A person experiencing sexual intrusive thoughts may feel shame, "embarrassment, guilt, distress, torment, fear of acting on the thought or perceived impulse, and doubt about whether they have already acted in such a way."
Suffering can be greater and treatment complicated when intrusive thoughts involve religious implications;[REF] patients may believe the thoughts are inspired by Satan,[REF] and may fear punishment from God or have magnified shame because they perceive themselves as sinful [REF].