Lately I’ve been feeling urges that come along with my thoughts. I get thoughts of me harming others, but sometimes I can’t tell if I am capable of doing it or no, and it’s really disturbing. Do i really want to harm others? Am i capable of doing it? I can’t tell and it’s horrible! I feel the need to make sure it’s only OCD and nothing else. Is this normal?

Harm OCD

coucou

Date posted: 4y

windsor.flynn on instagram talks about harm ocd and how intrusive thoughts can feel like urges, i recommend checking her out!

M1133

Date posted: 4y

“A penny for your intrusive thoughts” Instagram account talks about harm ocd I experience this unfortunately not many people understand it. I explained it to my ex bf and he told people I wasn’t allowed a knife or I’d harm them... it’s not true it’s an intense worry you may do it but logically you won’t

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

Thank you. I’m glad i’m not the only one, but I’m scared. I’m scared because people is usually sure that they don’t want to do it. But I am not sure and it’s horrible, I am not sure if I’m capable or not. It’s driving me crazy

coucou

Date posted: 4y

@josefa the thoughts obviously distress you / give you anxiety therefore showing they're not your true intentions. i would however advice to stop thinking "am i capable" "i'm not dangerous but could i be?" thoughts like these because they'll just send you down a rabbit hole and make your intrusive thoughts worse

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

Thank you so much. You’re right. I need to start living with uncertainty but it’s just too scary sometimes..

coucou

Date posted: 4y

i agree! it was super hard for me at first and it still is at times but now i know that i'm not my thoughts and sitting with the uncertainty will be better for me in the long run :) u got this!

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

@coucou Thank you so much! It’s been like hell for me, and it’s so hard to keep uncertainty when urges feel so real. And it sucks that I’m not from the US so I’m not sure I can get help from the therapists in this app :( anyways thank you so much

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

I just brought this up with my NOCD therapist the other day because I didn’t know how to tell if I was a danger to myself or others. I kept having to reassure myself that I wasn’t capable of it. That never worked because I was engaging in a compulsion and the thought just kept coming back until I stopped doing that.

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

Thank you, so it’s just part of OCD. It feels like hell, but thank you it makes me relieved.

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

@josefa For me yes it was just an intrusive thought. However I needed guidance from my NOCD therapist to determine this.

coucou

Date posted: 4y

this is 100% normal. with intrusive thoughts, urges are also entirely possible and common. someone with hocd may experience groinal feelings but this doesn't mean anything about their true values. with harm ocd this is also possible; sometimes a thought can feel more like a command or an urge. however, we should treat it the same way as the thought; which is to sit with the uncomfort and uncertainty. after doing this for a while the urges will become less strong and if you happen to get one again, you'll realize that it has nothing to do with you as a person or your morals

Anonymous

Date posted: 4y

Thank you so much for replying. They just felt so real, as if I was capable of doing it, it’s horrible. I think my compulsion is to go online, research and make sure my problem is related to OCD, and it’s not a bigger deal.

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