I will never forget the night I walked into the bathroom and found my teenage daughter dry heaving over the toilet and telling me that if the violent images repeating on a loop in her head were true, then she didn’t deserve to live. I grieved to know that she’d inherited the beast known as Harm OCD.
When I first experienced this form of OCD at the age of thirteen, I had no idea what it was. I thought perhaps I was a murderer and just hadn’t acted on my intrusive thoughts yet. Harm OCD does not mean you are a terrible person or violent. In fact, some studies have shown those with Harm OCD are actually less likely to commit violent acts–the sufferers’ sense of empathy and compassion can actually drive the compulsions.
I am not a medical professional, I am a mom and someone who has experienced this disorder. This blog is not meant to treat or diagnose but to simply share resources, insights, and encouragement.
Harm OCD is treatable.
You can be free.
You are not alone.
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