What does religion say about OCD?

People with religious OCD strongly believe in and fear punishment from a divine being or deity. Experts estimate that anywhere between 5% and 33% of people with OCD may experience scrupulosity and the number likely rises to between 50% and 60% in OCD sufferers who come from within very strict religious cultures.
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What God says about OCD?

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
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Are religious people more likely to have OCD?

The findings that religious people may develop more religious symptoms of OCD and that OCD may be more severe in patients who are highly religious (Steketee et al.
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How do religious people live with OCD?

Treatments include:
  1. Exposure Response Prevention Therapy – The individual exposes oneself to the fear repeatedly without acting out compulsions. ...
  2. Mindfulness – OCD-based fears are anticipatory. ...
  3. CBT – Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches individuals to pinpoint and understand negative behavior.
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Why would God allow me to have OCD?

Luther says that God allows OCD in order to cure us of “righteousness and presumption.” That means, essentially, to cure us of too much boldness in what we claim for ourselves. We think we ought to be able to control our circumstances so that bad things never happen to us.
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Scrupulosity: What Is Religious OCD?



Is OCD a sin?

Obsessions are not sinful. They are not kept in mind by choice. This distinction between desire and fear becomes most difficult to make with obsessional urges. An OCD sufferer with homosexual obsessions, for instance, may experience a sudden impulse to touch a same-sex person in a sexual way.
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How do you pray with OCD?

Prayer for OCD

I will not let this illness separate me from the love of You, Jesus Christ. Though I face this affliction, You say that I am more than a conqueror through You who loves me. So, Jesus, grant me peace from this constantly imposed burden, that I may find solace at the foot of Your life-giving cross. Amen.
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How does OCD affect faith?

Some kids with OCD develop obsessions about religion or God. They may become extremely anxious that they might break religious rules or offend God and they fixate on avoiding or correcting mistakes. They worry so much that their fear gets in the way of daily life.
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What Islam says about OCD?

Muslims believe that Satan plays role in the development of obsessions in some individuals, who are susceptible to OCD.
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Can Praying be OCD?

Scrupulosity is a rare form of obsessive compulsive disorder focused on prayers, rituals or thoughts rather than the more common germ-phobia and compulsive hand washing.
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Can religion make OCD worse?

In the United States, a 2002 study suggested 33% of people with OCD have religious obsessions or compulsions. More religious countries such as Egypt seem to have even higher rates of scrupulosity, with up to 60% of OCD cases involving religious themes.
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Does Catholicism cause OCD?

The notion that a strict, possibly even God-fearing, upbringing may contribute to obsessive-compulsive disorder has been boosted by a survey which discovered that devout Catholics were more likely to show symptoms than less religious people.
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What are religious intrusive thoughts?

Religious thoughts can become intrusive and distressing in individuals with OCD. These thoughts can involve intrusive religious blasphemous thoughts, compulsive prayers, hypermorality, unwarranted concern about committing a sin, and cleaning/washing rituals (Himle, Chatters, Taylor & Nguyen, 2001).
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What does the Bible say about overthinking?

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
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What does the Bible say about ADD?

“What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.” (Deut. 12:32.)
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What does the Quran say about intrusive thoughts?

According to Utz, the intrusive thoughts are from the Nafs itself, which may be inclined to evil [12]. This kind of Nafs, by its intrinsic nature nudges human beings into evil actions. It is stated in the Noble Qur'an (Interpretation of the meaning) “that the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil [13].
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What does Islam say about mental health?

Islam values the importance of good mental health and emotional wellbeing. The Qur'an can be used as a guide to those suffering from emotional distress and aims to lead people to a meaningful quality of life. 'There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment' (Hadith).
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What are intrusive thoughts about God?

The associations that the brain makes are often custom to your belief systems. Oftentimes, people have intrusive thoughts about God, the way they observe God or even impure sexual thoughts about religious figures. These thoughts can impact the way that they pray. Some may think they're not praying the right way.
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What is blasphemy OCD?

[1] Blasphemous thoughts comprise the main source of distress in around 5%[4] of patients of OCD. In this, thoughts inciting religious and moral dilemmas and guilt dominate the symptoms, inducing great distress in the patient as they go against the very fundamentals of their upbringing, beliefs, and traditions.
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Can OCD go away?

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms generally wax and wane over time. Because of this, many individuals diagnosed with OCD may suspect that their OCD comes and goes or even goes away—only to return. However, as mentioned above, obsessive-compulsive traits never truly go away. Instead, they require ongoing management.
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How do I stop negative thinking about God?

These bad thoughts about God are usually seen in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. These are called 'blasphemous obsession' and are very distressing. It can be effectively treated with antiobssessive drugs and you can lead an absolutely normal life. Consult a Psychiatrist nearby or online.
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Can you pray to God too much?

I worry about bothering Him too much with my problems. ANSWER: Absolutely not! The Bible tells us to persist in prayer and to pray about everything. God doesn't always answer the way we think He should, or when we think He should.
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Are intrusive thoughts?

Intrusive thoughts are unwanted thoughts, images, impulses, or urges that can occur spontaneously or that can be cued by external/internal stimuli. Typically, these thoughts are distressing (hence “intrusive”) and tend to reoccur.
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What does the Catholic Church say about intrusive thoughts?

Having intrusive thoughts is not a sin. But it could lead to sin. To be a sin, one with full knowledge that is a sin deliberately gives consent to the thoughts. Being disturbed with impure thoughts does not make you sinful.
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