David Beckham has opened up about the struggles of living with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in his new Netflix docuseries BECKHAM.
The four-part series, released today (October 4), details the former football player’s excessive routine before bed, which involves cleaning every candle and clipping their wicks. In episode two, director Fisher Stevens asked the sports star if the kitchen had ever been used as it appeared in pristine condition, to which David responded saying he had cooked the previous night but he “cleans so well” afterwards.
He then said that his cleaning “isn’t appreciated by my wife”, adding: “When everyone’s in bed, I then go around cleaning the candles, turning the lights on to the right setting. I make sure everywhere is tidy because I hate coming down in the morning and there’s cups and plates and bowls. It’s tiring.
“It’s tiring going around to every single candle and cleaning it and clipping the wick. I clip the candle wicks, I clean the glass, that’s my pet hate, the smoke around the inside of a candle.” While wife Victoria clarified that David is appreciated, he was filmed straightening the chairs and moving misplaced condiments back in the cupboard, before heading to the sink to wash up a mug.
Later in the series, a throwback clip of David in his teenage years was aired, saying he always keeps his room clean, declaring: “I hate an untidy room”. The scene then cuts to the current day, where the 46-year-old was filmed running his hands across his clothing as he explained: “It's all quite organised, jackets, jean shirts, shirts and then it goes from jumpers, cardis to T-shirts, underwear socks and then suits.”
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David was filmed running his hands across his organised clothing (Netflix)It was revealed that the athlete arranges his jumpers by colour coordinating them, and organises his attire a week in advance. He said: “Those are my outfits for the rest of the week, I prep my week. It used to just be the night before.” When asked if it was a new obsession, David said: “Yeah, I'm quite organised.” He appeared alarmed to find out his trousers draw had been left askew, saying: “Someone's been in here”.
According to the NHS, OCD is a mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. Symptoms can start as early as six years old, but it often begins around puberty and early adulthood.
Dr Alex Worthington at MAC Clinical Research, told the Mirror: "OCD is a mental health condition with three main parts: obsessions, emotions, and compulsions. Obsessions are persistent thoughts, images, doubts, worries, or urges that intrude on an individual’s mind, despite being unwanted. These thoughts can cause significant mental discomfort or anxiety. Other emotions include guilt, depression, and disgust.
“Compulsions refer to repetitive behaviours that an individual engages in to alleviate the anxiety caused by the obsession. Examples of compulsions include checking if a door is locked multiple times or repeating certain phrases mentally.” David had previously opened up about OCD in 2006, as he said in an interview: “I have got this disorder where I have to have everything in a straight line or everything has to be in pairs.
"I’ll put my Pepsi cans in the fridge and if there’s one too many then I’ll put it in another cupboard somewhere. I’ll go into a hotel room and before I can relax, I have to move all the leaflets and all the books and put them in a drawer.” Posh added: “He’s got that obsessive-compulsive thing where everything has to match. If you open our fridge, it’s all coordinated down either side.
"We’ve got three fridges, food in one, salad in another and drinks in the third. In the drinks one, everything is symmetrical. If there’s three cans, he’ll throw one away because it has to be an even number.”
Common symptoms of OCD
People with OCD will usually experience frequent obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours that can cause anxiety. These can be difficult to control. Dr Worthington explains: “Common obsessions include fear of germs, harm to oneself or others, unwanted thoughts related to sex, excessive concern with morality, and a constant need for reassurance.”
He added that compulsions are repetitive actions people with OCD feel they must do to ease their anxiety - they feel like they have to perform them, or their anxiety will get worse. “Compulsions do not provide pleasure but temporarily relieve anxiety,” the expert said. Common compulsions include arranging things in a specific way, washing or cleaning repeatedly, checking locks, doors, or switches excessively, and avoiding situations that trigger obsessions.
How to manage OCD
Obsessions and compulsions can easily take over your life and leave you feeling completely helpless. However, there are multiple ways you can try to tackle symptoms. Dr Worthington has highlighted five top tips to help manage OCD, these include:
Self-help resources - these focus on developing coping mechanisms and are often based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Charities such as OCD-UK provide a variety of self-help resource options.
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Talk about OCD - Building strong relationships can reduce loneliness and enhance your ability to manage your symptoms
Write down feelings to help initiate a conversation
Spending quality time with loved ones can help you feel more at ease
Speaking with others who have OCD
Visit online resources - such as mental health charity Mind
Effective stress management
Relaxation techniques - such as meditation and breathing exercises
Practice mindfulness
Look after physical health - get adequate sleep, consume a healthy balanced diet and engaging in physical activity.
Around one in every 50 people suffer from OCD at some point in their lives, with the condition affecting both men and women equally. If you keep getting intrusive thoughts and they have an effect on your daily life, speak to your GP or health visitor. They can support you or refer you to a specialist mental health team if you need it.
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