Tuppence Middleton underwent talking therapy to help her manage the symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Tuppence Middleton has opened up about living with OCD
The 36-year-old actress previously opened up about her experience of the condition - which manifests in obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviours - in a Radio 4 show called 'One to One, OCD' and now she's revealed how she's learned to cope by talking openly about her thought processes. The 'Downton Abbey' star previously tried taking anti-depressants in a bid to help ease her symptoms, but she told the Guardian newspaper that talking to a therapist was much more helpful.
Tuppence added: "There are so many good charities, and there’s also a community online too that really works for some people ... I’d say there are more good days than bad days, definitely. But I think you always have that internal commentary.”
The actress explained her symptoms include an extreme fear of vomiting as well as "structured routines" such as mental counting and tapping on objects like light switches.
She went on to say: "If I felt that someone looked like they were sick here, I would be watching what they were touching – which door handles? – and whether I have to wash my hands. You’re monitoring, observing all the time ... You get used to it, but yes, sometimes you think: ‘I just want to be able to relax and switch off like other people seem to be able to do'."
She gave birth to her first child this year and says she "got lucky" because she didn't suffer with morning sickness during her pregnancy.
Tuppence also insisted her condition has never got in the way of her job and she doesn't want any directors to be put off working with someone who has OCD. She went on: "I don’t want people to feel that I’m a liability, or that anyone with OCD is a liability, because you can live alongside it and it’s fine ... [I wouldn't mention it to a director] unless there’s something specifically that I’m concerned about. I don’t want them to go in with an idea that it’s going to affect anything, because it never has."
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