OCD: Sexual Obsessions
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is characterised by persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts that cause distress and may involve a behaviour such as a compulsion, ritual or avoidance to try and relieve discomfort/distress. There are several categories of obsessions:
1. Contamination from germs
2. Responsibility for harm, injury or violence towards self or others
3. Unacceptable thoughts that involve immorality, blasphemy or sexual inappropriate thoughts
4. The need for symmetry and completeness or feeling “just right”
OCD: sexual obsessions are intrusive thought about sexual content and can include thoughts and questions about whether you’re gay, want to have sex with a family member or might be a paedophile. Individual’s are very distressed by these sexual thoughts and spend a lot of time internally debating these questions. They will often avoid situation that are likely to trigger the thoughts. For example, an individual with paedophile obsessions might avoid giving a bath to their niece or avoid being by themselves with children or not let them sit on their Knee. Other individuals might have thoughts about being gay and then check to see if they have an erection when looking at attractive guys purposely check to see their arousal reaction to gay porn. Other people with harm OCD have intrusive thoughts about hurting their partner during sex. Others may have thoughts that they are sexually attracted to their family members. All of these thoughts are followed by distress and attempts to reassure self, by mental rituals and rumination, checking and avoidance.
The burden of OCD is immense and life energy draining. OCD can cause significant impairment in everyday living. It can lead to social, relationship or sexual avoidance, reduce time for intimacy due to lengthy rituals required before bed, it can add to general stress levels which diminish quality of life and confidence.
Many people with sexual obsessions are ashamed to discuss their obsessions or have magical thinking, and worry if they say them aloud they will become true.
Further detailed information can be found at the International OCD Foundation
There are many good consumer resources for OCD available on Podcast:
