Obsessive compulsive disorder - OCD treatment and therapy from NOCD
What is OCDOCD SubtypesI have images of sexually assaulting my child and others

I have images of sexually assaulting my child and others

5 min read
Ariel Melotik, LPC NCC

By Ariel Melotik, LPC NCC

Reviewed by Taylor Newendorp

Sep 14, 2022

Possibly related to:

It may be OCD

If you’re worried about having images of sexually assaulting your child and others, it may be a sign that you have a subtype of OCD known as Pedophilia OCD, or “POCD”.

Pedophilia is a difficult topic for many, however it is important to understand the difference between pedophilia and the OCD subtype of POCD. 

Do these experiences sound familiar? Learn how you can overcome them.

Here at NOCD, we know how overwhelming OCD symptoms can be—and how hard it is to open up about your experience. You’re not on your own, and you can talk to a specialist who has experience treating OCD.

Learn more

Pedophilia vs POCD

In pedophilia, an individual has sexual images, thoughts and urges about children which they find enjoyable. They may feel ashamed about their thoughts and scared about what will happen because of them; however, they do not feel any urgency to disrupt or change these thoughts, images or urges due to the limited distress that they cause. 

Many individuals who are not pedophiles will experience intrusive thoughts, images and urges about committing any sort of inappropriate sexual act with children. With POCD, these thoughts are perceived as being intrusive by the individual, which means they are unwanted, distressing and can be impairing to their day to day life. These individuals will likely try to get rid or attempt to prevent these intrusive images through compulsive behaviors such as (but not limited to) avoidance, seeking reassurance, checking, testing, or mentally reviewing or replaying the thought or image. 

For example, if you’re having intrusive images of sexually assaulting your child, you may find more distress when you’re with your child during bath time, changing their clothes/diapers, or being alone with them in general. In response to these anxiety triggering situations, you may find yourself avoiding, being hyper-vigilant or cautious, or replaying situations in your head to ensure nothing inappropriate happened. You may rationally know nothing inappropriate has happened and still experience anxiety around the possibility.

Individuals with POCD find intrusive thoughts and images distressing in part due to uncertainty and doubt: “What if I do something inappropriate?” or “What if I lose control and do this someday?” Uncertainty caused by the doubts leads individuals with OCD to engage in compulsions for short term relief; however, it often leads to more challenges in the long run, as 100% certainty can never be achieved.

Am I a bad person? What if my fear is legitimate?

People often characterize their intrusive thoughts from OCD as “bizarre,” or share that they “don’t make sense.” That’s because these thoughts are ego-dystonic, meaning that they don’t align with a person’s identity, values, or actual intentions. Experiencing intrusive thoughts that oppose values that are especially important can be disorienting, confusing, and highly distressful.

People will often reassure themselves by saying things like “I would never hurt my baby in that way,” or “I have never hurt a child or wanted to hurt a child.” Even when they believe that these things are true, the reassurance they feel never provides 100% certainty or stops the thoughts from occurring. They continue to engage in rumination, mental reviewing, self-reassurance and seeking reassurance from others.

Access therapy that’s designed for OCD

NOCD Therapists have used ERP therapy to help thousands of people regain their lives from OCD. I encourage you to learn about accessing ERP therapy with NOCD.

Learn about ERP with NOCD

How to treat POCD fear of child sexual assault

Pedophilic OCD and Postpartum OCD can be debilitating, but they are highly treatable. By doing exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy with a trained, licensed professional who specializes in treatment of OCD, you can get on the path to recovery.   

ERP therapy is the gold standard for the treatment of OCD and related disorders. Working closely with a trained ERP specialist, individuals will identify the things or situations that trigger their obsessive thoughts, and the fears that come as a result. An ERP specialist will also help identify compulsive behaviors that individuals may not have recognized on their own. Then together, they will create a hierarchy of triggers and intrusive thoughts ranked by relative distress, and prepare exposures, or situations/activities intended to trigger obsessive thoughts and anxiety in a safe and controlled environment.

Some of these exposures will be practiced during therapy sessions, and then members will be expected to practice them on a daily basis until habituation occurs. Habituation is defined as the reduction of physiological or emotional response as a result of repeated exposure to a stimulus. By frequently, carefully exposing themselves to triggers, an individual will be able to experience less and less distress over time, allowing them to have a better quality of life. This can lead to being more present at work, when socializing, when alone, and when spending time with family and friends. One of the goals of ERP is to become more comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.    

If you’re struggling with OCD, I encourage you to learn about NOCD’s accessible, evidence-based approach to treatment with the NOCD care team to learn how a licensed therapist can help. At NOCD, all therapists specialize in OCD and receive ERP-specific training. ERP is most effective when the therapist conducting the treatment has experience with OCD and training in ERP.

We look forward to working with you.

NOCD Therapy user on phone

Recover from OCD with NOCD Therapy

World-class OCD treatment covered by insurance

NOCD therapy can help you live the life you want to live, not the life OCD wants you to live.

Learn more

NOCD Therapists specialize in treating OCD

View all therapists
Taylor Newendorp

Taylor Newendorp

Network Clinical Training Director

I started as a therapist over 14 years ago, working in different mental health environments. Many people with OCD that weren't being treated for it crossed my path and weren't getting better. I decided that I wanted to help people with OCD, so I became an OCD therapist, and eventually, a clinical supervisor. I treated people using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and saw people get better day in and day out. I continue to use ERP because nothing is more effective in treating OCD.

Gary Vandalfsen

Gary Vandalfsen

Licensed Therapist, Psychologist

I’ve been practicing as a licensed therapist for over twenty five years. My main area of focus is OCD with specialized training in Exposure and Response Prevention therapy. I use ERP to treat people with all types of OCD themes, including aggressive, taboo, and a range of other unique types.

Madina Alam

Madina Alam

Director of Therapist Engagement

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. I’ve been practicing as a licensed therapist since 2016. My graduate work is in mental health counseling, and I use Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy because it’s the gold standard of OCD treatment.

Want to work with one of our therapists?
Schedule a free call to learn more.

Taylor Newendorp

Taylor Newendorp, M.A., LCPC, has specialized in the treatment of OCD since 2011. He is a former clinical supervisor for The Center for Anxiety and OCD at AMITA Behavioral Health Hospital in Illinois, and is currently the Regional Clinical Director for NOCD.