Worn Out With OCD!

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Is anybody familiar with OCD? Is OCD an actual mental illness or is it a spiritual illness?

It seems like it consumes every aspect of my life… I’ve gone to counseling with no relief and after years of battling with it I gave up on counseling and decided to give this affliction to God but now everytime I go to confession or try to seek spiritual help I hear “,I am scrupulous and I don’t trust God, etc.etc.etc…”

I feel like nobody UNDERSTANDS!!!

Please pray for me because I am so mentally fatigued.😦 😦 😦
 
Although I am not diagnosed with ADD, I’m pretty sure I have it. It’s not OCD, although some of the symptoms may be the same. With ADD, you can’t help what you do or don’t do (within the range of symptoms). People will tell you “you just need to try harder”, or “just DO it” etc… With ADD, they don’t understand that you really want to, but you can’t. No matter how hard you might try. You usually get lost or distracted in the trying part and never reach your goal…

So I think I know what you are going through. Hang in there, my prayers are with you. God will somehow bring good out of your suffering, even if you can’t see it now. :getholy:

God Bless,
Snert
 
I made a general confession once and the priest told me that no matter what I remember after I leave the confessional DO NOT BRING IT UP in any more confessions but I thought we were obligated to confess a sin at the next confession if we remember it?

My problem is I cannot ever remember if I have confessed things or not and then after time goes by I automatically assume I haven’t confessed it and will do so!!!

I feel like my mind is caught in a tornado and it can’t get out of it.

I know God forgives those sins we’ve committed and we are sorry for but I want to be certain to make sure I’ve confessed them all especially the mortal ones and since I’ve been away from the church most of my life I’m constantly remembering things from the past and my peace is so short lived because I then start doubting that I confessed it.

I have periods of time that the scrupulosity is overwhelming and then I will get a respite from it and then then the OCD shows up somewhere else in my life and right now it’s GERMS!!!
 
snowbird said:
I made a general confession once and the priest told me that no matter what I remember after I leave the confessional DO NOT BRING IT UP in any more confessions but I thought we were obligated to confess a sin at the next confession if we remember it?

My problem is I cannot ever remember if I have confessed things or not and then after time goes by I automatically assume I haven’t confessed it and will do so!!!

I feel like my mind is caught in a tornado and it can’t get out of it.

I know God forgives those sins we’ve committed and we are sorry for but I want to be certain to make sure I’ve confessed them all especially the mortal ones and since I’ve been away from the church most of my life I’m constantly remembering things from the past and my peace is so short lived because I then start doubting that I confessed it.

I have periods of time that the scrupulosity is overwhelming and then I will get a respite from it and then then the OCD shows up somewhere else in my life and right now it’s GERMS!!!
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The priest is trying to be helpful.

If one suffers from scrupulosity, the “normal rules” of confession don’t necessarily apply b/c the penitent is not a good judge of sin. A scrupulous person is to obey their confessor absolutely (unless of course he told you to do something immoral).

I would advise that you find a solid orthodox priest, and use him as your exclusive confessor. I would also tell him of your OCD/scrupulosity issues.

God Bless
 
snowbird said:
Is anybody familiar with OCD? Is OCD an actual mental illness or is it a spiritual illness?

It seems like it consumes every aspect of my life… I’ve gone to counseling with no relief and after years of battling with it I gave up on counseling and decided to give this affliction to God but now everytime I go to confession or try to seek spiritual help I hear “,I am scrupulous and I don’t trust God, etc.etc.etc…”

I feel like nobody UNDERSTANDS!!!

Please pray for me because I am so mentally fatigued.😦 😦 😦
Click to expand...
Hi snowbird,

Prayer and relaxation techniques like deep breathing and exercize and good diet can help, but you should also see your doctor.

I think that spiritual exercises might be part of a solution to your problem but its mostly biological and you should see your doctor.
 
Snerticus said:
Although I am not diagnosed with ADD, I’m pretty sure I have it. It’s not OCD, although some of the symptoms may be the same. With ADD, you can’t help what you do or don’t do (within the range of symptoms). People will tell you “you just need to try harder”, or “just DO it” etc… With ADD, they don’t understand that you really want to, but you can’t. No matter how hard you might try. You usually get lost or distracted in the trying part and never reach your goal…

So I think I know what you are going through. Hang in there, my prayers are with you. God will somehow bring good out of your suffering, even if you can’t see it now. :getholy:

God Bless,
Snert
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Thank you for your kind words,
I know several people with ADD and I’ve seen them struggle. My heart definately goes out to them. School can be a nightmare for them if they don’t receive the proper help. May God bless them!
 
snowbird said:
Is anybody familiar with OCD? Is OCD an actual mental illness or is it a spiritual illness?

It seems like it consumes every aspect of my life… I’ve gone to counseling with no relief and after years of battling with it I gave up on counseling and decided to give this affliction to God but now everytime I go to confession or try to seek spiritual help I hear “,I am scrupulous and I don’t trust God, etc.etc.etc…”

I feel like nobody UNDERSTANDS!!!

Please pray for me because I am so mentally fatigued.😦 😦 😦
Click to expand...
Snowbird, I understand where you are coming from. I have a very good friend who suffers from OCD, wow, I’ve been through things with her, trying to help her.

The encouragement I can offer you is that she is really doing well at coping, in spite of OCD and can more easily recognise when something is OCD inspired rather than a real issue.

But do heed Neil Anthony’s advice. When my friend is tired, stressed her symptoms become worse. Also she has had to use anti-depressants (short term, and sometimes longer term); she goes for counselling when things are really bad. Her husband recognises the moment when she needs help and gently suggests some sessions with the therapist.

Prayer and relaxation techniques are also helpful.

(My friend is not Catholic though, so I can’t tell you how she handles confession, sorry, but bilop’s advice sounds good there)

Finally, you may smile at this joke I sent to my OCD friend a while back:
“I suffer from CDO, that’s OCD with the letters in the correct alphabetical order, the way they should be.”
I hope no-one now jumps on me for making fun of OCD, its a very real and debilitating mental condition, but we really need to laugh at ourselves sometimes.
 
I always felt like I’m borderline OCD, though I’m much better now than I used to be. I guess it’s probably more accurate to say I’m anal than OCD, though! :o

It isn’t an easy cross to carry. Do you have a regular spiritual director? I highly recommend it. Say a prayer asking God to send you a good spiritual director. The benefit of having a regular spiritual director is that he will come to know you and your struggles and will be able to guide you much better than simply going to Confession with a priest who doesn’t necessarily know you very well.

And once you have a good spiritual director, listen to him! A good spiritual director will be able to see things going on within us that we cannot because we are too close to the situation.

So long as we do not intentionally leave out a mortal sin from Confession, we are still forgiven of that sin in Confession, even if we forgot to mention it. I also have heard many recommend bringing these sins up at your next Confession if you remember it afterwards, but I see nothing in the Catechism or Canon Law that necessitates this.

Remember, too, that it is not strictly necessary to confess venial sins during Confession. Only mortal sins.

I think it is good advice for those who struggle with scrupulosity to try to “let go” of those past sins and trust that they are forgiven by making a concerted effort not to mention those past sins at Confession (so long as you have been to Confession after committing the sin and did not intentionally leave it out). It’s not easy to do, but with time, it gets easier.

Again, I can’t recommend enough the value of a good spiritual director. You are in my prayers!
 
Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen
 
Praying for peace

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.
Amen.
 
snowbird said:
Is anybody familiar with OCD? Is OCD an actual mental illness or is it a spiritual illness?

It seems like it consumes every aspect of my life… I’ve gone to counseling with no relief and after years of battling with it I gave up on counseling and decided to give this affliction to God but now everytime I go to confession or try to seek spiritual help I hear “,I am scrupulous and I don’t trust God, etc.etc.etc…”

I feel like nobody UNDERSTANDS!!!

Please pray for me because I am so mentally fatigued.😦 😦 😦
Click to expand...
I work in a large academic medical center with a big OCD program. This is a condition, like depression, that is often ameliorated by medication. Find a psychiatrist who specializes in it. Google OCD treatment on the Internet.

As for confession, when you get confused about whether you have confessed something or not, assume that you have (OCD is related to scrupulosity) and at the end of your confession, say: For these, and and for all my sins, especially those I do not recall, I am truly sorry.
 
Let us remember that God is gentle and kind, always Merciful to those who trust in Him. He is only severe with those who are unrepentant. If you are sorry for your sins, His love will blot them out. Rest in His Heart.

I think sometimes that the evil one tries to make us think otherwise, that we are so unworthy, why do we even try? Don’t give in to despair. Even if your condition is purely physical, treat it as a chance to suffer for the Savior, who suffered much more for you. The saints would offer such trials up immediately as a sacrifice. I’ll bet you would banish evil from your presence quickly if you do the same! The evil one will suddenly feel like he’s doing you a favor - helping you suffer your way to holiness!
 
I will pray for simplicity and peace for your mind and life.

I’ll keep you in my prayers and daily Masses.
 
Please try to keep the thread within the bounds of helping the OP deal with scrupulosity WITHOUT offering medical advice. Medical opinion should be left to medical professionals. Thanks!

Klara
 
I know what you are going through with the OCD as well as having depression and anxiety disorders badly. My part of the OCD is just washing my hands alot. I would be more than happy to pray for you.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
 
Snowbird-
You could be describing me exactly right here!!!

*My problem is I cannot ever remember if I have confessed things or not and then after time goes by I automatically assume I haven’t confessed it and will do so!!!

I feel like my mind is caught in a tornado and it can’t get out of it.

I know God forgives those sins we’ve committed and we are sorry for but I want to be certain to make sure I’ve confessed them all especially the mortal ones…I’m constantly remembering things from the past and my peace is so short lived because I then start doubting that I confessed it.

I have periods of time that the scrupulosity is overwhelming and then I will get a respite from it and then then the OCD shows up somewhere else in my life and right now it’s GERMS!!!*

I have been told I ought to have a regular confessor. I fournd one and the a couple times what he did with me was i brought in my lisit of “sins” and he told me what to confess, what were sins. it helped but i havent’ done it recently. I was told today in confession that i was too hard on myself. I get many responses like this. Pray for me and I will pray for you. I am sorry you are suffering, but I truly do understand you and it is a releif to me to hear someone else say they are suffering in the same way. OCD is a mental disorder and it’s not your fault. 👍
 
praying for your peace of mind.

Hail Mary, Full of Grace
The Lord is with Thee.
Blessed art Thou amongst women
and Blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen
 
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