I think I'm scrupulous

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RomanRyan1088

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THE REASON IS BECAUSE WHEN I SIN, I CANT TAKE MY MIND OFF OF IT. ANY SUGGESTION ON WHAT I CAN DO?
 
Thats not really scrupulousity, unless you mean that you think venial sins are mortal sins. I would suggest just doing anything. Take a walk, read a book, but don’t dwell on it. If you’re sins are confessed they are forgiven. Usually what motivates us to dwell on our sins isn’t necessarily the guilt but the shame. “What if so-and-so knew I had done something like this,” but we should remember that the Person to whom it matters most has forgiven us.

In the words of St. Pio of Pietrelcina: Pray, hope, and don’t worry.
 
another suggestion is don’t type in all capitals - it looks like you’re angry and yelling at us. I can’t really tell from your post if you’re scrupulous or not. If you “can’t get your mind off” sins that you’ve already confessed, if you doubt you’ve been forgiven, if you think that pretty much every action you do is a sin, then you’re probably scrupulous. If you feel terribly guilty about your sins, but take comfort and peace from Confession and forgiveness, then you don’t have much of a problem. Just do what the other poster said, take a walk, read a book, anything to take your mind off of the sin until you can get it confessed.
 
I know latley I have fallen into being scrupulous. I needed help and went to confession today. The priest told me many times that people that are scrupulous have OCD…he asked me if I had OCD and I said, “no I don’t think so”…now I’m not so sure and I’m afraid I invalidated the confession. I’ve never been diagnosed with OCD and I don’t think I am OCD, though I do display a few symptoms…help!!! Anyone here been scruplous before?
 
Constantly scruplous people wonder if they are in a state of grace…which is what I am doing now…even though I just got out of confession…it is really tourmenting for some of us because it causes us to shy away from Mass.
 
I was borderline scrupulous for awhile and was friends with someone who was very scrupulous. She might have influenced me to some extent. I have OCD, or more accurately OCPD - obsessive compulisive personality disorder, which is not quite the same thing as full-blown OCD, but has pretty much the same symptoms. You might want to set up a consultation with a psychiatrist to see if you have OCD or OCPD. It’s worth looking into if the priest thinks you might have it and its affecting your spiritual life. There are lots of medications to treat these disorders and they can help so much. Therapy helps alot as well. My life is alot more tolerable now that I’ve gotten treatment - my faith life is better too. Being scrupulous is a miserable way to live and it hinders one’s relationship with Christ. I hope you are able to get some help for your problem and be at peace.
 
not to hijack the thread, but what do you think of what I said to the Priest…he asked, I said no…but in actuality I’m not sure? Is not correctly answering a question like that something that could affect the validity of absolution?
 
Here’s an example of where being too scrupulous is detrimental:

I’d like to fast to improve my prayer life, sharpen my focus, and otherwise practice a little self-denial. As an aside, I wouldn’t mind losing a couple of pounds.

So when I contemplate undergoing a fast to improve my prayer life, I start thinking that the *real * reason I want to fast is to lose weight, and that I’m therefore trying to trick God into believing I’m a good follower. I get into a quandary.

Result? No fasting, no prayerful benefits.

The reality is that I have a weak prayer muscle, and I need to work on overcoming this scrupulosity so that I’ll get some spiritual benefit out of the fast.
 
always examining your conscience is kind of the point, isn’t it? Don’t worry- I think there is a little OCD in all of us, and I think it’s kind of reasonable to be a little OCD about your salvation, yes? Does discussing confession in any form invalidate it? I did realize that the priest has a seal of confession that keeps him from talking about it, but does that work for the confessee (sp?) as well? I’m a new catholic and confession still baffles me a bit…
 
sanctus,

no, not being able to answer the question about being OCD because you don’t know, does not affect the validity of your confession. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but the fact that you’re worried about such a thing just highlights your problem with scruples. You need to be at peace. Please make an appointment with a pyschiatrist to see if you have OCD or not. If you have OCD there are lots of ways for it to be treated. You’ll be amazed by how much different your outlook on life and yourself will be with therapy and/or medication. Right now this isn’t healthy for you, mentally and spiritually. Please get some help.
 
Yeah…I really don’t think I’m truly OCD…but I don’t know. I just wanted to make sure that it didn’t sound like I was lying to any of you guys by saying I wasn’t OCD.
 
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Sanctus:
not to hijack the thread, but what do you think of what I said to the Priest…he asked, I said no…but in actuality I’m not sure? Is not correctly answering a question like that something that could affect the validity of absolution?
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You didn’t intentionally try to mislead the priest. Don’t worry, God has forgiven you of your sins. Unless you willfully tried to lie to the priest or consciously withold something you have not invalidated the confession.

And don’t worry about scrupulousity either. Everyone wonders a little bit after their confession if it was a good one, mainly because we think that your confession has to be perfect. Our confession need only be sincere and as complete as we can make it and to be a good confession, even if we forget a sin or say something without thinking.

And finally, don’t worry about OCD, but call a psychiatrist just to be safe. 🙂
 
To All, Only a scrupulous person, OCD, can understand a person with scruples. A priest I know calls it a terrible scourge. The problem inhibits the answer. SA bulletin from Liguori Press can be helpful. Suggestions by a nonscrupulous is like someone telling you to not think of a purple cow, unless they are a priest who understands . It helps to have a regular confessor.
 
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Sanctus:
I know latley I have fallen into being scrupulous. I needed help and went to confession today. The priest told me many times that people that are scrupulous have OCD…he asked me if I had OCD and I said, “no I don’t think so”…now I’m not so sure and I’m afraid I invalidated the confession. I’ve never been diagnosed with OCD and I don’t think I am OCD, though I do display a few symptoms…help!!! Anyone here been scruplous before?
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Don’t go to confession more or less than approx. once a month and find a good doctor with a decent understanding of OCD. Also that Priest sounds great if he has heard of OCD - ask him for advice.
 
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teachingtarheel:
always examining your conscience is kind of the point, isn’t it? Don’t worry- I think there is a little OCD in all of us, and I think it’s kind of reasonable to be a little OCD about your salvation, yes? Does discussing confession in any form invalidate it? I did realize that the priest has a seal of confession that keeps him from talking about it, but does that work for the confessee (sp?) as well? I’m a new catholic and confession still baffles me a bit…
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Do you have OCD? It is not good for a Catholic with OCD to examine his conscience over and over again
 
not what I was saying- I did mean to say, and maybe didn’t say well, that I thought as Catholics and good Christians that we were to examine our conscience frequently, if not daily to keep us ‘accountable’ of our works and sins for the day. I have been told that a brief examination of conscience (perhaps at the end of the day, with evening prayers) was appropriate. I do not think this makes me OCD in any way. And, to be honest, I haven’t read anything from a confessed/admitted psychiatrist/psychologist on this thread defining or diagnosing OCD- did we get a little of topic?

The original question I asked in my reply was about confession and what invalidated it…I am confused about discussing it afterwards- I am a new catholic and when discussing confession with protestant friends have given examples of things I have confessed and remarks from the priest. This has helped me talk to protestants about the faith and helped me work through confession and the questions/hesitations I had about it as a convert. My question was, does this invalidate the confession, not ‘am I OCD?’

Thanks
 
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teachingtarheel:
The original question I asked in my reply was about confession and what invalidated it…I am confused about discussing it afterwards- I am a new catholic and when discussing confession with protestant friends have given examples of things I have confessed and remarks from the priest. This has helped me talk to protestants about the faith and helped me work through confession and the questions/hesitations I had about it as a convert. My question was, does this invalidate the confession, not ‘am I OCD?’
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Not at all. You are at liberty to discuss anything that was said in your confession, the priest is not. There is some cause to be hesitant however, its a general rule of courtesy (though not binding) not to talk too much about what the priest said in confession. This is because if it ever comes back to him he cannot confirm or deny whether he said it.
 
Ryan,
Definitely get help if you believe you have this problem. I am scrupulous, and it is devastating. Most actions that I take during a day, I consider to be a sin(or could lead up to a sin) and unfortunately it is causing me to rebel against God and blame people around me for things that are not their fault. I’m pretty sure it grows over time(in my estimation), so nip it in the bud.

–Mike
 
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michael8975:
Ryan,
Definitely get help if you believe you have this problem. I am scrupulous, and it is devastating. Most actions that I take during a day, I consider to be a sin(or could lead up to a sin) and unfortunately it is causing me to rebel against God and blame people around me for things that are not their fault. I’m pretty sure it grows over time(in my estimation), so nip it in the bud.

–Mike
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I have found sitting in front of the Blessed Sacrament to be MOST helpful.

After my last confession I have been quite peaceful and my everyday routine does not bother me. However, if your conscience is formed correctly, when you do sin mortally, YOU will know it. AND a venal sin will also make you uneasy too.

go with God!
Edwin
 
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