In yesterday’s comments, a reader asked, I know OCD is irrational, and cannot be “cured†with a theology lesson, but wouldn’t it help to encourage someone with good, solid, Biblical teaching?
Good question. Good enough for it’s own (short) post.
The key to understanding the difference between OCD and doubt is that, with OCD, the thoughts are intrusive and unwanted. The person with OCD doesn’t want to doubt or question. Each time he or she reads scripture, the distorted thoughts of the “negative” is more difficult to get out of their head. It is as if a boulder has begun rolling downhill and nothing can stop it until it has run it’s course and reached the bottom.
For example, Matthew 12:31 (Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.) is comforting to most of us. We’re able to focus on the forgiveness of every sin. To one who suffers from OCD, the word blasphemy stands out in bold print and haunts them all day.
They may continually ask themselves, “What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Have I committed it? What if I blasphemed and didn’t know it? How can I make sure I don’t blaspheme tomorrow?”
Each of these thoughts creates anxiety. Anxiety makes it even more difficult to stop the negative, distorted thoughts. It becomes a vicious cycle: worry about blaspheming (or coming in contact with deadly germs, or sexually provocative thoughts, or whatever the obsession is) leads to increased anxiety; the increased anxiety causes the person to be even more vigilant to make sure they don’t mess up; heightened vigilance creates more anxiety.
The type of counseling most effective in helping someone with OCD is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The behavioral component of CBT attempts to change people’s reactions to anxiety-provoking situations. The cognitive component of CBT attempts to help people recognize irrational, distorted thoughts, reject the thoughts in spite of their emotions, and replace the thoughts with a line of reasoning more grounded in reality.
So, to answer the question: yes, “good solid bible teaching” is an important part of helping someone with OCD who obsesses over religious issues. I don’t know how you can replace distorted thoughts with the Truth if you don’t study God’s Word.
The cognitive and behavioral strategies to help decrease anxiety and manage ones thought life are also important components of treatment. Study alone, even if it is the Bible one is studying, probably won’t be effective.
One final thought; we can think of OCD as existing on a continuum from “a little OCD” to “a lot OCD”. Bible study, and stress management may be all a person with a “little” OCD needs to manage the disorder. On the other end of the continuum, counseling and medication combined will likely be necessary.
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