OCD: General Discussion Thread
in Psychology & Therapy ·
I deal with this specific type of OCD too. My obsessions are mostly aggressive—completely contrary to who I actually am. It all started after I had my first son; I was under so much stress and terrified something would happen to him. I’d get these intrusive images—not thoughts that I *wanted* to do something, but then it spiraled into this fear that maybe I was actually capable of it. It was awful. Eventually, it shifted into a fear that I might hurt other people, too. I know for those who don't have this specific subtype, it sounds terrifying or just makes no sense—but I think obsessions always target what we fear most. For some, it's germs or contamination; for me, it's the idea of hurting someone or being someone who might do it without knowing. Research shows that over 85% of people experience intrusive thoughts that are aggressive or sexually inappropriate—the difference for us with OCD is that the discomfort doesn't come from the thought itself, but from the inability to feel certain that we won't act on it. Just like how someone might wash their hands ten times because they can't reach that feeling of "clean," people with aggressive obsessions loop back to the same thought because they are desperate for that sense of security—that certainty that they won't commit the act. That's why some people call OCD the "doubting illness." Regarding your fear of losing your mind—please don't be afraid. No one goes crazy from this; it's just fear. I felt the exact same way—I was terrified I wouldn't be able to care for my kids, but that never happened. And even if things get hard, so what? How many people end up in the hospital, or how many famous people struggle with mental health issues? It happens, and it's okay. The best way to handle these thoughts is to accept them as just part of normal thinking, rather than treating them like something forbidden! If your current medication isn't working, you might want to talk to your doctor about trying a different SSRI—like Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Celexa, or Zoloft. They often require higher doses for OCD—for instance, taking 60-80mg of Prozac instead of the 20mg typically prescribed for depression. Sometimes an antipsychotic like Seroquel is added to help quiet the obsessive thoughts.