Guest guest Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 No offense taken, . This is something I have thought about for a long time. Fact is, I know only one other person in our religious community with the problem--not that there aren't more, but I don't think OCD is caused by our observance, as you said. We do try to be flexible in making sure that our kids don't come to feel their observance is a burden. When it stops being a source of joy, strength and hope, it's pretty much stopped serving its purpose. All that said, our lives are full of rituals, and it wouldn't be surprising to find OCD taking advantage of this great opportunity to wield its awful power. Re: OCD and Catholicism > > I think anyone with a more structured or strict religious observance > that emphasizes moral qualities and disciplines will (if they have > OCD) find OCD thinking to negatively affect their religious > observance, at least at some point. Each of my OCD kids have gone > through this (son currently does not attend mass which started as > contamination fears but then takes on guilt aspects as well). It > could also affect the more Orthodox of Jews, Evangelicals, > Protestants etc. > > I think people tend to have the OCD (with perfectionism) become > involved in whatever is important to their lives at a certain time. > There is something about the moral disciplines (which I am not saying > are a bad thing) present in some types of religious observance that > lends to OCD perfectionism and black and white thinking-along with > guilt, so what you'd call scrupulosity. > > It is not so different than the rules/perfectionism that can occur in > school (getting A's being a perfect student so on) or even in a non- > religious person who desires to be good, or fears being even > inadvertently responsible for anything bad happening.(Like those who > fear hitting someone while driving or fear they may spread germs or > strt a fire etc, if they don't obsessively re-check). > > So I don't think religious observance and doctrine is to blame when > getting tied in with OCD (anymore than I would blame tests or grades > in school). A person with OCD might have to work harder at > integrating (maybe using exposures) the meaning of religion and God > in their lives as a positive, and not let the OCD take over where it > becomes instead an obsessive burden. > > I have thought about this b/c of coming across people who think > religion is bad for OCD or intensifies it, or even causes it, but why > should people give up their religious observance, which may be a > strong part of their identity or culture, not to mention their > personal beliefs, due to OCD, rather than work at not letting OCD > intrude and control what is meaningful in their lives. > > An emphasis on God's mercy and God's understanding of a personal > struggle with anxiety (that is as difficult as any illness that > interferes wih religious observance) helps. I think parents can judge > how to present God's mercy to encourage children dealing with > scrupulosity. Just like with teachers and peers and movies etc, you > try to have some influence on what affects your child, knowing their > personal dispositions and struggles. > > Some Catholic priests have specific training in working with OCD b/c > it often comes up more obviously with regard to the sacrament of > penance (and repetitious overly frequent confession or avoiding mass > altogther). A Catholic could call their diocese to get more > information about dealing with scrupulosity. > > nancy grace > > In @ yahoogroups. com, " " <@ ...> > wrote: > > > > Hi, I know from where I've researched on scrupulosity that there is > > more on Catholic sites about this type OCD, just figured they have > > more background on the topic perhaps and recognize it (and maybe > have > > better info on websites, LOL). > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Has anyone heard of this link? I read somewhere that a > > significant > > > > number of folks who struggle with OCD are Catholic. This is > > certainly > > > > true in our family. Both husband and daughter, who are > Catholic, > > have > > > > OCD. I think his mother does, too. > > > > > > > > I'll see if I can find the name of the book I read this in. > It's > > a > > > > relatively new one, written by a guy who suffered with it and > > beat it. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _ ____________ __ > You rock. That's why Blockbuster' s offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost. > http://tc.deals. yahoo.com/ tc/blockbuster/ text5.com > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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