 The ignorance and misunderstanding of the general population about OCD, largely as a result of gross misinformation about the disorder, often leads to assumptions that sufferers are criminals or deviants.This can then reinforce the belief in the mind of the sufferer that they really have committed a crime or immoral act, when they have not, or lead to doubts.This causes great distress for an OCD sufferer, and occasionally leads to the sufferer making "confessions" – sometimes to the police – and suicidal thoughts or attempts.