Everyone knows Luke Combs to be a celebrity country star, delivering chart-topping hits with his signature voice and down-to-earth charm.
But behind the spotlight, he fights a battle that few can see, a relentless mental struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, the 35-year-old artist finally opened up about the invisible storm that has followed him since childhood.
Unlike traditional OCD, which often involves visible compulsions like repetitive actions, Combs’ condition manifests entirely within his mind. The singer explained how intrusive thoughts, often distressing and sometimes violent, cause stress that leads to even more intrusive thoughts.
“It’s thoughts, essentially, that you don’t want to have,” Combs said. “And then they cause you stress, and then you’re stressed out, and then the stress causes you to have more of the thoughts”
While on tour in Australia in January, Combs faced his worst flare-up in years, just two days before a show at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. The mental compulsions consumed nearly every moment, leaving him struggling to focus.
“If you have a flare-up of it … you could think about it 45 seconds of every minute for weeks,” he shared. “When it hits, man, it can be all-consuming.”
Despite the challenges, Combs has learned how to navigate his condition. By accepting the thoughts rather than fighting them, he has found a way to lessen their impact. “The less that you worry about why you’re having the thoughts, eventually they go away,” he said.
His journey hasn’t been easy. The disorder has derailed personal and professional moments, holding him back for months at a time. However, he now feels in control and hopes to help others dealing with similar struggles.