Dear Therapist: ‘I’m not able to get these disturbing images out of my head’

I’ve been having repeated thoughts of images that would be classified as inappropriate. This has been happening since many months after I saw some disturbing images in the news. This is really draining my energy and it makes me wonder why I’m not able to get over this. What can I do to solve this problem? — Name Withheld

Dear Writer, I can only imagine how draining and upsetting it must be for you, to have thoughts of inappropriate images intruding on your mind. As disturbing as this might be to you, intrusive thoughts and images of this nature are well known in the mental health field, and they need to be addressed as soon as possible.

Typically, such a problem falls into the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) diagnosis. OCDs are treatable with psychotherapy or a combination of psychotherapy and medication.

You will need to get an assessment by a trained professional psychologist to determine your diagnosis and best approach for treatment. This will definitely help you address the problem.

Got a query about mental health? Email us on wknd@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai