I'm Aaid That I'm Gay | Psychology Today

Contents:

• I'M AAID THAT I'M GAY
• HOCD – HOMOSEXUAL OCD OR THE FEAR OF BEG GAY
• MEET THE STRAIGHT MEN WHO ARE TERRIFIED THEY ARE GAY
• HOW DO I KNOW I’M NOT REALLY GAY/STRAIGHT?
• 'HOMOSEXUAL OCD': STRAIGHT MEN WHO SPECT THEY ARE GAY

I'M AAID THAT I'M GAY

Homosexual Obssive-Compulsive Disorr (HOCD) is tegorized by tsive thoughts revolvg around one’s sexual orientatn. A straight person worri whether they might actually be gay even though they haven’t doubted their sexual orientatn the past.

HOCD – HOMOSEXUAL OCD OR THE FEAR OF BEG GAY

They may thk that talkg wh a gay person will make them act out by triggerg their own latent homosexual tennci. Sometim, HOCD sufferers are so sure they are gay that they actually “out” themselv and beg homosexual relatnships. Where a tly gay person obtas happs and relief the act of revealg their homosexual orientatn, HOCD people who “e out” ntue to doubt their sexualy.

As wh tradnal OCD, people who are affected by this ternalized homophobia engage ruals to help them alleviate their anxiety and prove to themselv that they are tly straight.

MEET THE STRAIGHT MEN WHO ARE TERRIFIED THEY ARE GAY

When around lbians or gay men, they might check their bodi for aroal or qutn if they are attracted to the person. They might also perform washg ruals if they are around a gay person, may act overtly to assure themselv of their sexual orientatn, or may even blatantly act out agast gay people orr to prove they are straight. Addnally, HOCD sufferers might avoid physil ntact or beg alone wh gay people and may even rry this behavr to shunng same-sex public rtrooms or not eatg public se the food was prepared by a gay person.

Durg therapy ssns the patient fac the suatns that trigger their obssns orr to learn how to al wh their ternalized homophobia and rce their fixatn.

HOW DO I KNOW I’M NOT REALLY GAY/STRAIGHT?

If they don’t, they may unsel the person to help them accept their homosexualy which will only aggravate the person’s HOCD symptoms.

If HOCD has left you stgglg wh relentls qutns about your sexual inty, HOCD: Everythg You Didn’t Know – A Primer for Unrstandg & Overg Homosexual Obssive Compulsive Disorr, a book by Dr. People who experience homosexual OCD may experience obssns surroundg the uncertaty of their attractn or potential attractn to people of their same genr.

In the past, some have ed the term “Homosexual OCD” to refer to them wh Sexual Orientatn OCD that volve doubts or tsive thoughts about attractn to people of the same genr, ntrary to one’s own inty. People who experience homosexual them Sexual Orientatn OCD may experience obssns surroundg the uncertaty of their attractn or potential attractn to people of their same genr. Homosexual OCD do not mean that someone is aaid of beg attracted to people of the same genr, but rather that they are aaid of the uncertaty they feel about their own inty and sir.

'HOMOSEXUAL OCD': STRAIGHT MEN WHO SPECT THEY ARE GAY

Someone wh homosexual them Sexual Orientatn OCD is not necsarily aaid of havg one sexual orientatn or another; rather, their abily to feel sure of their own sexualy and inty signifint distrs.

Guilt or shame n pop up for someone wh homosexual OCD if they are a heterosexual relatnship and feel rponsible for potentially wastg their partner’s time or g them grief if they e to the realizatn down the le they are fact gay, lbian, or queer. Homosexual them Sexual Orientatn OCD n lead people to overanalyze unwanted physil sensatns they experience rponse to stimuli om the same genr, and terpretg this sensatn to be a “sign” that they actually are nial of their sexualy.

When people wh fear of beg gay experience tsive thoughts, imag, feelgs, or urg that e distrs, they may engage pulsns, both physil and mental. There are many gay men who say "I'm not part of the scene" -- men who hate gay bars and, prumably, crowds of queer people general.