It was 1930s New York, and the man who had lit up cities was standing outside a hotel, refusing to walk in.
He had circled the entire block. Once. Twice. Only on the third lap did he step inside.
At dinner, he asked for eighteen clean napkins and polished every piece of cutlery, one by one, before he would eat. Not seventeen. Not nineteen. Eighteen, a number divisible by three.
The world knew Nikola Tesla as the genius who imagined wireless power and alternating current. Few saw the private battle behind the brilliance: a mind that would not let him rest until the ritual was done.
Biographers have described these habits for decades. He was never formally diagnosed, and the label did not exist in his time. But today, psychiatrists would recognise the pattern: a loud alarm in the mind, and a ritual to silence it.
If a mind like his could be held hostage by “what if I don’t?”, it can happen to anyone. And unlike Tesla, you live in an age when it can be treated.
A Mind That Won’t Let Go
What drove those rituals? Imagine a smoke alarm stuck in the “on” position. A healthy alarm warns you about real danger. In OCD, it rings at toast, candles and steam, and it will not stop until you perform a ritual that quiets it for a moment.
Perhaps you know the feeling. You locked the door. You know you locked it. You even heard the click. But somewhere between the lift and the car park, a small, sharp voice whispers: “What if you didn’t?” So you go back. Then once more, because the doubt hasn’t gone.
That is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and it has two parts:
- Obsessions: unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images or urges that cause intense anxiety. For example: “my hands are contaminated”, “something terrible will happen if I don’t act”, or “what if I harm someone?”
- Compulsions: repetitive actions or mental rituals done to neutralise the fear. These include washing, checking, counting, arranging, repeating words or silently reviewing events.
The relief never lasts. The brain learns that the ritual “worked”, and the cycle tightens. That is why OCD can take hours of a person’s day, quietly shrinking their work, relationships and peace of mind.
History’s Restless Minds
Tesla wasn’t the only one. Across centuries and professions, accomplished people have lived with rituals they couldn’t explain.
A note of care: Most of the figures below were never formally diagnosed, and OCD wasn’t a recognised condition in their time. These are accounts from biographers and historians, not clinical verdicts.
- Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), writer and lexicographer. He compiled the Dictionary of the English Language single-handedly. His biographer James Boswell described him touching posts as he walked and taking careful, measured steps through doorways. If he got it “wrong”, he would go back and start again.
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827), composer. His early biographer Anton Schindler reported that Beethoven counted out exactly sixty coffee beans for every cup. A man who wrote the Ninth Symphony while going deaf still needed that number to be right.
- Charles Dickens (1812–1870), novelist. Accounts from those close to him describe a strong need for order. He rearranged furniture wherever he stayed, and he was said to walk long distances at night, driven by restlessness.
- Howard Hughes (1905–1976), aviator and film producer. His later years are the most documented example. Accounts describe intense fear of germs, strict rules for handling objects, and growing isolation. His story shows what can happen when distress goes unsupported for decades.
Voices from today. Many public figures have spoken about their own OCD, including footballer David Beckham, who has described needing symmetry and order, and actors Daniel Radcliffe and Leonardo DiCaprio, who have talked about the rituals and intrusive urges they lived with. When well-known people speak openly, others feel less alone.
OCD has no single face. It has appeared in artists, scientists, athletes and ordinary people across every culture and era. It does not reflect weakness, and it does not define worth.
Demystifying OCD: Myths vs Facts
Myth: “OCD just means being very neat and organised.”
Fact: Neatness can be a preference. OCD is a distressing disorder that consumes time and causes suffering. Many people with OCD have no interest in tidiness at all.
Myth: “It’s a quirk. They can stop if they try.”
Fact: Willpower doesn’t switch off OCD. It is linked to how brain circuits handle doubt, threat and habit. Telling someone to “just stop” is like telling a person with asthma to “just breathe normally”.
Myth: “Intrusive thoughts mean you’re a bad person.”
Fact: Almost everyone has odd, unwanted thoughts. In OCD, they get stuck, and the distress shows how strongly the person opposes them. People with OCD are typically the least likely to act on such thoughts.
Myth: “OCD is always about washing and locking.”
Fact: It can also involve harm fears, relationship doubts, moral or religious worries, symmetry, hoarding and mental rituals that nobody can see.
Myth: “It’s rare.”
Fact: Globally, an estimated 1–3% of people live with OCD. It often begins in adolescence or early adulthood, though it can start in childhood or later in life.
Myth: “Nothing really helps.”
Fact: This is the most important one to correct. OCD is among the more treatable mental health conditions.
What Help Actually Looks Like
Modern care is effective and structured. A qualified professional may recommend:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). This is the gold-standard psychotherapy. Under guidance, you gradually face feared situations without performing the ritual, and the brain learns that the alarm can quieten on its own.
- Medication. Certain medicines, such as SSRIs, can reduce the intensity of obsessions and compulsions. A psychiatrist decides this after careful assessment.
- A combined, personalised plan, with family education and support, adjusted to your needs and pace.
Many people notice real improvement once they start the right treatment. The hardest step is usually the first one.
Why People Wait, and Why You Shouldn’t
Many people with OCD suffer for years before seeking help. Some are ashamed of their thoughts. Some think it’s “just a habit”. Some fear being judged, or worry they’ll be told they are “mad”. None of this is true.
Seeking help is not a weakness. It is the same instinct that makes you see a doctor for a fever. Early support can prevent years of exhaustion and protect your career, your family life and your confidence.
Your Next Step
If you recognise yourself, or someone you love, in these words, consider this your gentle nudge:
- Rituals that take up an hour or more of your day
- Fears you know are irrational but can’t dismiss
- Avoiding places, people or activities because of “what might happen”
- Feeling exhausted, ashamed or trapped by your own thoughts
Please reach out to a qualified medical practitioner or psychiatrist. A short, confidential conversation can bring clarity. You don’t need to be certain it’s OCD. You only need to be willing to ask.
Tesla had to walk the block three times before he could walk through the door. You don’t have to. Quiet the alarm. Take the first step today.
Disclaimer: This article is for awareness and education only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. If you are in distress or having thoughts of self-harm, contact a mental health professional or a local emergency helpline immediately.
