Luke Combs is known for his powerful voice, heartfelt lyrics, and down-to-earth personality. But in a recent interview on 60 Minutes Australia, the country superstar shared something deeply personal—his lifelong battle with an “all-consuming” form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

During the interview, Luke revealed that he’s been living with OCD since he was around 12 or 13 years old. Now 35, he described the disorder as a relentless cycle of intrusive thoughts that cause significant stress, which then fuels even more intrusive thoughts.

“It’s thoughts, essentially, that you don’t want to have that you’re having,” he explained. “They cause stress. And then the stress causes you to have more of the thoughts, and then you don’t understand why you’re having them. You’re trying to get rid of [the thoughts], but trying to get rid of them makes you have MORE of them.”

This never-ending loop, he says, is what makes OCD particularly challenging. He describes it as “tedious” to break free from the cycle, especially since the anxiety often stems from unanswerable questions. His intrusive thoughts can range from violent imagery to religious concerns—something many OCD sufferers can relate to.

Luke also opened up about experiencing a bad flare-up right before his February tour stop in Australia. While he continues to manage his OCD daily, he wants to use his platform to raise awareness and offer support to others facing the same struggles.

“I want to be an example for those kids that don’t have any hope, that you can still go on and do great things… even though you’re dealing with something that is really tough,” he said.