If the sufferer is heterosexual, then the thought may be that they are homosexual. The most obvious form is where a sufferer experiences the thought that they might be of a different sexual orientation than they formerly believed. Interestingly Swedo, et al., 1989, found that approximately 4% of children with OCD experience obsessions concerned with forbidden aggressive or perverse sexual thoughts.Īlthough doubts about one’s own sexual identity might seem pretty straightforward as a symptom, there are actually a number of variations. I have observed this symptom in young children, adolescents, and adults as well. In order to have doubts about one’s sexual identity, a sufferer need not ever have had a homo- or heterosexual experience, or any type of sexual experience at all. A 1998 study published in the Journal of Sex Research found that among a group of 171 college students, 84% reported the occurrence of sexual intrusive thoughts (Byers, et al. It can cause you to doubt even the most basic things about yourself – even your sexual orientation. OCD, as we know, is largely about experiencing severe and unrelenting doubt. This article was initially published in the Winter 2007 edition of the OCD Newsletter. How Do I Know I’m Not Really Gay/Straight?
