night before bed escalated over the years, eventually consuming hours of his time.

This meticulous behavior, initially dismissed as a quirk, gradually revealed itself to be a manifestation of his underlying struggles with OCD.

That nightly lock-check that started as a “quick look” slowly grew into a time-sucking loop, the kind that can steal whole hours before Eddie Murphy even gets to bed.

Mental health conditions like OCD often remain stigmatized, particularly among celebrities.

Her insights suggest that when public figures like Eddie Murphy share their experiences, it helps normalize these conversations and encourages others to seek help.

Moreover, she notes that many individuals may not recognize their own symptoms, as was the case with Murphy, which can delay crucial intervention and support.

Raising awareness through personal stories can lead to greater understanding and compassion for those grappling with similar challenges.

64-Year-Old Celebrity Opens Up About OCD in New Documentary

The 64-year-old celebrity candidly opened up about his experiences with the debilitating mental health condition, revealing in new documentary Being Eddie that he first realized as a child that he had OCD.

OCD is a widely misunderstood health condition which causes someone to have compulsions to carry out a particular act repeatedly and to experience repeated unwanted or unpleasant thoughts which can cause someone serious distress.

Then, in Being Eddie, the 64-year-old connects those grown-up door checks to the smaller childhood moments, like repeatedly returning to the kitchen to check the stove and the gas.

Unveiling Compulsive Behavior in New Netflix Film

The compulsive behavior can often be a way for someone to relieve the distress caused by their unwanted intrusive thoughts.

In the film, which has been released on Netflix, the actor revealed one habit he didn't realize was a symptom.

It’s a similar kind of outrage to MAGA supporters calling Trump’s strikes against Iran “appalling and immoral”.

Childhood Experience with OCD: Unveiling Early Signs

“I used to have that OCD when I was a kid. I didn’t know what it was.

“And I’d lay down for about, you know, five minutes, and I would get back up and go back in the kitchen and look at the stove again and check all the gas, and then I’d go back in the bed and lay there for about five, 10 minutes and then get back up and go look at it and look at the stove and make sure all the gas was off.

The whole thing gets even messier because people around him may have called it personality, not a pattern of compulsions tied to unwanted intrusive thoughts.

Unrecognized Symptoms: A Sign of a Bigger Issue

"Then go back to bed, lay there for another 10 minutes and get back - and this went on for maybe like an hour. And I did that every night."

Murphy revealed no one had clocked that this might be a symptom of something bigger.

Revelation of OCD Symptoms: A Personal Journey

"Every night. And I’d just say, ‘That’s just some weird s**t that I do'," he said.

It was only when he saw a news item on the TV about OCD that he realized that the symptoms being described were very similar to what he had experienced.

And once that new Netflix documentary frames it clearly, you can see why he didn’t recognize the symptom at the time, even as the routine kept escalating.

Recognizing and Overcoming Mental Health Challenges

He said: "It was like, ‘Oh, that’s what I - I be doing s**t like that’. I said, ‘Oh’.

"I was like, ‘I’m not - I’m not doing it no more. I thought I was weird.

Therapists often recommend developing a structured routine to help manage OCD symptoms effectively. Creating predictable habits can provide a sense of control.

Incorporating mindfulness exercises, such as deep breathing or meditation, can also help ground individuals experiencing intrusive thoughts.

Moreover, professionals encourage support groups where individuals can share their experiences, which fosters a sense of community and understanding. These approaches not only alleviate symptoms but also empower individuals to reclaim their daily lives.

Additionally, therapeutic techniques recommended by professionals can significantly enhance coping mechanisms.

Now he’s wondering how many “just to be safe” checks were really OCD running the show.

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