Harm OCD - Intrusive Thoughts that I Might Hurt Someone

Aug 7, 2025

Explore the nature of intrusive thoughts and why they don't imply danger. Understand how Harm OCD can make you fear harming loved ones, and learn the life-changing difference between thoughts and true desires. Discover coping strategies using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to defuse anxiety and reclaim control. Gain insights into navigating these thoughts while embracing personal values, helping to transform your mental landscape and boost your emotional well-being.

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INSIGHT

Nature of Intrusive Thoughts

Intrusive thoughts are common and mostly unwanted, going against your values, causing distress.
They latch onto what matters most, making them feel scarier but don’t reflect true desires or character.

INSIGHT

Thought-Action Fusion Effect

Intrusive thoughts have thought-action fusion, making you feel thinking them increases their chance of happening.
This makes the thoughts stickier and scarier, creating a cycle that is hard to break through logic.

INSIGHT

Difference Between Thoughts and Desires

Intrusive thoughts are ego dystonic and unwanted, often causing anxiety and attempts to avoid or push them away.
Real desires to harm do not cause distress and often involve planning and satisfaction.

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It’s normal that intrusive thoughts are about things that you consider “Bad” but just having a thought won’t hurt you and it doesn’t mean you’re dangerous. Harm OCD is common. Learn the skills to Regulate your Emotions, join the membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership

Course on Managing Intrusive thoughts: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/managing-intrusive-thoughts

FREE Clarify Your Values Workbook: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/opt-in-2123fb37-7322-4208-a65a-2b135a653d47

Full interview w/ Dr. Green: https://youtu.be/AyXMt89_M9g

Are your intrusive thoughts so intense or disturbing that they feel dangerous? You're not alone. In this video, we break down what these dangerous thoughts really mean, especially in the context of OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) and anxiety. Harm OCD is the specific thoughts that you might hurt someone. You might think "I'm afraid I'm going to hurt my child". Learn the difference between intrusive thoughts and real desires, and why your brain targets the things you care most about. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), you'll discover practical tools like defusion, exposure, and how to stop doing safety behaviors that make negative thoughts stickier. These strategies help retrain your brain to see thoughts for what they are—just thoughts. If you’re struggling with scary, unwanted thoughts and feel trapped in the OCD cycle, this video offers clarity, compassion, and a path forward. #IntrusiveThoughts #ocd

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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger Institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe

If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services.