Difference between OCD and criminals.

[texas123]

I've read many posts on the topic but none that I fully understand. I am wondering what is the difference between someone with ocd with violent thoughts and someone that does go and commit crimes? Because you hear about it in the news when someone goes to commit a crime and leaves a letter to a loved one saying sorry or something like that. Which makes me think they know its wrong but the do it anyway. So if someone with Ocd has thoughts and knows that the thoughts are bad. Then whats the difference?


Also, my second question is how often do people with violent thoughts have the thoughts? I have ocd and feel like I have the thoughts all the time like almost every few minutes I'll look at something or think of something and that causes some nasty thought to come up. Which really upsets me and I'm trying to get over it. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[YankeeBob]

OCD

Thanks for your post.

Obsessive thinking can take different forms.

It could be about sex. Or about work, or about getting into a sports team. Or about cleaning the house.

The link between obsessive thinking and behaviour...particularly compulsive behaviour is unclear.

Your point being ....will my thinking progress to ACTING out my thoughts?

Hmmm.

I can speak from the personal experience of someone who had obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviour ( not about violence ), who learned to STOP and STAY STOPPED on the behaviour side.

And then have had progress with halting the obsessive thinking slowly.

So its possible to change.

Sorry I can't be more help than this.

Take care. Be well.

 

[texas123]

Thanks for the info. But I guess that just doesnt fully answer my question. I know there is a difference between acting and thinking something. But what is the difference in some one with ocd violent thoughts and someone who does some sick crime? Because as stated before you read about how some of these people know the crime was wrong but did it anyways. So whats the difference? Just moral free will or what?

 

[FracturedMirrorGuy]

hey dude, I get some pretty fucked up thoughts on a regular basis (violence, sex etc.), and this kind of concerns me too. I'm pretty sure your degree of concern shows that you almost certainly won't act on the thoughts. If someone leaves a note before they do the crime though, that means they went out with the intention of doing it, and sustained that intention from the time they wrote the letter to going out and doing it. I reckon that's a lot different than thinking about hurting/murdering someone in a moment or even having the impulse. If on the other hand they wrote the letter afterwards, they might not have realised it was wrong till they did it: they didn't even think about it, which would be the last thing a person with OCD has to worry about it. You know it's wrong within instants of thinking it I imagine, and would know it's wrong every instant you were doing it if you ever did.

I think you may well be fixated on these thoughts because they are the last thing you would do. Anyone with any imagination would have thoughts of all kinds occur to them I should think, but most will just dimiss them as odd or meaningless if they're unpleasant, rather than getting really worried and ruminating on them. Thinking about something a lot doesn't prove you like it or want it: someone who worries constantly about getting fired and imagines it vividly doesn't mean they want to get fired. The same applies to you worrying about yourself killing people. The inverse can also be true: I have things that I do like; a sport , say; that I probably think of much less than these things that horrify me.

In regards to freewill, even if a signifcant part of you does want to commit these acts, which is extremely unlikely, your horror at even thinking about them and the misery they cause you show that your conscience is stronger than the urges in any case.

Sorry if this wasn't much help..

 

[FracturedMirrorGuy]

Found a potentially useful link. Note that under the section on those obsessing over horrific thoughts it says that they never act on these thoughts.

http://books.google.com.au/books?hl...M-t_&sig=Q6iGKGb8yQ3pAbHRnZYlhFHEdbc#PPA22,M1

 

[texas123]

Hey, thanks for all the info. I just feel like the only one that has these messed up thoughts all the time. I'm just scared that someday I will just give into the thoughts and become this criminal that does nasty shit in my thoughts. Similar to what I've said in other posts. But you hear about how pedofiles and murders know things are wrong but do it anyways. If they know its wrong, like we do, then why do they do it? Is it because they're tormented by sick thoughts? Or the truly don't think its wrong? Or what?

 

[FracturedMirrorGuy]

I don't know for sure really.. there don't seem to be many clear answers. But feeling something is wrong is different from knowing it is wrong. And even though sometimes you might feel like you want to do these things, it seems clear to me that you feel awful about even thinking them. You don't just know on some objective level that society considers them unnacceptable; you find them unnacceptable. If you just knew other people thoguht it was fucked up, I doubt you'd ever bother to share it as something that torments you - even online. Try looking at yourself from the position of the unprejudiced observer; you're someone who's tormented by horrible thoughts and not someone who's done horrible things.

That kind of rationale aside, statistics are on our side. Your issues seem to fit the profile of the mostly obsessional OCD sufferer pretty well; not that of a killer. From what I've read, sufferers simply don't act out their obsessions, however terrified they are that they will. If you're not already, I suggest seeing a psychologist, given how much you're worrying about these thoughts. I think I probably should too. Either way I think it would be helpful, whether you just have OCD as I believe, or if you do have criminal tendencies, unlikely as that seems. Hope that helps.. it all fucking sucks I know.