Religious scrupulosity is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) where an one has intrusive, unwanted thoughts and anxieties related to religious or moral concerns.
These obsessions often center around fears of committing sin, offending God, or engaging in immoral behavior, even if such actions are unintentional or seemingly insignificant. Their obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD can lead to one to engage in compulsive behaviors aimed at reducing anxiety, such as excessive prayer, seeking reassurance from religious figures or other trusted individuals, or meticulously scrutinizing religious texts or other writings within one’s moral system. While faith can be a source of comfort for many, those struggling with religious scrupulosity find their spiritual beliefs and practices hijacked by anxiety and doubt, leading to significant distress and impairment in their daily lives.
Dr. Brent Osterberg writes an excellent essay on this, in which he compares this obsession to a quest to know everything about what we are meant to do, “I can feel crippled from doing anything by looking harder at myself in bouts of scrupulous fear” and points out that this equates to OCD’s desire to be all-knowing. OCD wants 100% certainty, after all.
But what if you aren’t religious? Can you still have moral scrupulosity?
Yes. According to the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (IOCDF):
“there is currently no evidence to link scrupulosity to a specific religion. In fact, a significant minority of people with scrupulosity do not identify as having any religious or spiritual affiliation at all.”
We can understand and identify moral scrupulosity as the significant doubt or fear that one is not living in accordance to one’s own moral code.
Scupulusity is treated in the same manner as other types of OCD. This includes EPR (exposure and response prevention) or ICBT (Inference-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
Sources:
Osterbert, Brent "Scrupulosity and Letting God Be God"
IOCDF’s Scrupulosity-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Looking for an OCD or anxiety treatment provider near you? I provide effective treatment is available via telehealth in the Seattle, Olympic Peninsula, and Surrounding areas and throughout Washington state. I also provide treatment client clients in Albuquerque, and throughout New Mexico.
Be happy with uncertainty.
Text or call. 505.501.8293
