Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy has spoken publicly for the first time about his experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the new Netflix documentary "Being Eddie."
In the documentary, the 64-year-old Hollywood star reveals that he has recognized the symptoms of the disorder since he was a child, although he didn't know what it was at the time.
"When I was a kid, I had obsessive-compulsive disorder. I didn't know what it was. I would go check the stove and make sure all the gas was off," Murphy recalls.
He explained that he would return to the kitchen several times each night before going to sleep, convinced that he needed to check the gas again. He says no one in his family knew he was having such episodes.
"I thought I was doing some weird things. My mom didn't know. I was also making weird noises while watching TV and I didn't know why I was doing it," Murphy said.
The turning point came when, as a teenager, he saw a news story about obsessive-compulsive disorder.
"I thought, 'Oh, this is what I do.' When I heard it was a disorder, I said to myself, 'No, I don't have any mental illness,' and I forced myself to stop," the actor added.
According to the Mayo Clinic definition, obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by a pattern of unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive actions (compulsions) that can significantly interfere with daily life and cause feelings of distress.
Murphy admits that the symptoms haven't completely gone away and that he's still checking the gas.
"I still check the gas every night, but if I catch myself doing it more than once, I tell myself, 'No, you're not going to start this again. Go to bed,'" he said, laughing.
The documentary "Being Eddie" is an intimate look at Murphy's journey from his childhood in New York to becoming one of the most famous comedians and actors of our time. "Being Eddie" is currently available to watch on Netflix.
