This has been on my mind for a while now, but I feel like there are OCD themes that not many people take seriously. The primary ones I’ve seen targeted are themes relating to gender.
I don’t know what it is, but to outsiders, people with these themes are seen as people in deep denial of inner desires. You guys have no idea how many times I’ve seen people claim we are in denial because of our OCD themes. I’ve seen people with OCD being called “a threat”, when in reality that does MORE HARM than good. I’ve seen people call OCD “a bad case of internalized homophobia”, and TOCD as basically internalized transphobia. ALL of which were called that by people WHO DON’T HAVE OCD!!!
I currently have TOCD, and when I came forward to a friend about it, they claimed it wasn’t OCD and that I may genuinely be trans. Despite me having explained my condition, they still didn’t want to believe me.
The point I want to make is that it is especially hard for people to take us seriously. I’ve noticed that people with these themes are often made as to the butt of many jokes because apparently “we are worried over nothing” or “we ARE what we fear”. I’m often told “Why would you fear being trans? It’s not anything bad.” and I think that people are completely missing the mark. I don’t fear being trans because I see it as something bad or wrong, but because I don’t really feel like that is who I am. The fear stems from the idea that you aren’t who you always were. Most people I’ve met with these themes are usually LGBT allies themselves. I’ve met some trans people who experience the same thing but instead, they worry that they may be in fact cis and not their gender identity. These obsessions aren’t strictly a cis/heterosexual thing. people in the LGBT community experience these things too.
I know some people don’t know any better and are just trying to help, but they cannot dictate what we can or cannot obsess/worry over. It is very frustrating and hard to find support when you have obsessions like these.
Do any of you guys experience OCD themes that you feel aren’t taken seriously enough? Have you had people deny your obsessions? Write any experiences/thoughts down below.
