My zoophilia ocd is starting to be debilitating. I feel like just crying in bed I feel so guilty and terrible. I can’t even pet my dogs or give them a tummy rub without thinking I must have some sort of messed up motive or am somehow violating them. If I try to pick them up and accidentally touch them near their privates I feel disgusting like I must have done it on purpose. I love my dogs they are so sweet and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt them but these thoughts are ruining my life. Advice please!!

hi! i know it's really scary these thoughts and feelings, but that's all they are thoughts and feelings! they're not the truth, and they don't define who you are on the inside. you are just overwhelemed and getting anxiety over this! you have control how u react to these things, you got this!

Its ok!! The fact that you are worried about it means you know that it's not ok and that you don't wanna do that to them! I hope you are able to get through this and you feel a little better!?

I’ve had to check my dog’s penis before for a tick, not just the hairy outside...the cool your jets part... (Thank goodness it was just dirt.). It felt so odd and I didn’t know what he thought about it, and then when it was only dirt, it was like, “Did I just want to do that deeper inspection? Like did I know it wasn’t a tick?” Ya know what? I just wanted to make sure my baby was safe. He just thought it was a nice belly rub except for when I removed that speck of dirt off him, which he was still ok with. Regular belly rubs resumed, and only OCD had anything more to say about it. I have so many other stories about how often I’ve felt weird because I touched his penis during a belly rub, or when I have to check his anal glands often, when girlfriends and I notice how muscular his legs are, or when he lies on my breast or my lap (but maybe with a foot on my crotch), or even when he would try to get on the bed if I was being intimate with my partner. (Hooray for closing doors or dog crates to solve that!). I know that I don’t want to harm my pup in anyway (even if I have an intrusive image of physical breaking his arms while I trim his nails.) I remember the OCD is not me. And I keep rubbing the belly, letting him lie on my lap however he’s comfortable, or whatever else triggers. I don’t really even have to sit with the anxiety at all anymore. At this point I just repeat that it’s the OCD and continue respectfully loving and caring for my boy.

I have dealt with this before! It’s super hard because they’re like your babies! I was dealing with it with my dog and my cat, both intrusive thoughts of sexual and violent nature. The best way to overcomes this is to continue what your doing of petting and being around them. If you begin to start avoiding them, it’ll make it worse. At first it was very distressing to be around my cat having these thoughts, but I continued to have him close and “facing that fear” so to say, and not it barely bothers me anymore. I hope you are able to get through this, you got it ?