Archive for Pure Obsessional OCD
Sexual Orientation OCD – Part 4: Challenges to Treatment of HOCD
Jon Hershfield, MA, of the OCD Center of Los Angeles discusses common challenges seen in the treatment of Sexual Orientation OCD, also known as HOCD or Gay OCD. Part four of a four-part series.
Sexual Orientation OCD - also known as HOCD or Gay OCD - is best treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
In my previous blog on Sexual Orientation OCD (aka HOCD), I looked at some of the potential sub-types that appear in this condition. While they are all treated with various Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies, crippling fear can lead people toward beliefs that impede therapy. Here are some thoughts about treatment issues I commonly hear from HOCD clients.
My Big Gay Secret Self
Many HOCD sufferers, regardless of sub-type, become preoccupied with the idea that other people might think that they somehow “appear” gay. As a result, some men with HOCD may over-attend to the way they dress, opting for baggy, neutral choices rather than fitting, stylish choices that they might associate with homosexuality. They may pay special attention to the way they speak or even the way they hold a drink, trying to eradicate any possibility that a person may mistake them for being gay. Women with HOCD may over-attend to the length of their hair, or whether their clothes are “feminine” enough. Both men and women with HOCD are likely to obsess about their body type and whether there is something inherently “gay” about it. › Continue reading
OCD and Thought Suppression
Thought suppression is a common feature of OCD, especially for those with Pure Obsessional OCD (sometimes called "Pure O")
Over the last few weeks, I have had a secret. For most people, this secret would not have been seen as important, but to me it was. Every time I had these thoughts I became overwhelmed with anxiety, fear and an almost palpable sense of terror. As soon as the thought of this secret flashed through my mind, I would have visions that would take me to its worst-case outcome. As I played these thoughts out in my head, I physically experienced extreme anxiety, as if the discovery of my secret was actually happening.
Just a few days ago, I was on the treadmill and the thought flashed through my mind again. I was immediately plagued with heightened anxiety. Even the lady on the treadmill next to me noticed and commented that my face had a strange look on it. In response to the thought, I did what most people would do. I tried not to think about it.
At that point, I started a conversation with the lady next to me…and the thought popped up in my head. After the conversation was over, I read a trashy magazine… and the thought popped up in my head again. I then began running as fast as I could, dripping with sweat and breathing deeply, and the thought still managed to surface. Actually, not only did it surface, but it continued to inflate in my head, as if it was going to soon explode. › Continue reading
OCD and Mental Checking
If you are faced with the challenge of Pure Obsessional OCD (also known as “Pure O”), then chances are you’ve completed your first round of obsessions and compulsions before you’ve even gotten out of bed each day. Before you open your eyes, the wheels in your OCD machine start turning, and a sort of science fiction scan of your brain begins searching for evidence of “it”. Whatever “it” is, “it” is sure to be in there somewhere. › Continue reading
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