Over the last ten years, there has been a lot of talk about "pedophilia" as a common theme for OCD sufferers. Some of it appears to be opportunistic, coming from professionals, some of it perpetuates stigma, yet some of it comes directly from sufferers. While using "Pedophilia OCD" as a diagnostic term is controversial for a variety of reasons, there is no doubt that many people suffer obsessive and compulsive thoughts about their sexuality, especially in their youth.

In particular, it is unsurprising to find this anxiety often centers upon "pedophilic" feelings - perhaps the most stigmatized of all sexual inclinations at present, yet surprisingly common. Pedophilia can of course be "controlled" like any other sexuality - pedophiles who live among us attest to the fact they are not ticking time bombs - a stereotype that only exists to make some feel better about their own hateful obsessions. But while not a mental health issue in and of itself, pedophilia, or the fear thereof, might be the starting point for deeper mental traumas rooted in social stigma.

One answer that may shock some, has widespread acceptance

A recent post on The P Word gives us a window into how one individual, wracked with doubts they might be a pedophile, confronted their own demons by getting to know the target of their obsessions - living, breathing pedophiles!

While on the face of things, this may look unconventional, exposing oneself to online, non-offending "pedophile" communities, as well as having unsupervised access to children, aligns with one of the recommended treatments for this kind of OCD - Exposure and Response Prevention therapy.

In some cases, MAPs have instead been uneasy about engaging with OCD sufferers, suggesting that this will only make things worse somehow, but attitudes have been slowly changing over the last decade. And in other instances, MAPs have instead acknowledged they have obsessive and compulsive thoughts about their own sexuality, and fret over what form it might take (e.g. "am I a sadist", "am I attracted to infants"). While Sexuality OCD sufferers may indeed be carriers of the social stigma and guilt that MAPs are trying to escape, it is incumbent upon MAPs who have the strength to confront that stigma, to help others past it.

Ultimately, when we confront and erase this deadly stigma together, we help clear the air of the confusing, befuddling smog of misinformation. OCD sufferers might then learn that pedophilia needn't rule their lives, while actual pedophiles and MAPs might discover it isn't so much of a curse after all!

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