Harm OCD

How do I know if I have self-harm OCD or if I actually want to kill myself? This is a significant differentiation to make because it can have treatment-impacting and even life-threatening consequences.

Whether we hear the term from a client, another provider, or our own classification of someone’s symptoms, “compulsions” tend carry with them some level of assumption – that this might just be OCD.

While both Harm OCD and desire to harm someone involve thoughts relating to harm, distinct features can help differentiate between the two.

Harm inducing types of thoughts, images and urges are typically referred to as Harm OCD and they can cause significant distress and anxiety in sufferers.

For Jill, it was useful to know that the house wouldn’t burn down if she stopped checking; but it was more important to learn that she would still be a worthwhile human being even if it did.