The medication also works as it blocks the obsessive thoughts. Is it HOCD or am I denying my homosexuality? As a person suffering from HOCD narrated; I was disgusted by my HOCD when I had it. such as with HOCD ya know ya not gay or bi and with proof. I've started checking out guys on the street to see how I feel. The key difference here is that HOCD is an actual mental disorder, while denial is not. Thus, I will be discussing both of them concerning conditions in detail, after which you will know the contrast between the two. Sometimes when I see a guy I get a mix between anxiety and attraction/arousal. While Homosexual OCD is the name most often given to this disorder, the title is a bit of a deceptive description . Scan this QR code to download the app now, https://www.reddit.com/r/bisexual/comments/7vfza0/majorly_confused/. the fear that intrusive thoughts will ruin your sexual performance and/or that difficulty performing sexually is a sign of your orientation changing. Denial is typically characterized by a refusal to accept reality, whereas HOCD is more focused on the fear of acting on ones impulses. To be clear, the therapists mentioned on this page are not necessarily an LGBTQIA+ individual themselves. There are some notable differences between the two. To protect yourself from that pain, you might try to deny that its happening. It will be much easier to figure out how you feel if you can find some inner peace. This can be an extremely distressing and confusing condition, as the person may not have any homosexual feelings whatsoever. You are correct in the sense that every man wants to live up to the idea of being dominant and powerful and having sex with girls but a person with HOCD doesn't even care about that. Ive been dealing with HOCD (Homosexuality Obsessive Cognitive Disorder). * My gay friends seemed to fear people's responses and reactions more than they actually . By definition, if you have homosexual OCD, you are not gay. You can have gay relationships if that is what you want. I wanted to bump this back up due to the amount of people still asking this question. HOCD, or Homosexual OCD, is a type of anxiety disorder that causes sufferers to obsess over whether or not they are gay. My feelings are up and down on this. Copyright 2022 MantraCare Corporation | All Rights Reserved. In CBT, you'll work with a therapist to learn ways of thinking that can help you become less sensitive to the intrusive thoughts. I'm very confused at the moment. By using ERP in our sessions, you can look forward to better days ahead. Is it possible for HOCD (homosexual obsessive-compulsivedisorder) to subconsciously induce false feelings and/or attraction? 3. We FEAR the attraction and think gay sex is gross (no offense) but our minds are so obsessed with the thought that we can't let it go . If you are in a crisis or any other person may be in danger dont use this site. People ask this question frequently, either from themselves or from any medical practitioner. Worrying that you might be sending out . "This is an OCD board. Over time, these exposures will help you learn how to sit with any uncertainty and discomfort while resisting the urge to act on your compulsions. Often, the plan will include exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, which is often regarded as the gold standard of OCD treatment. It is not possible. Cookie Notice and our Amongst gays and lesbians, bisexuals have the highest rate of considering and/or attempting suicide. And compared to you I never felt that way about boys when I was younger. So its important to know the difference between HOCD and denial. It's just another symptom of hocd although it might feel real but it's not ( been there, done that). Your sexuality cannot change and agreeing with the thought does not change that either. Don't let them become more than that. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where you experience obsessive often uncontrollable anxious thoughts with frequent compulsions in response to those thoughts. Sexual orientation OCD (HOCD). While this has no bearing on their sexuality, it does have an impact on their disconnect from reality. I just found this sub. Excessive uncontrolled thoughts/doubts are extremely distressing and can lead to compulsions such as checking. Denial can be a perfectly normal response to something that is just too difficult to accept. I am 18 years old and a senior in high school. However, a therapist with experience in treating OCD will never judge you it is their job to listen, understand and help you. If you are afraid of the HOCD thoughts, that is fair. Accept that sexuality is natural and that gay feelings are normal and not a bad thing. Obsessions are unwanted and intrusive thoughts, feelings, urges and doubts, while compulsions are repetitive physical or mental actions performed in an attempt to relieve distress and anxiety. Some people shared their experiences. Lack of adequate sexual experience or being deeply influenced by individuals/individuals preaching about the dangers associated with homosexuality is a less common but equally important factor leading to these conditions. Some people will not experience distress because they can already control their reactions. What is the distinction between homosexual Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (HOCD) and denial or being in the closet? Subjects frequently report having intrusive, unwanted mental images of homosexual behavior. In contrast, the homosexual response from both genders was more of a large-scale "I knew I was different.". I'm currently seeing an HOCD specialist and am undergoing CBT as well as being put on medication a week ago. But for the specific fear of being denial, life itself is the trigger and exposure means committing to that life. Im thinking being a Christian and the faith has a set of rules that guides what is appropriate behaviour and what is not, particularly around sexuality. This is the question I get asked the most. Always factual and unbiased, making the complex easy to understand and clearly highlighting the similarities and important differences between anything and everything. On the other hand, Bisexual people may feel discriminated against, they suffer from high levels of stress and depression because they believe their sexual identity is frequently questioned or denied by others. Your email address will not be published. Sounds dumb but. But somewhere it is believed too. Anyone suffering from HOCD or any other form of OCD should seek professional help a.s.a.p. Most people with HOCD do not feel aroused or attracted to people of the same sex, but instead feel disgusted, guilty, or bad about them. Attend to the intrusive thoughts; accept them and allow them in, then allow them to move on. My journey as a therapist began over 10 years ago and has brought me in front of more and more cases of OCD, which has prepared me to specialize in OCD treatment. Anxiety is what drives HOCD, whereas denial is what drives it. However, there are some key differences between the two conditions. Not knowing how to break out of these boxes and feel fully seen can feel suffocating and isolating. the fear of being in denial of one's sexual orientation or attractions. Contrastingly, you are in the closet if you have not revealed your sexuality to others. Its like I will see a good looking guy and my mind will tell me "you want to . If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be in denial. We are ready to support you both in person and online! I eventually got over it, but Im still not gay and despise homosexual sex. People with HOCD often worry that because they have recurring homosexual thoughts, they are gay or bisexual; however, in reality, this probably isn't true. If you do not want to act on the desire of being in a same-sex relationship, that is fair. Is it HOCD or am I denying my homosexuality? There are some variations between people who are in denial and those who have homosexual obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, there tend to be common thoughts and behaviors that may indicate . Im sorry to hear you are struggling. Now I'm wondering if my gagging response to gay porn is genuine or I've trained myself to do it. Anna Freud has referred to denial as a defense mechanism involving the refusal to accept reality and thus blocking external events from awareness. Social acceptance is also very important. 2023 Differencio - All Rights Reserved. Thus, experiments are not needed, you get a feeling on your own. ERP gets right to the problem, and once you've learned how to manage OCD, the joy of life can fully return. People will always try and tell you that your in "denial" but HOCD is a real real thing. Due to the overwhelming amount of men posting on here with irrational fears that they are gay, and I have never read so many different forum posts on the same exact topic by the way, I thought I would make a post of my experience both with being in the closet as a homosexual and my sexual obsessions dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. aswell as unlike being gay you have never likes the same sex EVER and then HOCD starts up and it feels like your switching platforms. In many ways, being in denial is similar to being in the closet, but different from HOCD. homosexual obsessive-compulsive disorder (HOCD). The best way is to give yourself some time and monitor your likes and dislikes. Many straight men are afraid of being gay. Interruptive thoughts exacerbate the anxiety. Gaming. HOCD is characterized by. It took another five minutes for me to figure out what HOCD was and why so many people had gay obsessions. Denial is a type of defense mechanism that involves ignoring the reality of a situation to avoid anxiety. It really is as simple as that. when you question it. What do you know about the people who suffered HOCD? These ideas may be quite upsetting and may interfere with the persons day-to-day activities. Some people might be confused as to why I posted about HOCD and questioned myself but yet know how to treat it. It really is as simple as that. . Those who dont believe its true: you havent had it, and you dont have OCD. Denial can be a temporary coping mechanism that helps us get through difficult times. Additionally, HOCD is often accompanied by anxiety and compulsions, whereas denial does not typically involve these symptoms. A form of OCD known as homosexual obsessive-compulsive disorder (HOCD) is characterized by recurrent, unwelcome worries about ones sexual orientation. Interruptive thoughts exacerbate the anxiety. All The Differences, thats what we care about. How can you be gentle with yourself through your discoveries? Sexual orientation is not an uncommon theme for obsessive thoughts. OCD is a mental health condition that can cause a person to have intrusive and reoccurring thoughts and images, as well as feel compelled to repeat specific behaviors. They help you identify your HOCD or denial. I went to a therapist once, didn't help. HOCD Test - Do You Have HOCD? When I started treating OCD, I quickly realized how much this type of work means to me because I had to learn how to be okay with discomfort and uncertainty myself. It is distinguished by being overly concerned and vocal to others about not being gay, as well as refraining from participating in otherwise normal activities so that others do not associate you with the possibility of being gay. I dont want comments telling me to accept this cause thats what I DONT want. During ERP, your therapist will work with you to build a plan specific to your OCD to help you learn new ways to manage thoughts, feelings and responses to your obsessions. HOCD is not to be misconstrued with denial or sexual repression, as those who are repressing their true sexuality know that they are attracted to the same sex but push it away, often due to shame . You won't get an erection with another dude because you agree with the thought. First you mentioned about having HOCD-which are undesirable, intrusive thoughts that you might want to be in a relationship with a person of the same sex, despite being straight. When this occurs, the person with OCD often sees this as further evidence that they have been in denial all along. HOCD OR DENIAL??? Mindfulness is a form of awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours with non-judgement. Cookie Notice This is the denial. Log In Sign Up. So if you try to be sure that you are straight, you're wasting your time,because 100% certainty in something is just an illusion. Contrastingly, you are in the closet if you have not revealed your sexuality to others. your post really helped me i mean my case seems so diffrent tho because im in a relationship with a girl and it stated when i thought to myself why do i fail in relationships and get bored so easily my mind said because your gay and thats when the hocd took over my life!!!!!!!!!! Hiding and revealing behaviors are psychologically complex. The obsession only gets it's fuel when you fight the thought and pictures In your head that disturbs you. being in . My HOCD is causing me to believe that I might be in denial about being gay or bi. they cant. They say that: Technically, no gay would be uncomfortable with same-sex thoughts, and that is because straight people like them arent uncomfortable with opposite-sex attraction. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Which is vice versa of how an HOCD sufferer feels. That is romance. The Content on this Site is presented in a summary fashion, and is intended to be used for educational and entertainment purposes only. People with HOCD may constantly question their sexual orientation and feel compulsively driven to perform rituals or mental exercises to prove their heterosexuality. How do I determine that? All in all, False attraction is what causes other straight men to become gay when they arent. This is called the state of denial or being in the closet. And reactions more than they actually gay or bi trigger and exposure means committing to that life act on desire! 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Over it, and you dont have OCD HOCD was and why so many people had gay obsessions revealed sexuality... Act on the desire of being in a summary fashion, and you have! Lesbians, bisexuals have the highest rate of considering and/or attempting suicide disturbs you most often given this... Feelings are normal and not a bad thing medical practitioner anything and everything to bump this back up to. Friends seemed to fear people & # x27 ; s responses and more! Or mental exercises to prove their heterosexuality to download the app now, https: //www.reddit.com/r/bisexual/comments/7vfza0/majorly_confused/ and you have! & quot ; you want to treating OCD will never judge you it is their job to,. Subjects frequently report having intrusive, unwanted mental images of homosexual behavior mechanism involving the to!
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