- Date posted
- 6y
- Date posted
- 6y
I didn't have a choice - I tried to avoid therapists for a long time because I thought they would think I was dangerous and take my child away. But when I started to get suicidal for the first time in my life I knew I had to do something about it so I took a leap of faith and got into an intensive OCD outpatient program. When I opened up to my therapist she almost yawned and said - That's a very common OCD theme nowadays. She was not surprised at all. She knew what to do and it helped a lot. That's why it is important to go to an OCD Expert and not a regular therapists - they won't know how to help you. I bounced around lots of therapists who did more damage because they would scare me more or reassure me.
- Date posted
- 6y
Avoidance, confessing. Ruminating, checking mentally that I don't really get a body reaction while watching it, self assurance: Like "No, I don't like that", etc.
- Date posted
- 6y
I'm not certain so take what I say with a grain salt but maybe volunteer work with kids of some sort or baby sitting
- Date posted
- 6y
I have that too and it depends on the levels and the specifics of your obsessions. For example, my obsession is not so much that I will harm a child but that people will think I did and they will accuse me - So my therapist had me started with some imaginal exposures about being arrested or accused. I also had to watch videos on people being accused. It depends on the levels of distress they cause. If you are scared that you may be attracted to children you might start with watching pictures or videos with tons of children playing. Then add up by watching videos of children swimming. The key is not to do compulsions, which is the tricky part.
- Date posted
- 6y
What would the compulsions look like
- Date posted
- 6y
I know avoidance is one of them
- Date posted
- 6y
Whatever we use to check, control or diminish anxiety is a compulsion.
- Date posted
- 6y
I tried doing what you suggested, it was really hard..
- Date posted
- 6y
It is really hard, I know! That's why it is a good idea to work with an OCD expert on a hierarchy and on recording the level of distress and in how long the level of distress went down. This app has that. For example, if those are too hard you can start with the thought "I am a pedophile" without compulsions. Check your level of distress and how long it takes to diminish (at least in half) without doing compulsions. As you progress it will take less and less time. My first exposure was just to repeat the word "Child molester" without compulsions. That was my level 2 exposure
- Date posted
- 6y
I get those thoughts and they are incredibly hard to cope with because I work at a family restaurant. How did you open up to your therapist about your pocd?
- Date posted
- 6y
Make sure your therapist is an OCD Expert (Not everyone is) who has treated many people with OCD successfully.
- Date posted
- 6y
I feel like I need to do what you did
- Date posted
- 6y
Mine tells me avoidance is the answer
- Date posted
- 6y
I haven’t told her about my pedophilic obsession but I told her about my harm intrusive thoughts
- Date posted
- 6y
I know how awful it feels and I wish I could tell you a lot of things but that would be reassurance only and it makes OCD worse. They only thing I can tell you is that there is hope for you. Don't give into the compulsions even if that leads you to panic. Don't feed the OCD monster anymore.
- Date posted
- 6y
Your therapist told you that avoidance is the answer?!!!! Wow
- Date posted
- 6y
I had lots of harm intrusive thoughts too. Ocd is like a plague.
- Date posted
- 6y
My themes switch and I’ve been able to notice, sometimes it makes racist thoughts pop in, and when it sees I won’t give in, it changes it to pedophilic ones
- Date posted
- 6y
Oh man - I can relate. Sounds like the podcast I was listening to the other day was saying - It looks like we suffer from the fears of all the taboos in today's society: pedophilia, racism, psychopathy, sexual harassment and aggression, etc. We are so scared of being society outcasts. Hang in there. ;)
- Date posted
- 6y
You live in the USA, I assume.
- Date posted
- 6y
Yes. And I love talking about social justice so I’m not surprised, I have that theme
- Date posted
- 6y
Yeap - we fear that we will become what we hate most. Brain's like: "I'm on it"
- Date posted
- 6y
Sometimes it even tries to “mix” the obsessions to double the pain
- Date posted
- 6y
Yeap. It sounds like you are doing what is called "flooding" and "self-punishing". Lots of mindfulness, my friend.
Related posts
- Date posted
- 25w
I have, alongside my other OCD themes, an intense fear of insomnia. Although this has been improving somewhat — partly thanks to medication and The sleep school on YouTube — I still find myself ruminating about it throughout the day when I have something important the next day, I get stuck in the fear that everything will be ruined — for both myself and others — because my mind is so preoccupied with sleep. + a fear of depression coming back. It honestly feels like a form of sleep OCD. I'm not sure if that’s an official thing, but that’s how it feels to me. A form of erp is the idea of befriending wakefulness. That works great tbh. Things like sleep hygiene, meditation, etc. — tend to backfire because my OCD latches onto them and becomes too obsessive about “doing them right.” I’m genuinely wondering whether ERP — for example in the form of a worst-case-scenario audio loop (imaginal exposure) — could be helpful in this case. I’m hesitant to start unless I know it can actually help. Is there anyone who has experience with this or thoughts about it? I’m not looking for reassurance or tips to fall asleep — only for ideas on how ERP might be applied in this situation.
- Date posted
- 22w
Anyone know any ERP techniques or specific exposures that help with health anxiety OCD? I’ve heard such great things about ERP for other subtypes but I can’t think of any for health related OCD. I’d appreciate any advice!
- Date posted
- 10w
What if you did something so extremely awful and horrible as a child but you didn’t know how horrible the events were that your POCD and real events OCD targets? Does it make the intrusive thoughts true? The POCD real events were extremely awful and horrible... no way around... it genuinely was extremely awful and horrible... I gag and v0mit even thinking about it... its that horrible... I'm getting anxious from my POCD and real event OCD based on real events (happened 3 times) from when I was 14... I had a surface level idea of what these real events were when I was 14... but I didnt understand nor truly know the depth and consequences or how horrible these real events were... I don't ever want to ever be a P at all… I don't ever want to ever be a Chomo at all... i don’t ever want to ever be a rpist at all… I was 14 when these real events happened and now I'm 23... I've asked my mom about this so many times and every time she tells me that it's not serious anymore, that the person is okay and doesnt remember, and that I'm not a rapist or a P or a chomo... I didn’t realize how horrible the real events actually were… I was 14 at the time… now I’m 23… my POCD and real event OCD call me a P or a chomo because of the real events… while my mom reassures me all the time that it’s all over, that it’s not serious anymore, that the person is okay, and that I’m not a P or a rapist or a chomo, but when I was doing compulsive research, I remember when I saw a post on a non OCD forum about someone’s similar situation to mine and two people said to the person that they mlested and that they needed to turn themselves in… I don’t ever want to ever be a P or a chomo in any way shape or form… i didn’t know how horrible the real events were when I was 14… I really didn’t… and after the real events I never did anything like that ever again, and I never once ever thought (before, and after) about doing stuff with kids in any way shape or form... I never once fantasized about kids or wanted to do anything with kids… I was 14 and didn’t realize how horrible the actions were at the time and I never did it ever again… I never once fantasized about kids before or after the real event… I don't ever want to ever harm a child in any way shape or form... I seriously don't ever want to do that to any child in any way shape or form and I seriously don't ever want to do anything like that to any kid now or in the future… I never have had any fantasies about kids and I don't ever want to... I don't ever want to ever be a P or a chomo in any way shape or form... I was 14….. and after the real events I never did anything like that ever again, and I never once ever thought (before, and after) about doing stuff with kids in any way shape or form... I never once fantasized about kids or wanted to do anything with kids… I was 14 and didn’t realize how horrible the actions were at the time and I never did it ever again… I never once fantasized about kids before or after the real event… And it’s comparing me to actual P’s and chomo’s who did stuff from 12-15 and then did stuff as adults, and making me think I’m a P and a Chomo because of it… I don’t ever want to ever be a P or a chomo in any way… 😭😭😭 I had a surface level idea of what these real events were when I was 13 or 14 because someone told me what these real events were before on the same day it happened for the 1st time... (it happened 3 times) but I didnt understand nor truly know the depth and consequences or how horrible these real events were... i truly didnt... I dont ever want to ever be what my pocd and real events ocd say I am... I dont ever want to be a P or a Chomo in any way... im so so scared... These real events were so extremely horrible and awful and worse than people realize... i g4g and vOmit and lie awake at night even thinking about them... thats how horrible and awful these mistakes were... I dont ever want to ever be a P or a MAP or a Chomo or a r4pist or anything like that... im so so so so so so so so so so triggered and scared and anxious... I also did something at the age of 13 that was also extremely horrible... they asked me if i did it or not, but me being 13 and not knowing what i did was wrong and horrible, i denied it because i was scared... ive lived in guilt for so long... i dont love myself... and I genuinely cant stomach the idea that im still here... I feel so guilty and horrible... (edited)
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