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Why do my thoughts feel real?

IneedJesus1

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Shoot. I am so tired and exhausted. I literally feel crazy. Idk if I am even on the right thread I am asking again if anyone has ever felt like they don't want to go to Heaven. I know I do want to go but why is the feeling so strong. It feels so real. I get these thoughts and they feel like they are the truth. I just want to be what God wants me to be. Please help me.
 

aangel

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OCD is tricky like that. And the thing about feelings is sometimes they lie. One of the things that helps me is to remind myself what God says instead of what I'm feeling (I know that doesn't always seem easy). For example there are people out there who make seem like it so hard to get saved and even with a person who doesn't have OCD that could cause a lot stress and insecurity. I hate that, because God sent his beloved Son to die to for us, how huge is that? (salvation was 100 percent God's idea) But there are some who make it seem like we have to plead and strive for God to save us. Having OCD doesn't help this at all. So recently I told God, "Thank you God that you said If I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead and I do believe you raised Jesus from the dead I'll be saved. You also said faith is gift from You so that no man can boast. My faith comes from you". It might be a good idea for you to thank God that regardless of what you feel (he is bigger than your feelings) that he knows deep down you want to go to heaven. One of the scriptures I repeat to myself is this Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and I will not be afraid; for the LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

I know the thoughts suck. There was a brief moment when I first got saved where I had thoughts about Heaven being boring, out of all the things to fixate upon (but the things you think or feel with OCD aren't going to always make sense). But I think that came from of place of not trusting God. Some of my more recent sucky asinine thoughts have been about thinking God is sucker and a thought about being God. I don't think God is sucker nor do I believe that I'm God. The thoughts are completely ridiculous but when I first had them it didn't feel that way. I felt guilty and was questioning whether I was trying to put myself above God and it's not a good feeling at all. So I had to snap out of that and thank God that he is bigger than my thoughts and he knows I don't actually believe or feel that way. The thoughts were just lies. I hoped this helped. Anyway, I'm praying for you.
 
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IneedJesus1

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OCD is tricky like that. And the thing about feelings is sometimes they lie. One of the things that helps me is to remind myself what God says instead of what I'm feeling (I know that doesn't always seem easy). For example there are people out there who make seem like it so hard to get saved and even with a person who doesn't have OCD that could cause a lot stress and insecurity. I hate that, because God sent his beloved Son to die to for us, how huge is that? (salvation was 100 percent God's idea) But there are some who make it seem like we have to plead and strive for God to save us. Having OCD doesn't help this at all. So recently I told God, "Thank you God that you said If I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in my heart that God raised him from the dead and I do believe you raised Jesus from the dead I'll be saved. You also said faith is gift from You so that no man can boast. My faith comes from you". It might be a good idea for you to thank God that regardless of what you feel (he is bigger than your feelings) that he knows deep down you want to go to heaven. One of the scriptures I repeat to myself is this Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust and I will not be afraid; for the LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2

I know the thoughts suck. There was a brief moment when I first got saved where I had thoughts about Heaven being boring, out of all the things fixate upon (but the things you think or feel with OCD aren't going to always make sense). But I think that came from of place of not trusting God. Some of my more recent sucky asinine thoughts have been about thinking God is sucker and a thought about being God. I don't think God is sucker nor do I believe that I'm God. The thoughts are completely ridiculous but when I first had them it didn't feel that way. I felt guilty and was questioning whether I was trying to put myself above God and it's not a good feeling at all. So I had to snap out of that and thank God that he is bigger than my thoughts and he knows I don't actually believe or feel that way. The thoughts were just lies. I hoped this helped. Anyway, I'm praying for you.
You are so sweet. Thank you for taking time to reply. I am relieved to know that I'm not alone in this. I have never been diagnosed with ocd but depression and I know with this ocd thoughts play a part. This has been going on for months and at first they were just thoughts. Now they feel so real. Does this make sense? Will they get better? I also had the thoughts you had. How do you snap out of it? Thank you for listening. I just want to be with my Father.
 
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Noah03

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You are so sweet. Thank you for taking time to reply. I am relieved to know that I'm not alone in this. I have never been diagnosed with ocd but depression and I know with this ocd thoughts play a part. This has been going on for months and at first they were just thoughts. Now they feel so real. Does this make sense? Will they get better? I also had the thoughts you had. How do you snap out of it? Thank you for listening. I just want to be with my Father.

I have suffered from OCD since I was 21, I am now 44. It can be very debilitating at times, and feelings can feel EXTREMLY real at times. Ironically I was speaking with someone on this issue just a couple of days ago. One thing I know is that OCD attacks the thing in your life that is most precious, so in a weird way that should give you some confidence. That should tell you how much Jesus means to you. Remember that Jesus was tempted when he was in the desert. I am sure the feelings and temptations were VERY real. Remember he was hungry and the devil tempted him to make bread. Do you think that felt real? What did Jesus do? Well he only focused on the truth of Gods word. He did not give Satan an opportunity. He shut him down on the spot. The problem with people like us, is we put a tremendous amount of trust in our feelings. Feelings are like an ocean. When the wind whips up(we are having a bad day), our thoughts and feelings can go negative. When we have a good day, that ocean can be as smooth as glass, and we feel great. Do you see the problem? Feelings cannot be trusted. Thoughts can cause these feelings to go bad really quick. I have this same problem, so I am preaching to the choir. Here is the overall problem we have. We are focusing on our own righteousness, rather than Jesus's righteousness. When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, God no longer sees us, but sees Jesus inside of us. Jesus's blood covers ALL of our sins. His death on the cross covers ALL sins. So what we need to do is focus on Jesus's perfect righteousness, and not our own. This unfortunatly at time is easier said than done. Rememer Jesus said, satan is the father of lies. He was a liar from the beginning. There is NO truth in him. He is an accuser of the brethren. Paul speaks of the firey darts of satan. These thoughts are the darts he speaks of. Satans aim is to take you out. Do not let him. Jesus gave his life so you may live.
 
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ananda

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"Now, friends, what is the cause and condition whereby unarisen hatred arises and arisen hatred becomes stronger and more powerful?’ ‘A repulsive object’, they should be told. In him who gives unwise attention to a repulsive object, unarisen hatred will arise, and hatred that has already arisen will grow stronger and more powerful ... Now, friends, what is the cause and condition for unarisen hatred not to arise and for the abandoning of hatred that has arisen?’ ‘Loving-kindness that is a freeing of the mind’, they should be told. In him who gives wise attention to loving-kindness that is a freeing of the mind, unarisen hatred will not arise and hatred that has arisen will be abandoned." - AN 3.68
 
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aangel

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You are so sweet. Thank you for taking time to reply. I am relieved to know that I'm not alone in this. I have never been diagnosed with ocd but depression and I know with this ocd thoughts play a part. This has been going on for months and at first they were just thoughts. Now they feel so real. Does this make sense? Will they get better? I also had the thoughts you had. How do you snap out of it? Thank you for listening. I just want to be with my Father.

I've never actually been diagnosed with OCD either but I started getting really bad thoughts a few years back (sometimes racing thoughts that popped up as soon as I woke up). There was even instances where certain phrases would get stuck in my head. I also had this irrational habit of constantly getting clean wash towels whenever I showered because I worried that I would use someone else's towel. Even on the days where I knew that the towel was my mine I had to get a new one (thankfully I don't do that anymore). The only reason I found out what was going on with me is because I managed to stumble on site that talked about intrusive thoughts (I wasn't saved then but it must have been God). The thoughts will get better but it's helpful to recognize and even acknowledge out loud that you are not your intrusive thoughts nor will you ever be. The thoughts are just lies. What works for me is repeating scriptures to myself that talk about God's goodness and his love.

Practicing thanksgiving is a good way to focus on God and not yourself. I try to thank him for even the little things— my favorite dessert, sunny days, indoor plumbing, pretty flowers etc etc. I thank him for my family. I thank him for his unconditional love (for being with me always regardless of what my feelings tell me). I thank him that he has said he will never leave me or forsake me Hebrews 13:5 I also listen to Christian songs some of my favorites are Beloved, By Your Side, You Are More (by Tenth Avenue North) I also listen to Love Never Fails (Brandon Heath) and How He Loves Us and Glory of it All (by David Crowder). There's also this song called Finished (by new creation church you can find it on youtube) it's a really uplifting song. For me snapping out it is simply telling God out loud that I'm done worrying about this and relying on my own strength but that I give this to him and I'm letting go (sometimes I have to say it a couple times). Another scripture I'm now choosing to cling to is "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness 2 Corinthians 12:9
 
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HannahElizaW

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I am asking again if anyone has ever felt like they don't want to go to Heaven.
Yes, I have. I've experienced that. What was worse was I felt like I wanted or would rather go to hell. I totally understood that. But there is a member on here that commented on another struggle of mine that helped me with this.
What he basically said was that you have to take a stand. So I took a stand and said "I do not want to go to hell. Where there's nothing but fire and torture. I do not want to go to hell." And then prayed that God would take the thought away and feelings and He basically did...It subsided but if I ever focus long enough on it, it does return...
 
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