Even as a child, Dr. Marianne C. Joyason struggled with feeling unhappy. She had difficulties with her weight and a negative body image. She was also clumsy and often sick. It wasn't until many years later that Joyason could look back and see the warning signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). At the time, she didn't believe she had any type of mental-health challenges.

Her family didn't recognize her struggles either, and their inability to acknowledge Joyason's OCD, anxiety, depression, and overeating made her recovery a long and isolated one. Her emotional issues led to...