Hello, I’ve struggled with POCD in the past and I’ve been going to therapy for it, and I feel that I have fought it off for now. Although, just about 30 minutes ago I was watching a movie that had a scene of a guy killing his father. I have been angry with my mother the past few days and after seeing that movie I started to have terrible intrusive thoughts of myself strangling my mom. My anxiety has passed but at this moment I’m feeling very hopeless. I feel like a psycho.

Calm down, you are not crazy. You can have thoughts about exactly everything. Everybody can get these thoughts, it’s just that we ocd persons believe them like they were real. Thoughts are thoughts. You say that you saw something in a movie that triggered these thoughts. To make it easier to have a distance to your thoughts, look at them like you’re watching them on your TV. You aint your thoughts, you just have them.

Thoughts produce feelings and impulses, OCD does the same, not in a way that would make you act on them. It’s just false reactions. I know it’s super scary, I’ve been there. The anxiety could also make you feel that you’re about to loose your mind, it’s just fear that confuses you a lot. You mentioned that you have to control them, try to just let them be instead, nothing will happen. Something that was crucial for me was to talk and share these things with others! You get other perspectives and you’ll probably hear from others that they’ve experienced similar. I know it’s hard to take that step just because you think people will think of you as a dangerous person. Start to talk to someone you really trust, a therapist, regular doctor etc. Harm thoughts are so common. Take a moment now and rest your brain, the right help exists for you.

Thank you! This was very helpful! I did email a therapist to book my first therapy sessions. It will start either today and tomorrow, so that’s a start.

I feel that aswell when watching things I’m not sure what to do other than just breathe and think I love my mother I wouldn’t want to harm her even if everything in your head tells you you want to

thank you

thank you

I am glad to know I’m not alone. I watch videos on YouTube and it scares me but it gives me impulses that I have to control about harming loved ones. I feel like I am going insane, but I can’t tell this to anyone in my life because they will think of me as a dangerous person, and I’m not. I get so anxious from this I can hardly stand it.

We are strong. I remind myself of that every day. I am also in therapy, I actually have an appointment today. Seeing a therapist gives me a lot of hope, and I hope it will do the same for you because eventually we will learn to recognize, accept, and manipulate these thoughts.

Exactly! I wish you all the luck!

Woho! That’s a big step in the right direction! ?? A tip is to be as honest as possible with your therapist, even though you feel a shame for this, it will help you faster. But don’t stress yourself, you have already been brave to take this first step.