Harm OCD Symptoms

Obsessions:
 

• Violent Intrusive Thoughts: Disturbing thoughts about harming oneself or others.

• Responsibility Obsessions: Feeling excessively responsible for preventing harm.

• Moral Scrupulosity: Excessive guilt, shame, or anxiety about having immoral or harmful thoughts.

• Fear of Losing Control: There may be a pervasive fear of losing control and acting on the violent thoughts, even though the individual has no intention of doing so.

• Moral Doubts: Harm OCD often involves intense moral scrutiny, with individuals questioning their character and feeling guilty about the content of their thoughts.

• Internal Conflicts: Internal conflicts arise between the individual's values and the distressing thoughts they experience.

Compulsions:
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• Avoidance: Avoiding situations that may trigger thoughts of causing harm.​

• Mental Rituals: Compulsions in Harm OCD often involve mental rituals, such as repetitive questioning or seeking reassurance within the mind to alleviate fears or to neutralise distressing thoughts.

• Avoidance Behaviours: Individuals may engage in avoidance behaviours, such as avoiding certain situations or people they fear might trigger violent thoughts.

• Excessive Checking: Individuals with Harm OCD may engage in excessive checking behaviors to ensure that they haven't caused harm or that they are not a threat to others, e.g., checking news reports, whether the stove is on, whether they're experiencing an unwanted sensation in their body, whether or not they're attracted to someone, or their reactions to their thought content. 

• Monitoring Thoughts: Constant monitoring of one's thoughts and feelings to detect any signs of aggression or harm.

• Reassurance Seeking & Confession: seeking reassurance from others to ensure nothing bad has happened or e.g., that the door is indeed locked, or confessing the content or their thoughts as a means to "repent". 
   

Characteristics of Harm OCD:
 

• Intrusive Thoughts: Persistent, unwanted thoughts about causing harm, either intentionally or unintentionally.

• Fear of Self-Harm: There may also be fears of harming oneself or being a danger to one's own well-being.

• Fear of Harming Others: Individuals with Harm OCD may experience persistent fears and intrusive thoughts about causing harm to others, even to loved ones.

• Catastrophic Imaginations: Vivid and distressing mental images of harmful events or accidents.

• Moral Scruples: Excessive guilt and anxiety about having immoral or harmful thoughts.

• Compulsions:

• Checking Behaviours: Repeatedly checking doors, appliances, or the environment to ensure safety and prevent harm.

• Reassurance-Seeking: Seeking reassurance from others to confirm that no harm has occurred or will occur.

• Avoidance: Avoiding situations that trigger thoughts of causing harm to oneself or others.
   

Emotional Impact:
 

• Intense Anxiety, Shame & Guilt: Individuals with Harm OCD typically experience high levels of anxiety and guilt associated with their obsessions.

• Impaired Functioning: The distress caused by these obsessions can significantly interfere with daily functioning, relationships, and overall quality of life.
   

Insight & Awareness:
 

• Many individuals with Harm OCD recognise that their fears are not based on a desire to cause harm but are instead unwanted and distressing thoughts. Yet, despite this awareness, the intrusive thoughts can be challenging to dismiss or control. Others may not have this awareness, or at least not when they are triggered, making them feel intensely anxious and guilty around the content of their thoughts. ​​​

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