Industry star Marisa Abela has revealed a life-changing mental health diagnosis after years of struggling with symptoms she never understood. The 29-year-old actress, known for playing Amy Winehouse in the 2024 biopic Back to Black, has been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
A Shocking Diagnosis
Abela admitted the diagnosis came as a complete shock. 'I just have been diagnosed with OCD. I never thought I had it because I don't care about things being clean,' she said in a new interview. 'I thought it was about cleanliness. Obviously, I'm not dirty, but my room's a mess.'
The BAFTA-winning actress, who married fellow actor Jamie Bogyo in September 2025, explained how she finally sought help after her mental health symptoms began taking over her life. 'I just can't turn my brain off and I'm thinking the same things all the time, and I'm always making lists,' she revealed.
Understanding OCD
OCD is characterised by unwanted, intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours or mental rituals. While many associate it with cleanliness, it can manifest in various ways, including rigid list-making and consuming anxiety. Abela described the fear of her own thoughts: 'I really believe words have power. I believe in manifestation and believe I've willed everything into my life. It's so scary because you're like, uh-oh, I'm thinking this thing and therefore it's going to happen.'
Cancer Battle and Remission
The Brighton-born star tragically revealed that her OCD convinced her she had caused her own thyroid cancer diagnosis in 2020, when she was 23. 'I convinced myself that I'd thought it into existence. I mean obviously that's crazy. But I remember when I got the diagnosis, I was like, I knew it,' she confessed.
Abela underwent an eight-hour surgery to remove a thyroid tumour and is now in remission, though she will be on medication for the rest of her life. The star, who shot to fame playing Yasmin Kara-Hanani in BBC and HBO series Industry, said the diagnosis has helped her understand herself better.
Seeking Help and Alternative Therapies
Abela has been exploring alternative therapies, including acupuncture, to manage her symptoms. 'I'm into anything that's a good thing that isn't therapy as well,' she said. 'I immediately feel like I can be free.'
'It's good that people are talking about it now,' she added on the Therapuss podcast. 'Everything bad that happens, you're like, I knew it. It's insane.'
