Need support ... has anyone ever had thoughts that maybe you sexually abused someone in the past? I keep worrying what if when i was a babysitter in high school what if i did something inappropriate to the kids? This is causing me so much anxiety and doubt. Is this ocd? Is it really me? Please help. What if i really did something? I can recall doing anything like that but what if i did? Has this happened to anyone? Any support would be helpful

Overall for me, I have to do my best to not think about it or give the thoughts any attention. Trying to recall other memories that might help you “solve” this will not help. Ruminating will not help. If you have to you can just tell yourself that if this would’ve happened, you would’ve remembered when it happened and it wouldn’t have just randomly come to you now. But try to avoid thinking that thought over and over and allowing it to become a compulsion. Aside from this, try some ERP. When you realize something triggers your worries about this subject, use it as a tool. Allow the anxiety to rise and then fizzle out. Overtime your anxiety surrounding this subject will go away.

What happened for you specifically? What was your thought? For me, my brother and i were talking about this family I used to babysit for and that thought popped into my head. Does this mean it’s true??

And to answer your question, I can’t provide reassurance by telling you black or white it’s true or isn’t. But typically if you randomly thought of something that you’ve never thought happened before, it’s likely not true. With OCD sometimes we use our past against ourselves and often times I have false memories over similar themes. For me I often think of a real event, then I think of how I can’t remember every single detail of said event, and then my OCD kicks in and says “oh if you can’t remember, maybe you did something terrible in this specific moment...” and it could be something I’ve never even thought in my life! You have to kind of be okay with the uncertainty and let the anxiety pass and eventually you’ll think “wow I don’t know why I ever thought something so silly”.