Case Lab · Type E · Boundary

F42

A thought he would never want

Marcus, 26, is deeply distressed by recurrent, intrusive images of pushing a stranger in front of a train while waiting on a station platform. He finds the images horrifying, has never had any actual urge to act on them, and says, 'I would never want to do that, it disgusts me that my mind even produces this — I know it doesn't mean anything about who I am.' He has started avoiding train platforms and performs a silent counting ritual to 'cancel out' the thought whenever it occurs, which brings brief relief.