Some people may see scrupulosity, a mental abnormality involving an obsession over sin and pronounced fears of doing something wrong, as a good thing. After all, those with the disorder appear to commit fewer sins than those without it. But for those struggling with scrupulosity, religious OCD can exhaust all love for God, take the enjoyment out of religion and endanger one’s ability to function as a religious person.
It is important to note that religion rarely, if ever causes scrupulosity. Religious OCD is caused by medical factors, not by one's personal beliefs.
Scrupulosity Takes Away Love
For many, religion is a stabilizing force in life that makes for a happier and more loving existence. The command to love God and one’s neighbor is a central tenet of Christianity, Judaism and other religions.
But scrupulosity diminishes one’s innate love for their Creator. The concern over sin and wrongdoing that many scrupulous believers have distorts their perception of God; with time, those with religious OCD may see God mainly as judgmental, wrathful and even hateful. As a result, the love they once had for Him is overtaken by fear and nervousness.
Scrupulosity Makes Religion Difficult
Within almost every religion are practices, guidelines and activities that help develop one’s spiritual life. The scrupulous, given their “hypermorality” and fear of doing wrong, often struggle with these customs and find little or no enjoyment in them.
Catholics, for example, are expected to confess their sins at least once a year to God and a priest (see Catechism 1457 of the Catholic Church). Many consider this practice a happy opportunity to release their sins and receive absolution. But scrupulous Catholics are known to attend confession far more frequently, given their perceived magnitude and quantity of their sins. They confess the same sins twice; they consider acceptable things to be sinful; they apologize for intrusive thoughts that originate from their OCD, not from themselves (an example of Pure-O OCD ). Some scrupulosity cases are severe enough that the priest feels obligated to limit the times and ways in which the confessor can repent, given their distorted perception of sin.
The above description is only one example of how scrupulosity can distort one’s religious practices to the point where spiritual life becomes a series of chores, not an expression of faith. In extreme cases, as seen in this ADAA article ), the obsessive and disturbing thoughts associated with religious OCD may keep scrupulous believers away from religious services.
Scrupulosity Ruins Self-Esteem
Most religious people acknowledge their faults and their wrongdoings, but understand that they have good God-given qualities as well. Those with scrupulosity, however, consider most or all of their actions as horribly sinful and condemnable, thus developing a damaged self-esteem.
The harsh self-image of the scrupulous is not only wrong, but a cause of numerous mental and spiritual issues. There are definite links between OCD, of which scrupulosity is a form, and depression. The anxiety created by one’s fear that they are evil and/or destined for hell can disrupt everyday living. And social relationships become difficult when one considers him or herself abnormally evil.
Treating Scrupulosity
Those with religious OCD are not alone. Religious figures such as John Bunyan and Martin Luther have struggled with the condition, as do millions today. But treatment, no matter who the patient is, is necessary for a positive spiritual life.
Scrupulosity should never be looked upon as a desirable state. Rather, those afflicted with the condition should seek help right away - both from a mental health professional (namely, a psychiatrist or psychologist) and from a spiritual leader familiar with the condition. It takes time and effort to change one’s perception about sin, morality and God’s expectations, but the results - replenished love for God, enjoyment of religion and improved self-esteem - are worth the effort.
Sources:
"Scrupulosity: Blackmailed by OCD in the name of God," by Laurie Krauth, MA
"Scrupulosity,: Religious Obsessions and Compulsions," by Carol E. Watkins, MD
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Doubting Disease, by Joseph Ciarrocchi.
