perfectionism and - Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation

6/14/13
Bill
• His intrusive sexual thoughts involved a flickering
thought of sexually abusing his nieces and nephews,
something that he found abhorrent and very difficult
to tolerate. His way to cope with these obsessions
was to avoid going to family gatherings, something
that he used to enjoy in the past, and avoid places
where he might run into children.
Bill
• His harming obsessions included intrusive images of
him killing his two dogs with a shovel. This caused
him tremendous distress and he would insist on
removing all tools when he was close to the dogs
and not be len alone with the dogs among other
things.
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Conceptualizaaon
• Intrusive sexual or harming thoughts significant distress
avoidance/neutralizaaon/distracaon temporary relief
conanued distress upon triggers
– Fears: “I must have liked it because I didn't’stop it,” and “I must have
brought this on by thinking ‘bad’ thoughts”
• Underlying fear: “If I think the ‘wrong’ thoughts, something
bad might happen”
An Adolescent with Intrusive,
Blasphemous Thoughts
C. Alec Pollard
Director, St Louis Behavioral Medicine
InsCtute and St Louis University
-197-
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