However, if that same person has sexual thoughts about someone of the same gender and does not experience them as cause for concern, they will not be disturbed or anxious. If they interpret these thoughts to mean that they might be gay, and are anxious and disturbed by the thoughts, they may be struggling with a form of obsession informally known as HOCD or SO-OCD.

Sexual thoughts are not considered intrusive or obsessional unless they are experienced as unwanted, disturbing, and inappropriate.įor example, if someone identifies as heterosexual and has sexual thoughts about another person of the same gender, they may experience that as unwanted or disturbing. People have sexual thoughts and images frequently, though that frequency varies significantly from one person to the next. Common Intrusive Thoughts Sexual intrusive thoughts These thoughts can involve violence toward strangers or loved ones - romantic partners, parents, sons, daughters, or anyone else. Many people with OCD have obsessions on these themes. Violence is another major taboo, especially toward vulnerable people like children or the elderly. For example, the thought Jesus was a terrible person, or I never really loved God, or sexual thoughts about religious figures or clergy can all be obsessions. Unsurprisingly, this can also be a focus of obsessions for religious people. These can include relations with someone much different in age, with animals, family members, or even inanimate objects.įor those who believe in God, saying or thinking things against God can be a major taboo. Most, if not all, taboo sexual relationships or acts can be the focus of intrusive thoughts. These are exactly the topics that obsessions are usually about.įor example, pedophilia, perhaps our society’s biggest taboo, is the theme of an entire subtype of OCD. In these contexts, there are some ideas or actions that are considered markers of being morally corrupt or otherwise flawed. Perhaps the most common examples in our society involve sex, violence, and religion. OCD Intrusive Thoughts The role of taboo in OCD obsessionsĮvery society has certain actions or ideas that are considered morally wrong or otherwise prohibited. This article focuses on intrusive thoughts that typically occur for people with OCD (i.e., obsessions). They are often described as “what if” thoughts - for example, what if I jump in front of that moving train? or, what if I just blurt out something obscene right now in this crowded church? These thoughts lead people to think about them repeatedly - they can be hard to shake. Obsessional thoughts tend to be about certain topics (more on this below) and immediately cause anxiety. Perhaps the most common type of unwanted intrusive thoughts is obsessions, which are a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Intrusive thoughts for those with anxiety can sometimes take the form of an image - for example, an unwanted image of a sick loved one (whether or not the person is sick) or of failing at an important task. These can be thoughts about almost anything - for example, not being liked by someone, being unhappy in a relationship, or making a bad decision. In their most extreme form, these memories arise as flashbacks, in which the memory feels so real that it’s as if the event is happening again.įor those who suffer from anxiety, worry thoughts can happen at any time and sometimes feel intrusive. Such memories can range in intensity from annoying to destabilizing to all-consuming. People who suffer from post-traumatic stress sometimes experience memories of the traumatic event that pop up even when they’re not relevant to what’s happening at that moment. They can happen to any of us but happen most often for survivors of trauma, those with anxiety, and those with OCD. Intrusive thoughts are thoughts that you wish you didn’t have. There Are Multiple Types of Unwanted Thoughts Read on to learn about the different types of intrusive thoughts and some helpful strategies. Many people experience intrusive thoughts, often in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, or anxiety disorders.

Intrusive thoughts and anxiety