An interesting article by Dr. Marcus Squirrell on Sexual Orientation-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (SO-OCD) PART 1

1. What If I Am Gay? Understanding Sexual Orientation-Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder (SO-OCD)
Part 1: What is SO-OCD and what are the symptoms?
Presented by Dr. Marcus Squirrell
Edited by Ms. Stephanie Dias
SO-OCD is an interesting and perplexing condition that I have successfully treated in
recent years. Unfortunately one that is all too often misdiagnosed by well meaning
therapists and can lead to patients experiencing further confusion and delaying their
recovery. Hence, I have prepared a short 2 part article on the condition may provide
some more information on what clinicians may encounter.
What is SO-OCD?
SO-OCD is a subtype of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder characterized by an intense fear
of being or becoming gay. It comprises of an unacceptable thoughts component where
the individual has unwanted thoughts about the same sex activities. These are different
from fantasies as SO-OCD provokes distress. The distress is caused due to incongruence
‘ego-dystonic’ thoughts.
What are the symptoms?
Individuals may experience common consequences such as intense anxiety, disgust,
anger and guilt in relation to the fear of being LGBT or one day discovering that they are
and some how have been repressed this. They may also display avoidant behaviour
pursued to reduce feelings of threat, to prove they are not LGBT.

2. In the case of males, although these men are not attracted to other men, they may look
at gay porn and other men to test their sexual interest in other males. This form of
checking behaviour can be a way of the men assessing their level of sexual arousal and
can reduce their anxiety in the short-term when they do not show a sexual response or
interest to these images.
How Common is SO-OCD?
SO-OCD is most commonly diagnosed in males. Lifetime rates for SO-OCD are reported
at 9.9% to 11.9% amongst research and treatment seeking populations (Williams &
Farris, 2011).
Common misdiagnosis of SO-OCD
SO-OCD is very different from internalized homophobia. There is a common
misdiagnosis amongst inexperienced clinicians with little experience with Obsessive
Compulsive Disorder or LGBT. A study conducted by Glazier et al. (2013) found 77% of a
clinical mental health practitioner cohort incorrectly diagnosed patients presenting with
SO-OCD.
Differences between SO-OCD and ‘Coming Out’
PART 2 of this article will discuss the treatment of SO-OCD...