Racism and Racist Themed OCD

Some people with OCD experience unwanted, repetitive, racist thoughts.

In the wake of global Black Lives Matter protests there have been increasing discussions of obsessive thoughts in the area of racism and racist behavior. Despite a lack of representation in the scientific literature, there is evidence that intrusive thoughts about racism do plague a certain number of people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

OCD is a condition that presents in many different ways, so it is no surprise that there are still specific obsessions that are less well known. Some people who suffer from OCD experience unwanted, repetitive, racist thoughts that may be accompanied by fears of being a racist.

Racism and OCD

Racism is rooted in the belief that group of people is superior in humanity than another, based on race. The unfavored group is then viewed as inferior and less than human. People who are racist will often display their racism through discriminatory actions that can be blatant or subtle. In most of the Western world, people recognize racism as negative and will adamantly deny engaging in racist behavior. But the main difference between people partaking in racist actions and people who are suffering from intrusive thoughts about racism, is that racists will falsely deny being racist or take pride in it, while those suffering from OCD will overthink and worry. People with OCD will convince themselves, regardless of any overt racist activity, that they are morally flawed.

OCD is like an overwhelming, repetitive voice in your head trying to convince you that your self worth is tied to your thought patterns and actions, most of which are inadvertent. This voice is a continuous source of anxiety and paranoia and leads to questions such as: Am I racist? Did I do something racist? Do other people know that I am like this? These intrusive thoughts can be followed by compulsive behaviors that appear to help combat the thoughts, but in reality only worsen the symptoms in the long run.

Worries about racial issues may include:

• Fear of using a racial slur
• Fear of accidentally or purposefully causing emotional harm to people of color
• Fear of inability to discern own behavior as racist or not
• Fear/thoughts of being racist and being perceived as racist

These thoughts and fears will cause a person with OCD to obsess that they are racist. There were several experiences described on OCD forums which show how these types of thoughts can be a hindrance to everyday life. One person reported feeling disturbed about typing a word beginning with ‘n’ in fear of potentially typing out a racial slur. They then sat in front of their computer paralyzed by the thought. Another person reported experiencing racist thoughts about their own family and fear about running over their brother with a car due to the color of his skin. Additionally, they explained discomfort at the idea of touching their mother because she was “too dark.” These thoughts gave the person immense emotional discomfort.

Not much research has been done on the obsessions surrounding the ideas of being racist or committing racist actions. There are only two publications in the scientific literature linking racism and OCD and neither discuss obsessive thoughts about being racist. Discussions with those who specialize in treating people with OCD and a review of OCD forums, however, reveal that these thoughts do exist and can plague the people who have them. Some of the obsessive thoughts relating to racism as well as the compulsive actions taken to mitigate those thoughts do, however, resemble discriminatory behavior.

Intrusive discriminatory thoughts may include:

• Fear of being around or of touching people of color
• Afraid to be related to a person of color
• Thoughts that people of color are “evil” or “out to get me”
• Thoughts of harming people of color
• Thoughts of racist stereotypes

A person who has the repetitive thought that they cannot touch people of color might stay away from them for this reason. Avoiding a person due to skin color in its own would be a racist act, but in the case of this type of obsession it is the OCD which is driving the behavior, and not the person's morals.

Some people experiencing these thoughts may instead feel a need to be kinder to people of color or speak to more people of color to convince themselves they are not racist. One person online also described feeling the need to watch atrocities happening to people of color in order to "cure" themselves of the thoughts. Although some behaviors may seem positive or even helpful, others may manifest as pathological. In either case, giving into any obsession only strengthens the disorders hold, such behavior will worsen the OCD if performed ritualistically.

While the responses and thoughts may differ from person to person, one thing seems common for each experience — there is self-loathing and discomfort caused by the intrusive racist thoughts that a sufferer cannot stop thinking about.

Getting Help for Racially-Themed OCD

As stated prior, while there is a dearth of information on this burgeoning form of the OCD, it is increasingly obvious to clinicians who see people day to day, that this obsession is increasing in light of worldwide events. OCD has a tendency to latch on to things that people most care about, so it can manifest in many different forms, even if the underlying mechanisms of each obsession is the same.

It has only been in the last ten years that sexual obsessions have gained any kind of widespread acknowledgement, so in light of racism and discrimination being more prevalent in the news, this form of OCD is likely to grow and become better recognized. OCD in any form is easy for a trained expert to recognize, but sadly these lesser known obsessions are often widely misunderstood, even by mental health professionals.

Contact an OCD Expert

Monnica Williams, Ph.D., & Imani Faber