Woman with condition that made her think she was paedophile shares when she realised something was wrong
Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.
A woman who thought she was 'going insane' after believing she might be a paedophile has realised the moment she knew something was wrong.
Molly Lambert was just 14 when she started having thoughts that scared her, and it wasn't until much later in life when she received the diagnosis which finally explained where those thoughts were coming from.
She was left with suicidal thoughts at times as she began to spiral until her diagnosis with Paedophilic Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, a sub-type of OCD where a person experiences distressing, intrusive thoughts, mental images, or urges about being attracted to children, despite having no genuine desire or intent to act on them.
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Now, in a new interview with the BBC as part of their 'It Happened To Me' series, the 22-year-old has explained the first time her disorder began to prevent itself, and her reaction to the shocking news.
She said: "I was in an airport when I was 14 going on a family holiday. I was completely behind before this. I obviously had some anxiety and obsessions but never anything that really scared me.
"I was in the airport and saw a little girl in the baggage area and I thought 'her outfit is quite promiscuous or a bit of a weird outfit for a child to wear'.
"And then I went 'oh, why have I thought that? Is it really inappropriate of me to think that? Do I fancy her? Why am I looking at her in that way? What does that mean about me? It must mean something'. So the rest of the holiday I was obviously just ruminating over it. I was looking at kids on beaches and going 'do you fancy them?'
"I obviously didn't believe that it was normal. I thought I was going insane."
For years, Molly suffered in silence, believing OCD was 'cleaning and tidying', until she saw a TikTok in 2021 in which a girl explained having similar symptoms to hers.
In another interview, she said: "The shame was overwhelming, I felt like a monster. I couldn’t even tell anyone what I was going through."
Recalling the moment she learnt about the diagnosis, she said that a huge weight was lifted off her shoulders, and after a chat with her parents and some health care professionals, she received an official diagnosis in July 2025.
After the years of silence which had a hugely detrimental impact on her mental health, Molly now shares more about POCD on her social media in the hope of educating others and potentially saving the lives of others who have the same condition.
"I get a lot of hate, but this conversation is so important for the people suffering in silence," she added.
"The scariest part is how many people might not be here anymore because of this. I remember thinking I’d be 50 and never escape these thoughts, or I would be dead.
"Always talk to someone, once you understand what it is, you realise it’s not you. It’s OCD."
You can watch the BBC's full episode with Molly on iPlayer.
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.
Topics: Mental Health, BBC
James Moorhouse