The Hills star Jason Wahler has been open in the past about his battle with addiction and mental health.
And now Wahler, 37, who dated Lauren Conrad on the MTV show, has revealed he lives with OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, which he’s had since he was a kid.
“I struggled severely with OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder, where I’d wash my hands until they’d bleed,” he told People in a new interview this week.
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He said he would try and mask his OCD at school and try and remain “popular,” when at night he’d wear gloves with an ointment in them to soothe his hands.
“So I’m literally, at 12 or 13 years old, living a double life,” he said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “obsessive compulsive disorder features a pattern of unwanted thoughts and fears known as obsessions. These obsessions lead you to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions.”
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He said he now has some control over his OCD.
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But he explained how he “never dealt with the underlying issue” when he was younger and turned to alcohol.
“Couple years, fast-forward, I find alcohol: ‘Oh my God, who needs medication, right? This is the relief,'” he explained.
Now, the married – and sober – star tries to help and inspire others in their journey to recovery.
The Hills cast: Then and now
His official Instagram bio reads that he is an “addiction and mental health advocate”.
He recently said in a candid post that “addiction is cunning, baffling and powerful, it is also chronic, progressive and fatal if untreated”.
“I have almost died, I have family that has almost died and many friends that have died. All preventable! 🙏🏽
“It’s so important that we continue to raise awareness, provide education and smash the stigma that is associated with the disease of addiction and mental health. It’s time!”
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline on 1800 250 015 or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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