Jenna Ortega on her battle with OCD since age 7, reveals how acting helps her cope

Jenna Ortega is opening up about her OCD. The Wednesday star, who rarely discusses her personal life, spoke about her experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder during her recent chat with Vogue and how it continues to affect her even today.

In the interview, Ortega said her OCD has been impacting her since the age of 7. And now acting

Widely known for her role as Wednesday Addams, Ortega shared her symptoms and how they continue to affect her, explaining how her routine was different from her siblings'.

The actress said she used to wake up before her parents and her five siblings so she could complete a specific routine before starting her day.

“I had to open the bedsheet a certain way, and open the drawer one way, and brush my hair in a slow-paced way,” the Disney Channel alum explained.

Diagnosed at a very young age, Ortega said that since receiving her diagnosis, ‘’there’s a lot of different trains rolling in my brain at the same time.”'

However, that's the repetitive behaviour that still comes up when she has a busy day, anxious and jet-lagged.

“I just bite the bullet and do the routine,” she said as she talked about her specific routine, which includes several repetitive sayings, “take care.” Before adding that, Ortega says that she needs to sit with her left foot first and hold her breath while counting to seven.

Adding further, the actress said that she tries to see her OCD as a game to “take some of the pressure off.” What helps her in this is medication and therapy.

While her career, which comes with a lot of promises and back-to-back schedules, can be stressful at times, it is also the thing that keeps her going and love her job.

“When the cameras are rolling, you have to breathe. That’s another reason why I like my job,” she said.

What is OCD and how does it affect daily routine? Ortega's experience explained

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where people experience unwanted, repetitive thoughts and feel compelled to perform certain rituals to reduce anxiety. This is what Ortega has shared: how she feels compelled to do certain things. For many people, following a certain routine is not just a habit, but a way to manage the constant thoughts running through their minds.