- Date posted
- 1y
Hi! Question: (Religious scrupulosity)
Does anyone ever get confused of what’s an actual conviction versus the OCD instilling fear/ guilt? Sometimes it’s hard for me to discern the difference
Does anyone ever get confused of what’s an actual conviction versus the OCD instilling fear/ guilt? Sometimes it’s hard for me to discern the difference
I struggle with this too OCD is tough with the thoughts...I think it is just something you have to pray on to ask God for clarity, not compulsively of course. I don't believe God is instilling fear and guilt but always good to take it to him in prayer.
I hope this helps. SCRUPULOSITY PURE RELIGION Condemning Ennobling; uplifting Damning Exalting; to help us be like God Critical; demeaning Loving Fear-inducing; afraid of God Peaceful Overwhelming Hopeful Restricting, with focus stuck in the past Conducive to personal and eternal progress Discouraging Uplifting Demanding: “Religious practice must be 100-percent perfect or it’s worthless”; “I must perfect myself” Flexible and forgiving “I am perpetually guilty” “I can be worthy, while not being perfect” “Christ’s Atonement doesn’t apply to me.” “Christ is my Savior, and His Atonement applies to me personally.”
All.The.Time. That’s a Hallmark of Scrupulosity.
Does anyone have any advice for how to know the difference between ocd and real feelings/thoughts? Sometimes an intrusive thought will come in and I immediately know it’s ridiculous and I can just leave it alone and it won’t bother me but other times I really really don’t know. It’s when ocd hijacks and twists my real feelings and thoughts and tries to manipulate me into believing they’re something they’re not or something that doesn’t align with my true morals or intentions. But since it’s twisting and mixing with real feelings I get so confused and scared. Everything gets jumbled and I feel like I can’t trust myself or my own mind. Yet other times and other topics I can laugh off and push away just fine. Make it make sense. And then I start to think well maybe I don’t have ocd at all and I’m just in denial because I don’t want to accept that these scary/concerning things are true about myself. Or maybe that’s just the ocd talking.
I have terrible ocd. Lots of different subtypes but the one that bothers me most is religious ocd. The advice I've been given is to go to only one priest for confession (I'm Catholic) and to listen to his advice. I've been doing that lately and I'm actually taking his advice (like, for example, that if I committed a mortal sin, I'd know for sure.. When there's doubt about whether or not I've done smth wrong, it's likely not mortal and I can recieve communion). I've read that this is good advice for scrupulous ppl. So I'm finally taking his advice but it's so scary! My biggest fear is receiving the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin.. But I need to trust what the priest is telling me. Any other Catholics in this situation? I'm proud of myself for actually taking his advice but it's terrifying at the same time..What if I'm fooling myself and can't admit to myself that I actually did commit a mortal sin, but he sees it as doubt..like, I don't know if I'm doubting I've sinned or if I'm in denial about sinning.. If anyone knows what I mean..I also realize that full will needs to be involved in mortal sin and the presence of doubt is often a sign that even if I did sin, it wasn't fully willful so that's why it's not mortal.. But I'm still unsure and afraid. But that's probably cuz I have ocd and anxiety. Lol.. I'm just wondering if anyone else has been in this situation.. And if it gets easier to listen to your confessor's advice even though it's scary and not what your OCD wants.
I’m a Christian and I’m in my first relationship, often feeling guilty/uncomfortable with various things in relation to sexual purity. I’m struggling to know when things are OCD or genuine conviction. Any advice on how to know?
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