OCD and intimacy: under-discussed?

This is the one topic I don’t find much discussion about online, and I’m wondering how many of you have experienced this. Have any of you been prevented from engaging in intimate acts by your OCD? Has your OCD affected intimacy between you and your partner/s? I’m discovering that this is very much the case for me, and I know it’s probably the same for lots of folks out there!

Horridocd

Date posted: 22w

This is one of my biggest issues and it sucks being so young feeling this way. I’m completely with you and I agree there isn’t much discussion on it! I’m here if you would like to talk!

blorbo

Date posted: 22w

@S033 I’d love to! And I’m sorry you’re in this sucky boat, I’m 23 and I get it. This feels like the worst time to struggle with this. It’s my biggest current issue, and while my boyfriend is a complete angel and has been for over a year, it’s hard. I feel completely unable to engage in… anything really. And when I do, there’s not much fun or pleasure in it. It’s not even intrusive thoughts during for me (90% of the time), but more mental checklists and conditions that must be met and certainty and negative core beliefs. Is it similar for you?

Horridocd

Date posted: 22w

@blorbo I am 20 and have been with my boyfriend for almost 4 years, he is absolutely wonderful as well! Most of the time it is weird intrusive thoughts I don’t want to be having while doing those things…. I do agree with it being a mental checklist for me, sometimes I’m just too anxious and I know I’ll soon have these thoughts. I have found that sometimes I simply have to go through some wild thoughts to get back on track because for me it isn’t always bad. I wish I had more advice to you, I hope it’s some peace knowing you’re not alone!

Anonymous

Date posted: 22w

I experience ROCD and can experience retroactive jealousy, it has definitely prevented me from engaging in intimate acts before. I would get vivid mental images and intrusive during sex and it would cause great panic and prevent any sort of pleasure and relaxation. It caused me to avoid sexual acts with my girlfriend and feigning“illness” as an excuse to avoid them.

blorbo

Date posted: 22w

@Anonymous I can definitely relate. I’m unable to feel pleasure or relax most of the time, if not completely uninterested or “unable” to engage in sex. My brain goes “nope, this is associated with nothing good.” It’s a hard thing, and I hope you heal and enjoy yourself more consistently again!

Sillyguppy

Date posted: 24w

A fear of forming & getting into relationships?

Hello OCD friends! I'm new on here, but here has been the top question mark in my mind lately. How exactly is one with real event and false memory OCD expected to make or form relationships with others? I know confession compulsions are quite common place in this type of OCD, and that they should be avoided, but i'm not sure how exactly to get over that feeling of "lying" to your partner, even though you technically aren't lying about anything, just keeping things to yourself that are meant to be kept to yourself. I'm working against the confession compulsions and working on keeping the past in the past. But it feels so difficult to form a relationship when I feel this huge issue under the surface.

Deborah Ward

User type: Therapist

Date posted: 22w

Relationships and OCD

Relationships can be challenging for everyone. What are some ways OCD has come into your relationship and added extra struggles?

Anonimus ME 🦋

Date posted: 16w

Sex and ocd!

What irritates me the most is that during intimacy with my husband, it happens that OCD puts an image and scene in my head, my sister or someone for whom my OCD is attached and it's literally as if that intimacy is happening with that person, and it seems real that I can and it's exciting! I'm working on ERP during that, but it's still hard to digest... I don't know if it's the same for you?

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OCD and intimacy: under-discussed?

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