About Self-Harm, Suicidal OCD
Self-Harm OCD and Suicidal OCD are both subtypes of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), characterized by intrusive, distressing thoughts about self-harm or suicide. These thoughts are unwanted and cause significant anxiety for individuals who experience them, even though they do not actually want to harm themselves or end their lives. It’s important to understand that people with these forms of OCD do not genuinely want to act on these thoughts, and the thoughts themselves are symptoms of the disorder. These thoughts can be highly disturbing and cause significant anxiety and fear.
In response to these intrusive thoughts, individuals may engage in compulsive behaviors aimed at neutralizing the anxiety or preventing the feared event (self-harm or suicide) from happening. These compulsions can include checking for signs of injury or danger (e.g., checking for cuts or wounds), avoidance of triggers that might elicit self-harm or suicidal thoughts (e.g., avoiding sharp objects, staying away from situations that could trigger such thoughts), mental rituals where individuals try to “cancel out” the intrusive thoughts by thinking about something else or mentally reassuring themselves, and seeking reassurance from others, such as asking friends, family members, or therapists if they’re in danger of harming themselves or if their thoughts are “normal” among others.
It’s important to emphasize that self-harm OCD is not the same as self-injury or self-harming behaviors in people who are coping with emotional pain. Individuals with self-harm OCD experience these thoughts as unwanted and completely distressing, and they actively want to avoid acting on them.
