scrupulous OCD

[Panne]

I am asking for advice that might help me with my 13 yr old son who has OCD. He has many issues, but the one that we’re working on right now is his obsessive belief that he must not have anything to do with the number 6. He heard 666 is an evil number and now he will not complete any math work if it involves the number 6. (We homeschool. ) Can you guys think of anything that I could tell him to assure him that he is not cooperating with evil if he writes a 6? His counselor and I have tried to rationalize with him, but maybe you guys will have some insight that might click with him.

 

[lax16]

I am asking for advice that might help me with my 13 yr old son who has OCD. He has many issues, but the one that we’re working on right now is his obsessive belief that he must not have anything to do with the number 6. He heard 666 is an evil number and now he will not complete any math work if it involves the number 6. (We homeschool. ) Can you guys think of anything that I could tell him to assure him that he is not cooperating with evil if he writes a 6? His counselor and I have tried to rationalize with him, but maybe you guys will have some insight that might click with him.

So sorry you are going through this!

Here is a link for you:

freeingyourchild.com/freeing-your-child-from-obsess/

 

[1ke]

Has he been diagnosed with OCD? Often scrupulosity and OCD go hand in hand. This is not something to handle on your own. He needs a therapist for his OCD and regular spiritual direction to head off scrupulosity. See your pastor to set up spriritual direction with someone experienced with OCD and scrupulosity, particularly the form it is taking with your son wing religious manifestations. And get a referral to a mental health professional for the OCD.

 

[jaimeleglise]

In addition to the above, he may need to see a pediatric psychiatrist to prescribe medication.
Medication is what helped me. God bless you.

 

[Panne]

Thanks for the replies. My son has been diagnosed with OCD. He is on medication and has been seeing a therapist who specializes in OCD for almost a year. I have not arranged for him to talk with our pastor. That may be helpful. I was trying to come up with a way to make him understand that believing certain numbers are bad luck is just superstition and that we need to trust in God and not superstitions.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

Thanks for the replies. My son has been diagnosed with OCD. He is on medication and has been seeing a therapist who specializes in OCD for almost a year. I have not arranged for him to talk with our pastor. That may be helpful. I was trying to come up with a way to make him understand that believing certain numbers are bad luck is just superstition and that we need to trust in God and not superstitions.

You would do well to get him a spiritual director that knows how to handle scrupulosity. Maybe you can explain to your son that the number 666 talked about in revelations is generally agreed to be referring to Emperor Nero of those days because he severely persecuted The Early Church… The numbers added up to his name in Roman numerals. A lot of scholars agree that that is what the number 666 was referring to. And emperor nero is long dead, so there is no need to fear that number.

 

[1ke]

a way to make him understand that believing certain numbers are bad luck is just superstition and that we need to trust in God and not superstitions.

OCD isn’t rational. It doesn’t necessarily respond to logical arguments.

 

[emeraldocean]

I am asking for advice that might help me with my 13 yr old son who has OCD. He has many issues, but the one that we’re working on right now is his obsessive belief that he must not have anything to do with the number 6. He heard 666 is an evil number and now he will not complete any math work if it involves the number 6. (We homeschool. ) Can you guys think of anything that I could tell him to assure him that he is not cooperating with evil if he writes a 6? His counselor and I have tried to rationalize with him, but maybe you guys will have some insight that might click with him.

I struggle with a similar problem (OCD and anxiety) and around that age I had a somewhat similar compulsion (I always had to point up towards heaven not down). Eventually I grew out of this phase of it, so it’s likely that he will too. But I’m imagining if I had had that obsession with the number 6, what would have helped me is to see 6 in settings that are not evil. For example, take him to church and look at all the songs in the missals with the number 6. Look up the sixth pope, look up popes named Sixtus. Also help him understand what the mark of the beast actually is - it’s not anytime you multiply 6 x 6. I know with me, the way out of some of these thought patterns (really they are like traps, he likely is stressed by the feeling that he knows it’s irrational but can’t not do it) but the way out of the thought patterns is to disprove them. If 6 is evil, it would not be allowed in church in any way. This may sound odd but as someone who has had this problem, I think this might work. I hope this helps.

 

[Panne]

Thanks everyone. Your replies were a help.

 

[SuperLuigi]

I am asking for advice that might help me with my 13 yr old son who has OCD. He has many issues, but the one that we’re working on right now is his obsessive belief that he must not have anything to do with the number 6. He heard 666 is an evil number and now he will not complete any math work if it involves the number 6. (We homeschool. ) Can you guys think of anything that I could tell him to assure him that he is not cooperating with evil if he writes a 6? His counselor and I have tried to rationalize with him, but maybe you guys will have some insight that might click with him.

What I do with questions on scrupulosity on here is refer them to a priest/spiritual director.

I also have OCD, and I’m not sure that a secular counselor is really ever that helpful. Frankly, some of the secular counseling I have observed is quite unhelpful, even a little naive and disturbing depending on the issue.

Frankly, you also trying to reassure him as a parent probably isn’t going to cut it, either. He needs to be able to reason out why it’s not sinful and I’m guessing he needs to hear it from a figure in spiritual authority who can help him understand the scrupulosity here in that he is practicing with an erroneous conscience.

 

[guanophore]

I struggle with a similar problem (OCD and anxiety) and around that age I had a somewhat similar compulsion (I always had to point up towards heaven not down). Eventually I grew out of this phase of it, so it’s likely that he will too. But I’m imagining if I had had that obsession with the number 6, what would have helped me is to see 6 in settings that are not evil. For example, take him to church and look at all the songs in the missals with the number 6. Look up the sixth pope, look up popes named Sixtus. Also help him understand what the mark of the beast actually is - it’s not anytime you multiply 6 x 6. I know with me, the way out of some of these thought patterns (really they are like traps, he likely is stressed by the feeling that he knows it’s irrational but can’t not do it) but the way out of the thought patterns is to disprove them. If 6 is evil, it would not be allowed in church in any way. This may sound odd but as someone who has had this problem, I think this might work. I hope this helps.

Maybe looking at Bible verses with the numer 6?