Woman convinced she was a pedophile before diagnosis recalls moment that triggered her thoughts

Warning: This article contains themes of OCD pertaining to intrusive thoughts about children, which some may find triggering.

A woman has opened up about the moment she questioned whether she was a pedophile, after being diagnosed with a form of OCD that gave her intrusive thoughts about being attracted to children.

Molly Lambert appeared on ITV's morning talkshow This Morning, to raise awareness about the ways in which different forms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, commonly known as OCD, can present themselves.

The 22-year-old was just a teenager when she first questioned her intrusive thoughts, which included having, what she thought was, uncontrollable and unwanted thoughts of children in sexual ways.

It was only several years later, after breaking down in tears to her parents over the torment, that she was finally diagnosed with a sub-type of OCD, known as P-ODC - Pedophilia-themed Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Molly began experiencing the intrusive thoughts as a teenager. (ITV)

The most critical difference between actual pedophilia and POCD is that the thoughts are ego-dystonic - meaning that they go completely against the person's core values, identity, and desires.

Molly opened up about the first triggering moment that the thoughts occurred, while she was at an airport preparing to go through security.

"I saw a little girl and I thought 'oh her outfit is quite inappropriate for a child to be wearing'," she admitted.

The 22-year-old went onto explain her thought process, as she questioned whether she 'fancied' the girl, or was looking at her in a certain 'way'.

She added: "That whole vacation I was on the beach, and I was like 'oh my gosh why am I thinking this?'

"Once you've had that 'I'm a pedophile' thought, for someone with OCD that's like, I've thought that and it must mean something."

Molly admitted: “I couldn't eat. I lost so much weight. I wasn't sleeping.

She opened up about the toll it has taken on her life. (ITV)

"I was so terrified to be alone because obviously when you're alone, you know, the thoughts get worse."

Speaking about the moment she opened up to her parents about the thoughts she had been battling, she added: "Obviously, they didn't know what I was talking about.

"I was quite distressed and um, they got me therapy pretty quickly. I mean, I was quite reluctant to go.

"I was just terrified. I thought if I admit this and say the word pedophile, it's going to be I'm going to police will be there and whatever. And my therapist was just amazing."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123 or contact Harmless by visiting their website https://harmless.org.uk.

Alternatively, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is there to support you. They're open from 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year. Their national number is 0800 58 58 58 and they also have a webchat service if you're not comfortable talking on the phone.