Eddie Murphy Opens Up About Lifelong Battle with OCD and teh Power of Self-Love
Eddie Murphy recently revealed he has lived with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) since childhood, a condition he initially attempted to suppress due to societal stigma. He described realizing his behaviors were linked to a mental illness and making a conscious effort to stop. “That’s what I do, I do things like that,” he explained, recalling his initial reaction. “When I saw that it was a mental illness, I forced myself to stop doing it.” At a time when mental health wasn’t widely discussed, Murphy’s preconceived notions led him to a drastic decision: “I thought it was strange so I said to myself: ‘I’m not going to do it anymore. I don’t have any mental illness. Mental illness, my nose!’ and I forced myself to stop.” OCD is characterized by unwanted, intrusive thoughts and fears (obsessions) that drive repetitive behaviors (compulsions) which disrupt daily life.
While Murphy has made significant progress, he admits his compulsions haven’t entirely disappeared. “I still check the gas every night. But every once in a while, I double check it and I’m like, ‘No, you son of a bitch, you’re not going to start that shit again. Go to bed,'” he shared with a laugh.
The actor also credited a strong sense of self-love with helping him navigate the pitfalls of Hollywood and avoid the substance abuse issues that plagued many of his peers. In a recent documentary spanning almost two hours, Murphy discussed his childhood and how self-love allowed him to “evade many dangers of Hollywood.” He told People before the premiere, “My greatest blessing is that I love myself.” He continued, “I have always loved myself, I have always been my biggest fan. That is the basis of all the decisions I make. Some people spend their entire lives and at the end thay say: ‘I finally love myself.’ I started like that.”
Today, Murphy finds immense joy in his large family. He is the father of ten children, ranging in age from 6 to 36. He shares five children with his first wife,Nicole,and two with his current wife,Paige Butcher. He has three children from previous relationships. “It just happened. I never thought I would have ten children, but now it is the best thing that has happened to me. If you can afford it, you shoudl have as many children as you can. It’s a lot of fun,” he said. He concluded proudly, “My children are all good people. I don’t have a single bad one, and I like to think that they have inherited some of that from me.”
