Being a Catholic/Christian with OCD

Does anyone struggle with opening up to God because of their OCD? My mom is a born again Christian and I recently started to go to her church with her. I was raised Catholic, but I was never really a practicing Catholic. Recently I have been so down in life and I feel like the only way out of this is through God. My mom said to me today that I have tried different treatments for many years and none have worked, but I still haven’t given God a real chance. I just feel fake if I’m going to God because of my problems. I think I’m afraid that if I open to God and don’t get better I will spiral even worse. I think my mind definitely can go down a path of magical thinking and I don’t want to think God is the answer and will solve all of my problems because I know that’s not realistic either. I just want to get better, but feel very conflicted. I have these fears because I have suffered from magical thinking for a long time. Sometimes it’s not so present in my life and sometimes it is very. It’s hard for me to tell when I’m not doing it and sometimes I’m aware if I am or not. For example I have been obsessing over a certain number lately. It’s been driving me insane. I’m afraid that God will think I’m not good enough to be helped.

Username: Anonymous 99Anonymous 99

Date posted: 1y ago

Hey, I am a christian and for me my personal relationship with God has been the one thing that has sustained me through this struggle with OCD. He has healed a lot of different struggles that I have had mentally/emotionally, and has been my rock as I do ERP. I think it’s healthy to go to God the way you would a friend and tell him about your struggles and fears, while continuing to work on recovery. ❤️🙏🏻

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

Thank you for sharing. I feel like I definitely need God in my life as well. I go back and forth with the idea because I also wasn’t raised with God in the picture so much, but I feel a sense of peace when I pray and go to church. I know that ERP is proven to be the best treatment for OCD, but I think maybe God might be the best treatment for all things in life if you really allow him in. I have to not give into any magical thinking or compulsions to the best of my ability. I’ve tried ERP in the past and it was helpful to an extent. I just started NOCD a few weeks ago and it just isn’t clicking the same way as my old therapist did for me. But either way I think a relationship with God is important to me. Again thanks for sharing!

Username: ocdgirl123ocdgirl123

Date posted: 1y ago

having faith is important (if one wants it!) but what really helps ocd is erp. if an intrusive thought pops up, say “i don’t need to analyze it” and try your best to move on. it’s hard but it’s the only thing that works. resisting compulsions is the only thing that helps from what i’ve seen. i’m not religious either but in the height of my ocd, i was using praying compulsions like crazy and every intrusive thought was a “sign from god” so maybe i’m biased against it but it really only made me worse

Username: ocdgirl123ocdgirl123

Date posted: 1y ago

@ocdgirl123 but using god in a compulsive way and having faith is different!!! the commenter above said to think of god as a friend to speak to and that was much healthier than what i was using it for! just keep the slippery slope of magical thinking in mind and stick to your erp!

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 1y ago

Keep the faith, trust in God and get to know him at your own pace. It’s made such a positive impact on my life since I have. I started reading a book called Seven Principles of Spiritual Warefare by Troy Dean Albano and it was very eye opening for me. It’s lead me to start reading the Bible. I wouldn’t make it in this life without God carrying me through these times.

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

My OCD is religious, Christian. I am terrified of not being worthy, haunted by memories of past sins, scared of Hell for myself and everyone I love. Prozac helps. Mine is extreme so am also on Seroquel but you might not need that. Really looking forward to getting Christian counseling with a pro who can guide me through faith (which does have challenges) without losing perspective to OCD. Maybe give Christian counseling a try!

Username: AnonymousAnonymous

Date posted: 1y ago

Thank you both for sharing your personal experiences. It’s really helpful. 💜

Username: roses_are_rosé

Date posted: 5y ago

RELIGIOUS I’m scared of God and I’m keeping a safe distance. I’m not leaving him completely I’m just talking to him from far away. If I get too close to him I’ll end up getting hurt. Just because I’m scared of him doesn’t mean I don’t love him either. I want to talk to him but ocd is saying I can’t because I’ve done too many problematic things and he’s judging me for it. So I’m avoiding praying as much as I can. This is painful. I really wish I would’ve come to find God when I was older and I wouldn’t have to question everything he did. I’d just go along with it because I would understand that I have to. Ocd really just fucks Up the idea of God. Completely. It says he’s sending me to hell anyway despite me believing he died and is coming back. It says hes sending me to hell because I’m too problematic. And it says he’s ignoring my prayers because he’s pissed with me. I want Gods attention but not that much attention because then he will see it as a chance to hurt me and call it “ a test of faith.” I even prayed to Mary and asked her to tell God what I need to tell him. Idk how praying to Mary works but I just trusted she told him. I sound so stupid but I’m lost and I just want to leave this alone until I need it. Because this isn’t healthy but I’m scared to make it healthy

Religion & Spirituality OCD

Username: Andrewspriggs

Date posted: 4y ago

I've struggled with anxiety, depression, and insomnia since I was a young teen and am currently struggling with what seems like scrupulosity (for the past few months I've been fighting with thoughts and feelings that I'm not saved or not good enough to be a Christian and it keeps me up all night half the time). I desperately want help but I'm afraid that I'm just seeking a diagnosis to blame my shortcomings on something other than myself or that going to a therapist would prove that I can't trust in God and go to him first. And the truth is I truly haven't been a good christian and there are many sins I still haven't totally faced and overcome yet and I'm not sure if I ever will be able to. I just don't know how I KNOW if I'm really the problem or if it is OCD. And I'm not looking for reassurance but maybe I am? I just don't know... if it is OCD it also feels like my "obsessions" are constantly morphing and changing and I can't keep up with them. Like I'll go from having existential thoughts to questioning my belief in God to feeling like I'm gonna turn into a creep or lose my mind or turn evil in some way. I'm just so exhausted and need help. I want to be able to turn to Jesus for help but I don't always know how to... I have faith that things will eventually turn out OK but then as soon as a feel secure in that the anxiety and doubt comes back. And even as I'm typing this I'm having thoughts like "its not that bad you just need to toughen up and be patient" and I know that's true but I just feel so alone and like I can't talk to anyone about this and if I do it'll all prove to be true. And as I write this I wonder if I made up all of these thoughts and feelings because I read online and on here about OCD and I'm trying to fit myself into it as an excuse to avoid my real problems... which might just be perfectly true but even if it is I don't know how to fix those problems??? I just want to get out of this loop and be a better person. I don't know if posting this will help. Maybe its even a compulsion in itself. I just want to understand... how do I know if its OCD or if I'm being convicted? Or both?

Religion & Spirituality OCD

Username: BeachedMermaid

Date posted: 3y ago

Does anyone think OCD makes it hard to be spiritual. I’ve slowly become a Christian over the years. And it really makes sense to me. It aligns with my personality, and beliefs I’ve had before I was even religious. The doubts I have aren’t rational doubts. They’re telling me I’m delusional, immature, and crazy. They’re thoughts targeted at me, basically that I’m being stupid. And since one of my fears is going crazy, I’m worried I’ve gone crazy and come to a spiritual conclusion because I’m insane. It’s frustrating because it makes kind me of unable to further my relationship with God. I also have existential OCD, and I’m afraid that’s why I believe in God. But my OCD makes me feel like if I don’t have all the answers that it’s not ok, but I know I can never have all the answers.

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