Molly Lambert, 22, shared how she lives with Pure O obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a form where compulsions are mainly mental rather than physical.
As a teenager, she experienced intrusive sexual and violent thoughts that made her fear she was a danger to others.
After seeing a TikTok video about P-OCD – the paedophilic theme within OCD involving unwanted sexual thoughts or images about children – Molly was finally diagnosed in August 2025.
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Molly Lambert, 22, developed intrusive sexual and violent thoughts as a teenager (Image: William Lailey / SWNS)
She stresses that P-OCD is not paedophilia and chose to share her story to help others suffering in silence.
Since speaking out, she has received messages from people of all ages who have never told anyone about their intrusive thoughts. Many described years of fear, shame, and isolation, she said.
Molly, a digital PR worker and mental health advocate from Deansgate, Manchester, said: “The response has been overwhelming. People say they’ve been crying, that they’ve felt like this for years and never told anyone.
“Parents have reached out saying they have obsessions about harming their children. Some people said they ended up in psychiatric wards or tried to take their own lives.”
She believes the taboo nature of these thoughts makes them more dangerous.
She said: “People don’t talk about it, and that makes it worse. Some messages are from people in their 50s who have been silently suffering their whole lives.
“It shows how common and hidden it is.”
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Molly Lambert, 22 (Image: William Lailey / SWNS)
Molly explained that her OCD caused her to obsess over themes including harm, morality, sexuality, and existence.
She said: “It’s not being a paedophile – it’s that these thoughts exist and your brain latches onto them. OCD is all about uncertainty. It tells you ‘what if?’ and you can’t prove it wrong.”
She described how different themes felt like “the same lie in a different disguise.”
The thoughts themselves were distressing, but she emphasised they never reflected her intentions or desires.
Unlike some forms of OCD that involve physical rituals, Molly’s compulsions were internal.
Molly said: “I would replay thoughts, overanalyse everything, check comments, and second guess myself constantly. You feel like you can’t relax.”
She explained the cycle – resisting compulsions causes anxiety spikes, but giving in only strengthens the pattern.
Even now, stress or fatigue can make the thoughts feel stronger.
For years, she felt trapped in what she calls “dark spirals” of shame.
She said: “You think you’re a monster, that you don’t deserve to exist. The shame is in how you see yourself. Even years later, that feeling can linger.”
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Molly Lambert, 22 (Image: William Lailey / SWNS)
She believes OCD can be especially damaging during adolescence.
“When you’re figuring out who you are, OCD attacks everything and makes you question your identity.”
Her recovery has not been straightforward.
She first had therapy in 2023, which helped temporarily, but by 2024 her panic attacks worsened, leading her to try hypnotherapy. She was formally diagnosed in 2025.
Molly said: “The aftermath of recovery is awful, the shame is still there, just quieter. You have to deal with ongoing feelings.”
She found that speaking openly was a turning point.
“Externalising it helped the most. For years I avoided talking about it, but once I did, it felt like the air cleared,” she said.
Molly also believes stigma may be even stronger for men.
She said: “If I was a man, I’d be terrified to open up. OCD doesn’t pick gender, but men may fear being judged or accused. That’s why awareness matters – it’s not about desire or intent.”
Despite her intentions, going public has led to abuse.
She said: “I’ve been called a ‘nonce’ and told to die. I had to delete Facebook, and my mum helps manage messages.
“If people understood traditional OCD, they’d see the same patterns in other forms. Reactions can push sufferers further into themselves, and that’s why it’s dangerous.
“Intrusive thoughts can appear suddenly and feel vivid, I could be thinking about breakfast and suddenly imagine being stabbed. OCD sticks – it’s a brain pattern.”
Pure O is particularly challenging because everything happens internally.
She said: “It feels real, even when you logically know it’s not. It’s exhausting and relentless.”
Over time, Molly has learned to sit with the thoughts rather than engage with them.
She said: “I observe them and recognise the pattern. You have to label it so it loses power. People want it to stop immediately, but understanding it is the only way.
“That’s the advice I share those who reach out to me.
“It gives people permission to step back and realise it’s their brain – not them being a monster.”
Despite ongoing struggles, she remains determined to help others.
Molly said: “People have sought help, got diagnosed, or realised they’re not alone after hearing my story. That’s what matters.
“I wish I had earlier awareness, it could have saved me years of suffering. People message me saying they thought they were the only ones.
“It’s heart breaking, but it shows how vital it is to talk about it.”
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Molly Lambert, when she was younger (Image: William Lailey / SWNS)
Molly still experiences intrusive thoughts daily and says there is no simple fix.
She said: “They’re the same lie in a different disguise, but recognising the pattern helps me manage them.”
She emphasises that OCD can affect anyone.
Molly said: “If even one person reaches out for help because of my story, it’s worth it. The response shows how many people are silently struggling – and how important it is to break that silence.”
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