Jay Shetty PodcastNOAH KAHAN Reveals His Battle with OCD & Anxiety - And What He’s Sharing for the First Time Ever
Jay Shetty and Noah Kahan on noah Kahan on OCD, creativity, vulnerability, family, and criticism management.
In this episode of Jay Shetty Podcast, featuring Noah Kahan and Jay Shetty, NOAH KAHAN Reveals His Battle with OCD & Anxiety - And What He’s Sharing for the First Time Ever explores noah Kahan on OCD, creativity, vulnerability, family, and criticism management Noah Kahan describes how anxiety, OCD, and depression show up daily—often as a baseline feeling of disconnection even when life looks objectively “good.”
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Noah Kahan on OCD, creativity, vulnerability, family, and criticism management
- Noah Kahan describes how anxiety, OCD, and depression show up daily—often as a baseline feeling of disconnection even when life looks objectively “good.”
- He unpacks the creative identity trap: when making art becomes synonymous with self-worth, both writer’s block and external feedback can feel like judgments of the self.
- Kahan shares a major mindset shift—rejecting the belief that suffering is required for great art—and explains how medication, therapy, and surrendering control helped him write again.
- The Netflix documentary becomes an unexpected family mirror, forcing difficult conversations (divorce, his dad’s brain injury, personal shame) and ultimately bringing closeness and clarity.
- He explores how success intensifies projection and people-pleasing (imagining others’ expectations), and he searches for an “equilibrium” that can hold praise and criticism without swinging extremes.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasSuccess doesn’t remove mental illness; it changes its triggers.
Kahan notes his mental health challenges would exist regardless, but touring, visibility, and the self-focused nature of the industry add new stressors while also forcing him to confront issues he might otherwise avoid.
When ‘what you do’ becomes ‘who you are,’ creative blocks become existential threats.
He explains that struggling to create can feel like struggling with the self, making it harder to ask for help and easier to spiral into anxiety and avoidance.
Healing can increase creative capacity by reducing obsessive ‘rabbit holes.’
Though he feared medication/therapy would dull his art, he found he still had depth and sadness—just without being hijacked by compulsions and constant rumination.
Documenting family pain can be ethical only with proactive communication.
Kahan regrets earlier songwriting that aired family dynamics without discussing them first; with the documentary/new album, he emphasizes checking in, consent, and letting loved ones voice discomfort.
Projection is a hidden driver of anxiety in high-stakes moments.
At the Grammys and with the documentary, he assumed others would feel disappointed or harmed; learning others’ actual reactions (e.g., his dad simply loving the film) reduced shame and self-blame.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesI'm just now trying to unwind this idea that I have to be unhealthy physically or in pain in some emotional way in my life to create good music.
— Noah Kahan
I was holding off on getting the help that I really needed for a long time because I was so afraid of it dulling my creativity.
— Noah Kahan
I wish I had talked to you guys about this first because it would've been so much healthier. It would've been more fair to you.
— Noah Kahan
Like, you just never fucking know what someone's going through, man. Like, you really don't.
— Noah Kahan
If someone says that I did a good job, I'm like, "Yeah, I'm good!" If someone says that I suck, I'm like, "I suck."
— Noah Kahan
QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN THIS EPISODE
5 questionsWhen you say you have a “hyperactive ability” to predict how you’ll be perceived, what specific thoughts or scenarios loop most often for you during album releases?
Noah Kahan describes how anxiety, OCD, and depression show up daily—often as a baseline feeling of disconnection even when life looks objectively “good.”
What did the OCD diagnosis clarify for you—were there behaviors or mental patterns you previously mislabeled as just ‘anxiety’ or ‘personality’?
He unpacks the creative identity trap: when making art becomes synonymous with self-worth, both writer’s block and external feedback can feel like judgments of the self.
In the Joshua Tree trip, what was the exact moment you realized “this isn’t going to fix itself”—and what was the first concrete step you took afterward?
Kahan shares a major mindset shift—rejecting the belief that suffering is required for great art—and explains how medication, therapy, and surrendering control helped him write again.
You mentioned regret about communicating through songs before talking to family—what would a healthier ‘pre-song conversation’ look like in practice for an artist?
The Netflix documentary becomes an unexpected family mirror, forcing difficult conversations (divorce, his dad’s brain injury, personal shame) and ultimately bringing closeness and clarity.
How do you personally draw the line between sharing vulnerability and “achieving what people think vulnerability looks like”?
He explores how success intensifies projection and people-pleasing (imagining others’ expectations), and he searches for an “equilibrium” that can hold praise and criticism without swinging extremes.
Chapter Breakdown
Documentary as a mirror: seeing yourself through others’ eyes
Noah and Jay open by discussing Noah’s Netflix documentary and how filming it let Noah compartmentalize fear of perception. Watching it back becomes both heavy and therapeutic—revealing family dynamics, humor, and love through an outside lens.
A childhood performance that shaped humility and ambition
Noah recalls performing “Father and Son” with his dad at a senior home—his first public performance and an early realization that being “good” takes work. The song’s themes of aging and perspective resonate even more in that setting.
Middle-child drive: being loud, creative, and desperate to be heard
Noah describes growing up as one of four kids with ‘middle child energy’—creative, distracted, and often acting out to be noticed. School felt like an obstacle because music was always the real destination.
Music was the only Plan A—and the pressure that comes with it
Noah explains he never seriously considered an alternative to music, even as a kid. A sixth-grade letter to his future self shows how singular the goal was—and how that intensity can later feed self-focus and pressure.
Fitting in vs being genuine: songwriting as a secret refuge
As a teenager, Noah tried to fit in socially while hiding sadness and early mental health struggles, creating an internal disconnect. Songwriting became the private place where he felt he belonged to his real self.
The ‘grass is greener’ mindset and the search for a simpler life
Noah reflects on always looking backward, fearing moments will disappear before he can live them. He shares how he finally felt present at Fenway Park, highlighting the tension between gratitude and anxiety.
Creative insecurity after big success: learning a new process
Noah describes the fear of following up “Stick Season,” noting he’s felt ‘I’ll never write that good again’ since childhood. Advice from other artists helped him accept that the next album can’t be forced or replicated.
When your work becomes your identity: creativity and self-worth collide
Noah articulates how creative work can become inseparable from self-worth—struggling artistically feels like struggling as a person. Jay mirrors this with his own overthinking about writing a new book, reinforcing that authenticity beats formulas.
Does healing kill creativity? Medication, OCD, and the Joshua Tree turning point
Noah shares he feared therapy and medication would dull his creativity, especially amid anxiety and a more recent OCD diagnosis. A miserable Joshua Tree trip made clear that place, studios, or collaborators wouldn’t solve the deeper issue—he needed real help.
Family stories in public: regret, boundaries, and ‘dirty laundry’ ethics
Noah talks about writing songs about family pain without first communicating directly—something he now regrets. The documentary raised similar concerns, prompting more intentional conversations about consent, comfort, and the ‘greater good’ of sharing.
Watching the documentary together: shame, projection, and family healing
Viewing the final cut was terrifying, emotional, and unexpectedly connective for the whole family. Noah realizes many fears were projections of his own shame, and the film created conversations—and closeness—he couldn’t initiate alone.
Success and mental health: self-image, daily heaviness, and body dysmorphia
Noah explains success didn’t remove mental health challenges—it changed how they show up and forced confrontation. He describes daily disconnection and depression-like feelings, and discusses the complexity of body dysmorphia and how hard it is to articulate, especially as a man.
Living and dying by honesty: impact, compassion, and a divided world
Noah argues that being radically honest prevents a life of performance and makes connection possible across backgrounds. He wrestles with privilege and the fear of being insensitive, while still validating that pain exists everywhere and vulnerability can unite people.
Therapy that changes you: doing the work, finding the right therapist, and comfort in pain
Noah distinguishes between attending therapy and actually doing therapy—showing up honestly, going deeper than headlines, and rebuilding trust after bad experiences. A pivotal therapist question challenges whether pain has become familiar comfort, shaping identity and safety.
Criticism, validation, and finding equilibrium (plus closing games)
Noah shares how external feedback swings his self-worth—praise makes him ‘good,’ criticism makes him ‘bad.’ Jay offers a model: let praise fuel the heart (purpose) and filter criticism for useful water, not painful mud; the episode ends with playful rapid-fire segments and final reflections on values and time.
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