Can I stop my sexual thoughts about children?
Our feelings of sexual attraction can come and go. The same goes for sexual thoughts - they can pop up as sudden impulses and get us to do something we did not expect or do not want to do.
It’s difficult to prevent these feelings. Studies suggest that there is no way to change our sexual orientation.
Talking about being sexually attracted to children can be shameful and difficult. You may therefore experience your sexual thoughts about children as extremely painful, and you may feel lonely. It therefore makes good sense that you would like to “change your thoughts” and be able to think thoughts that others view as acceptable.
While you can’t just change your thoughts, you CAN get help to deal with your sexual thoughts and live a good life without being a danger to yourself or others. This is difficult to do on your own. We therefore recommend that you get support from people around you - your family and closest friends, professionals, and therapists.
How do I talk to my parents about difficult things?
Finding the courage to tell your parents about private and difficult things can be hard - things like having sexual feelings and thoughts about children. But it’s important that you open up about your concerns so that you aren’t alone with them.
How can I get help if I don’t want to talk about it with anyone?
It is understandable if you find it difficult to talk to others about your thoughts. But if you don’t tell anyone about your problems, they can’t help you.