I went through a bad break up two years ago and started putting pressure on myself to have sex. I ended up having a couple experiences of getting so anxious and in my head that I couldn't get an erection. The past year and a half has been a constant battle with intrusive thoughts over whether I am impotent, whether I even like sex, and whether I'm even attracted to women. All of which I know are false worries but I just replay them over and over. Any advice?

That's like the least helpful advice I've ever heard. If I wanted some kind of Christian abstinence advice, I'd go see a priest.

Hi - I’m also a Christian and going through my own questioning of sexual-related Christian doctrine alongside scrupulosity ocd and am also questioning if im on the asexual spectrum etc. lol BUT i can empathize that intrusive thoughts and anxieties of all kinds suck a lot and are completely valid. I think knowing when you are doing things because you want to vs because ocd is telling you to and recognizing that some thoughts are just ocd trying to get to you are good first steps. Then you can tell the ocd to shut up when the thoughts start to play and see it as separate from you. That has helped me with some of my obsessions. My therapist also has me write “narratives” about my fear (basically writing the worst case scenario) and exposing myself to that story until it holds less power. Hope that helps maybe. Prayers that you will find comfort peace and wisdom in the midst of all you are going through. It can be so hard but just being on this app I know you are getting where your going :)

Sex outside of marriage can create all sorts of problems; so my advice would be to wait. But anyways even if you don’t listen to that, I would say that relationships are not about sex; it shouldn’t be the focus. Also, if you are having intrusive worries that can certainly affect your ability to have an erection because you’re focused on your own worries rather than your love for the other person. Maybe ERP would be to just accept that you may never get better, but I think you will eventually, but if you accept that then maybe you will not be so worried when the thoughts come in.

There is more to sex than penetration, but many men have worries about performance. Definitely work with a therapist on your exposure hierarchy.for this. The theme doesn’t matter so much - all OCD can be treated with ERP.