- Date posted
- 47w
- Date posted
- 45w
My main theme is religions ocd- I don't know your thoughts but what has comforted me is knowing that Christ already knows our thoughts (Luke 6:8). I have spent a lot of time in my disturbance and questioning if I was really obedient to God because of my thoughts and in a horrible and fearful cycle to the point where nothing made sense and I was begging God to show me the way out. God knows all of this, and NOTHING happens that does not first pass through His hand. Rest in His grace and His faithfulness, and know that His thoughts towards you are always good and that of a good Father. Our thoughts and feelings pass by the hour, but God's word and character are eternal and a solid defense of truth, and His forgiveness is always there for us to transform and help us - He guides us in our suffering and in our surrender. đ
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 47w
Thank you so much for sharing this. What youâre describing resonates deeply with how OCD can hijack our thoughts and twist them in ways that feel disturbing or even morally confusing. Youâre not alone in this. Many people with OCDâespecially those with religious or moral themes (sometimes called scrupulosity)âexperience this exact kind of intrusive thought pattern, where a fleeting or even unwanted thought feels like a prayer or a wish being sent out to the universe or to God. Itâs important to remember that OCD latches onto what matters most to usâour values, our sense of right and wrongâand then spins those things into intrusive loops that feel meaningful or dangerous, even when theyâre not. The fact that youâre distressed by these thoughts says a lot about your character and your actual desires, which are very different from the intrusive thoughts OCD throws your way. Youâre not your thoughts, and youâre certainly not your OCD. Itâs okay to have compassion for yourself in these moments. Youâre doing your best in a really tough mental battle, and that takes strength.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 47w
@Anonymoususer26251 Thanks for sharing thatâwhat youâre describing is a common way OCD operates, especially in moral or religious themes. The mind creates these âwhat ifâ scenariosâlike, what if I had zero moral responsibilityâand then takes a thought that feels neutral or hypothetical and twists it into something that feels intentional, like a wish or a prayer. This is exactly the kind of mental trap OCD sets: turning passive thoughts or imagined situations into things that feel like active choices. Itâs not about your actual intent; itâs about how OCD blurs the lines between thought, desire, and action in a way that creates guilt or fear. Itâs important to remember that having a thought like âIâd be okay with this happening if I werenât responsibleâ doesnât mean youâre hoping for harm or making a real spiritual request. OCD thrives on ambiguity and creates distress by convincing you that these thoughts have more meaning or consequence than they really do. Youâre not alone in this, and many people with OCD experience this kind of thinking. It can be deeply unsettling, but itâs part of the conditionânot a reflection of your values or beliefs.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 47w
@Anonymoususer26251 That makes a lot of sense, and it really reflects how OCD can create vicious cycles. Itâs common for people with OCD to feel intense guilt over things theyâve thought or done in the past, even when those things werenât actually wrong or were driven by the OCD itself. That guilt can build up and lead to exhaustion, hopelessness, or thoughts like âmaybe it would just be easier if something happened and I didnât have to deal with this anymoreââwhich OCD can then twist into another intrusive thought or âprayer.â The important thing to remember is that this cycleâguilt, rumination, intrusive thoughts, more guiltâis exactly how OCD keeps its grip. Youâre not doing anything wrong by having these thoughts, and the fact that youâre distressed by them shows they go against your true values. Itâs okay to feel worn down by it. But youâre not alone in this experience, and the thoughts themselves donât define who you are. Theyâre symptomsânot truths.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 47w
@Anonymoususer26251 Thanks for being so honestâwhat youâre describing is actually a very common theme in OCD, especially when it involves moral dilemmas or âgreater goodâ scenarios. OCD loves to latch onto high-stakes, emotionally charged topics and push people into extreme, black-and-white thinking. It can make intrusive thoughts feel like moral imperatives, especially when thereâs a sense of responsibility or pressure to prevent harm. The thought process you mentionedâwhere OCD suggests a harmful action in order to prevent something worseâis a classic example of how it distorts reasoning. Itâs not that you want harm to come to anyone; itâs that OCD presents it as the âlesser evilâ and then convinces you that you agreed with it or even acted on it in some way. This can be incredibly distressing and can lead to feeling desensitized, not because your values have changed, but because OCD keeps pushing those same buttons over and over again. That emotional fatigue is part of the cycleâand itâs something many people with OCD struggle with. Itâs important to recognize that having these thoughts, even repeatedly, doesnât make them true or reflective of your character. Theyâre symptoms, and they donât define you.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 45w
@Anonymoususer26251 Thank you so much for your honesty in sharing thisâitâs incredibly brave to talk about experiences that feel so tangled and painful. What youâre describing is actually very characteristic of OCD, especially when it gets wrapped up in guilt, responsibility, and intrusive moral fears. OCD often creates these chains of logic that sound completely convincing in the moment but are actually designed to trap you in endless cycles of shame, fear, and self-punishment. Itâs important to remember that thoughts are not actions. The distress you felt (and still feel) shows that these thoughts go against your true values. OCD doesnât care about whatâs rational or fairâit weaponizes your guilt and your empathy against you. It tells you that you have to somehow account for every thought, every possible outcome, every ounce of guilt. But you donât. The regret you described after the intrusive prayer isnât proof that youâre a bad personâitâs another example of how OCD turns normal human emotion (guilt, pain, grief) into something unbearable by demanding total moral certainty where none exists. Youâre still youâsomeone who clearly cares deeply about doing whatâs rightâand OCD is trying to use that against you. If you havenât already, working with a therapist who really understands moral scrupulosity and real event OCD could help you heal from this in a way that respects your values without feeding the cycle of self-punishment. You deserve peace, and you deserve to see yourself with compassion, not just through the lens of OCDâs distortions. Youâre not alone in thisâthere is hope, and there is a way forward. Thank you again for trusting us with your story. It takes so much strength to be this honest.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 45w
@Anonymoususer26251 Thank you for explaining thatâit really shows how deeply youâre thinking about this. What youâre describing makes a lot of sense in the way OCD twists logic. Itâs not about hate; itâs about your brain desperately trying to find a way to stop the constant cycle of guilt, criticism, and anxiety. OCD doesnât offer real solutionsâit offers traps that make you feel even worse. The fact that you can recognize the distortion now is a huge sign of your insight and your values. Youâre clearly not someone who believes or wants those thingsâyou're someone whoâs been stuck in an exhausting mental battle, and you're working hard to untangle yourself from it. Thatâs something to be proud of, even when it feels messy. Youâre not alone in thisâand you can heal from it.
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 45w
@Anonymoususer26251 Thank you for sharing all of thisâit really shows how much youâre trying to work through an incredibly painful and complicated situation. What youâre describing sounds a lot like how OCD worksâit pulls you into endless, impossible moral âtestsâ that only make you feel more trapped and isolated. These thoughts and fears arenât a reflection of who you are. Iâm signing off for the night, but Iâm wishing you well. Iâm not always active on the forum due to my clinical hours, but this is a supportive space, and I hope youâll keep reaching out here in this community when you need encouragement. Youâre not alone in this.
- Date posted
- 45w
I have something similar where if I have thoughts like I hope a plane crashes into my house when Iâm depressed and Iâll then be like nonono and start praying that the plane wonât crash into my house and that Iâll be ok
- User type
- Therapist
- Date posted
- 45w
Thank you for sharing thatâyouâre definitely not alone. What youâre describing is really common in OCD, especially when it latches onto harm fears or magical thinking. Having a thought like "what if something bad happens" and then feeling the urge to pray or mentally "undo" it is a classic compulsion. Itâs your brain trying to neutralize the fear and regain a sense of safety, even though the thought itself isnât dangerous or meaningful. Itâs exhausting when OCD puts that kind of pressure on you, but the fact that you can recognize the pattern is a really important step forward. I'm heading offline for the night, but Iâm glad you shared this. Even if Iâm not always here due to my clinical hours, this community is a great place to find encouragement and support. You're not alone in what you're facing.
- Date posted
- 45w
In high school, I used to address all my diary entries to g-d. Good, bad, wishes, wants, poems. Idk why, because I wasnât super religious (never have been tbh) and my OCD is mostly existential and morality-oriented. I found the diary recently and burned it because a) it was embarrassing, b) it no longer resonated with me, and c) it was all between me and g-d anyway. This became a sort of ritual for me, so that I take journal entries that I know Iâve recorded intrusive thoughts in, and put them in a little binder until the next time I feel too overburdened by the thoughts. (I save the journal entries that feel like me though.) Then I use the folded paper for kindling to start a fire (with fire safety precautions taken and tools at hand!) and âgive them back to g-dâ who I feel will know they donât belong to me. The wood ash from my fires are good for my sunflowersâ soil, so I even get to be a bit productive when I do this and hope to have a metaphorical phoenix rising from the ashes of my sorrows when the flowers bloom. All this to say, I think g-d knows your true prayers from your intrusive thoughts and when you give those up to g-d, he probably hears you and is paving a path to relieve you of them.
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