pocd

POCD is Pedophilia OCD. It is typically written as just "POCD" rather than actually writing out "Pedophilia OCD", maybe because of the potential to trigger people with SA-related trauma. It involves obsessions and anxiety revolving around the fear that the sufferer is actually a pedophile or sexual predator- or will become one in the future. The compulsions are typically either about proving to oneself that the sufferer is not a pedophile (for example, "testing" attraction to prove that one is not attracted to children), trying to prevent oneself from sexually harming children (for example, avoiding interacting with or looking at children), or ensuring that the sufferer will not become a pedophile in the future (for example, not wanting to have children or not wanting to choose a career that involves working with children). POCD is NOT the same as being a pedophile, because while a pedophile welcomes and enjoys these thoughts, a person with POCD is typically disturbed/disgusted by the content of their intrusive thoughts. However, sometimes OCD can trick the sufferer into thinking that they enjoy the thoughts. For this reason, people with POCD (as well as other subtypes, such as Harm OCD), often fear themselves or question their own morality. Because of the shame surrounding this theme, I think it's important to emphasize that your OCD thoughts are not defining of the person or their values, as well as to remove the stigma around more "taboo" themes such as POCD.