Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by unwanted thoughts, images or impulses recurring in a persistent manner that lead to behaviors or compulsions aimed at alleviating the anxiety of having the obsessions. The Stanford University School of Medicine explains that morbid themes of aggression and violence targeted at sexual ideation or harm to self and others occur in a significant number of OCD sufferers. Symptoms of aggression are rarely acted upon in the vile manner in which they exist in the mind. Compulsions related to aggressive obsession are converted into acts of checking, counting or other non-harmful means to alleviate anxiety.
Fear of Self-Harm
Harm obsessions come in the form of fear of hurting oneself. The International OCD Foundation explains that these obsessions may involve mental images of self-mutilation such as cutting flesh with specific objects like ice picks, knives or broken bottles or of throwing oneself in front of traffic. The self-harm symptom consumes the person and The Stanford University School of Medicine notes this could occur as a means for the person having guilt, doubt or dread over an event. Recurrent thoughts questioning what might happen if he cut himself increases anxiety and the urge to engage in a compulsion to abolish the fear of self-harm. The fear of acting upon the impulse becomes so strong that something must be done. However, the actual harming act is typically not the engaged compulsion.
Aggressive Sexual Images
The Mayo Clinic notes that sexually based obsessions come in the form of replaying sexual images in the mind that can progress to specific thoughts of sexual violence such as assault or touching a child inappropriately. The website Living Anxious explains that the aggressive sexual images may have significance for the person with OCD that is attached to sexual confusion causing distress and the unwanted, intrusive sexual thoughts. Intense guilt and shame are associated with sexually aggressive thoughts and the possibility of acting upon the sexual obsession is low because the person with OCD is essentially attempting to prevent the thoughts from becoming reality.
Fear of Causing Harm
Intrusive and violent thoughts about causing accidental or intended harm to others is an aggressive symptom of OCD. The website Understanding OCD explains that fear of harming loved ones is more intense the closer the loved one is to the person with OCD. Harmful images of stabbing a parent or killing a sibling can consume the thoughts of the sufferer. By the same token, fear of harm to strangers also consumes thoughts. This includes feeling responsible for a building fire due to not shutting off the oven or dropping something on the ground that a person may slip on. In some cases, images of running a pedestrian over with a car persist in the thoughts of a person with OCD. Although the acts do not take place, the person with OCD worries that he may do something in the course of the day that causes another person harm.
Aggression Prevention
The person with OCD symptoms of aggression often takes precautions to prevent the aggressive acts thought about from actually happening. The Living Anxious website explains this may come in the form of hiding or locking away kitchen knives to prevent stabbing a family member. The intrusive thoughts induce so much fear in the person with OCD that she often tries to be proactive against potential violent behaviors by counteracting the obsessive thoughts. Although the intent for preventing aggressive acts is plausible, the cycle of aggressive thoughts perpetuates the anxiety and irrational behaviors of hiding knives or refusing to drive the car, which ultimately increases the obsessions.
