Ocd and the devil

[rattius]

I recently had this thought come into my head that I need a spritial cleansing because of all the problems I have had with ocd and scizophrenia and the feelings associated with it. I was scared to think that I would need such a thing but my mind told me It was the only way.
I don't want an exorcism. The very thought frightens me. I was just a thought but I punish myself for thinking such a thing. I suffer from OCD all my life. Why would this thought enter my mind and how do I deal with it.
Thank You
David

 

[hollyda]

David,

The way OCD works is like a finger trap. If you have a thought you don't want, or reject, then you immediately go to --> I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THIS THOUGHT. You try not to think about it, which is impossible, especially for the obsessive compulsive. If I tell you "picture a white bear -- now don't think about it," your brain is wired to automatically think of the white bear. The more you struggle, the more you find yourself stuck in a finger trap.

ALL OBSESSIVE THOUGHTS ARE CREATED EQUAL. There is no obsessive thought that has more merit than the other.

I am twenty-six. I've been OCD all my life. My roughest periods were ages 7-18. I've been on medication for over ten years, and in cognitive behavior therapy for the past few months. It has done WONDERS.

Coping Mechanisms I Find Helpful

1) Don’t fight the thoughts—fighting the thoughts only gives them power. Just let them be there, if nothing else. Welcome them. They’re not you, and they’re not real. When you feel particularly obsessive, try to be as obsessive as possible. Try to get your thoughts to throw you something heavy. By welcoming your obsessions, you’re saying, “I’m not afraid of you,” and inadvertently stripping their power.

2) Thinking something horrible doesn't make it a reality. I can think "I'm rich and famous" and that won't make me rich or famous. Thoughts are on a different playing field.

3) Don’t catastrophize or terrible-ize your thoughts. They can’t hurt you. They won’t kill you.

4) Get angry. Tell the thoughts they’re idiotic. Scream at them if you must. After all, this is your life and they are not welcome.

5) If you’re stuck on a certain obsessive scenario, go ahead and play it out in your head. You’ll realize the action you’re seeing is not at all something you would do. Your mind is rejecting the thought for a reason -- it rationalizes this isn't who I am, and therefore tries to fight it with evidence that, "I'm not like this!" -- which gives the thought power. Once you come to grips with the fact that your thought is separate from yourself, you'll have a better time dealing with intrusive thoughts.

6) Think of obsessive thoughts as boggarts from Harry Potter. If you’re unfamiliar with Harry Potter, boggarts are an unseen force that takes shape of whatever you fear the most—it can be anything (germs), any insecurity (weight, appearance), any scenario (violent, abusive), but when push comes to shove, it’s all caused by the boggart. Boggarts in Harry Potter are diffused by turning the creature into something funny. Do this to your obsession—laugh at it, because it's ridiculous.

7) If you’re worried about something, you don’t need to worry about it. This is the same as, “I’m afraid of spiders, so naturally I’m not going to intentionally throw myself into a spider web.”

8) Don’t keep your thoughts in your head, if at all possible.* Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not you. It doesn’t make you bad, wrong, or evil—it’s involuntary, and you can’t control what you think anymore than you can control what you dream or how other people drive their vehicles. If you have someone in your life that you trust, trust them with this. It helps more than I can describe.
*at the same time, don't allow confessing to become a compulsion. I found I was confessing my thoughts to my fiance because I felt as long as he said I was fine, I was. I have to learn to be comfortable with the fact that as an obsessive compulsive, I am allowed to be obsessive compulsive. Don't chastise yourself for something you can't control.

 

[rattius]

Isn't ocd and other mental illneses, well let's say I couldn't be healed of them in the name of Jesus. MY mind tells me,even tho I don't want it to, that all I need is spritial cleaning and I'd be free from the ocd and other mental ilness that this is just the devil that needs to be cast out. I want to believe that through prayer and medication and fellowship I can see a difference. My mind keeps telling me thoughts I do not want. Like I need an exorism to be totally cleansed and tries to convince me. Is that all we need? I hate this thought. Is this all OCD in my head?

 

[PintoBean]

A vessel cannot be inhabited by good and evil. If you are born again you do not need an exorcism because you cannot be had by evil.
I am a nurse in a psych hospital and there is a fine line between living a Godly life and having symptoms of schizophrenia. I find schizophrenics are either obsessed by religion, sex or both. You have a difficult path to follow but I know you can do it because God doesn't give us more than we can handle. Please have faith. What ever sin you feel you have committed is forgive with a simple request. That is the massive gift of God's grace. Have faith that when you ask to be forgiven that it is done.

 

[hollyda]

Isn't ocd and other mental illneses, well let's say I couldn't be healed of them in the name of Jesus. MY mind tells me,even tho I don't want it to, that all I need is spritial cleaning and I'd be free from the ocd and other mental ilness that this is just the devil that needs to be cast out. I want to believe that through prayer and medication and fellowship I can see a difference. My mind keeps telling me thoughts I do not want. Like I need an exorism to be totally cleansed and tries to convince me. Is that all we need? I hate this thought. Is this all OCD in my head?

Right - my point is, what your mind is telling you is an obsessive thought. An exorcism would NOT help you. It would increase your symptoms by giving into the need of compulsion.

The cure for OCD isn't in making it go away, it's in how you manage it. OCD is caused by insufficient levels of something called serotonin, which is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain. There are medications available to raise these levels of serotonin, which can help the symptoms subside. I strongly urge you to become acquainted with the www[dot]ocfoundation[dot]org/. Religious obsessions are VERY COMMON for OCD sufferers. You're not alone.

Specifically since you are suffering from religious OCD, I recommend you visit this site:

www[dot]suite101[dot]com/content/religious-ocd-why-its-different-a102907

 

[justpassingthrough21]

Pinto, an exorcism won't stop bad thoughts. I know exactly how you are feeling, I was in that place once. Actually I believe that hidden sin was the cause of mine. I felt like if I confessed every sin to everyone, then the thoughts would go away. Well I started confessing every secret sin I could, and even telling my wife secret things. Although I did feel released from the guilt of those sins, it didn't change the thoughts I had. Actually the only way to overcome OCD, doubts, anger, anxiety, etc etc. is to have faith in what God says. I personally believe their is both a spiritual and a physical side to OCD, I believe medication can help make the physical symptoms subside, which in return will help your mind focus. Their is still a growing in faith and trust in Gods Word that must happen for the spiritual and emotional side of things.

 

[Danny34]

Have you been baptized? Ever since that day, nothing I mean NOTHING can brake that seal of your heavenly Father. You were dead before that day, and after that day you were born again through Jesus Christ, new, covered in his shedded blood as the ultimate sacrifice and the final one to end all. We are forgiven always because of his blood. Don't punish yourself, there is no need for that, Jesus Christ suffered so much and all that for us to be saved and forgiven. No need to whip ourselves, no need to kill a lamb, no such thing. Exorcism? Ha! Nothing can go in of you, even if you think you are rotting with sin and the most horrible thoughts that make you feel you must be punished. The Holy spirit in within, and OCD will tell you lies lies lies and more lies. It's in you, nothing else can go through you, the only thing possible is the enemy's lies. How does that work? Well, simple: Satan sees you suffering from OCD, an earthly sickness due to chemical disfuction you've had for a while, and then tells you lies to contribute to your fears created by your OCD(again, just chemicals).
Anyways, everybody, even people without OCD, have gone through some fear of religion such as making God mad or something, but God is a God of peace, he only thinks thoughts of peace towards you and nothing else. He wants to see you well, you just have to knock on his door and ask, for if you ask, you shall receive.
Alright hope you get better!

 

[PintoBean]

Pinto, an exorcism won't stop bad thoughts.

I didn't say it would, but thanks for clarifying.

 

[justpassingthrough21]

The only reason I said what I said, was because of my own personal situation. I thought asking everyone for forgiveness would stop my bad thoughts. It became its own little obsession. I understand you feel bad or dirty from what you have gone through. All I am saying is if you are a born again Christian, which it looks like you are, then the answer is a renewing through Gods Word. Just from my own experience, panic/anxiety attacks, blasphemous thoughts were reduced and completely removed by me not giving them mental importance, and by growing in faith and trust. I am guessing the cleansing feeling you want will come that same way.

 

[rattius]

What gets me is that I even thought it and it bother me to know I had that thought. I'm pretty much punishing myself mentally. What normal person would think that they may need an exorism to rid ones mind of mental disease. It was just a thought that popped into my head and my mind telling me it was the only way.. Now I feel axiety for even having that thought and it goes around and around in my head.
David

 

[justpassingthrough21]

Don't beat yourself up so much. I think you would be surprised how many "normal" people have really crazy thoughts. Having the thought isn't bad or wrong, the failure comes when you give it authority over Gods Word. Which I did for the first year of my thoughts, and I still fight it today, but get better at it every day. I know exactly what you are feeling, I listened to audio recordings of the true exorcism(or lack thereof) of emily rose(not her real name). And for about a week I had terrible anxiety. I spent a week trying to prove to myself that I was somehow different than her. I finally just forced myself to stop thinking about the possibility of me being possessed, and started getting glad about the promises of Gods Word. It eventually took it's grip off my mind. It takes ALOT of work, it might take months of consistent mental training, but you can get to the place where you know beyond the shadow of a doubt you are Gods child, and all you let into your mind is peace and truth.

Don't feel bad that you had to thought, and even more so don't feel condemned that you gave into it. Remember that their is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. You may feel sad and repentant for failing, which is fine. But confess your sins and then just move on. God never meant for His people to be spend their time feeling condemned and sorry. Truth is, if you confessed your sin and turned, he has no idea what you are even talking about anymore. Your failures are floating in the bottom of the ocean never to be seen again.

 

[justpassingthrough21]

Let me just just add in one more thing about mental processes. Their are some super destructive mental processes that need to be stopped in order for you to begin to regain your life and walk with God. Here are some common and powerful "wrong" thought processes that will destroy your chance of progress.
1)"It will never be the same again"
2)"I must be going crazy, nobody I know has a mind as out of control as mine"
3)"I am so evil, only someone that is possessed would think these kinds of thoughts"
4)"God is gone, I don't feel Him anymore and I don't think he is ever going to come back"
5)"I will never get my mind under control"
6)"I will never be normal like I use to be"

Those thought process first of all are all completely contrary to the Word of God. You need to know the verses that counter those lies.
1)Every day the Lords mercies are new, the old has gone and the new has come
2)the carnal mind leads to death, but the spiritual mind leads to life and peace. The Lord will give peace to those who's minds are fixed on Him.
3)I am a temple for the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit flows into me like a river 1 way, and flows out of me 7 ways(the power of God is multiplied through you and flows out into other lives). Jesus said Him and the Father would come and make their home in me, and that is where He lives.
4)Jesus said He would never leave me nor forsake me
5)I have the mind of Christ
6)Though a righteous man falls 7 times, he gets back up again.(the fact you get back up after you fall, shows the colors of a righteous person, not an evil person).

Anyways that is what I do, and it gets easier to believe and trust the Bible when I spend more time focusing on God, thank Him, and being in His Spirit.

 

[rattius]

Thanx to all who have given me advice. Still my mind won’t set me free. Ever since I had that thought that I needed an exorcism (It was just a thought telling me I would be cleansed from my problems) I feel like I thought an evil thought and now I am being punished by it. What person would ever think such a thing? Has anyone else ever felt that way. I feel so alone and am praying about it but I am scared. I need help because this thought it eating at my life. Is this considered OCD.

David

 

[rattius]

I want to thank you for your guidance. Your words have really helped me knowing that you have felt the same feelings I have.

 

[rndebw]

I think satan will try to find any in road or weakness he can. I will keep reading scriptures and having faith in the Lord.

 

[VZ2011]

Extreme spiritual fearfulness (over blasphemy & going to hell) & doubting (even while you are pursing God, reading his word, and in prayer)are forms of spiritual OCD. They and other racing negative fearful thoughts are the result of a vitamin deficiency which causes a chemical imbalance in the brain and is treatable with extreme daily doses of vitamines. If you or a loved one experience extreme spiritual fearfulness, OCD or schizophrenia tendancies (paranoia, visual hallucinations, hearing voices), depression, insomnia, racing thoughts, panic attacks, anxiety, other mental distresses, do yourself a favor and reasearch depression, schizophrenia, OCD vitamin and orthomolecular therapy and the work of a canadian doctor named Abram Hoffer. Basically he developed a treatment (that truly WORKS) with Vitamines. It's a minimal cost to incur to invest in your physical and mental AND SPIRITUAL wellness. I am not peddling anyone's vitamines. You can get any brand at Walmart or a grocery store or a vitamine store on line. These Vitamin supplements have been a tremendous help to my relative and myself who continue to experience greater and greater healing each day that we continue with this vitamine therapy. Relief comes within the first couple of days and continues as you continue to take the vitamine supplements. You must take them for the rest of your life or risk a relapse.

1000 mg niacian daily (get a combination of flush-free and regular niacin) the regular will cause you to flush--(you will get red and hot but this means it is working--the longer it takes you to flush the more you needed it. the redness goes away in about 15 minutes. The flush-free niacin will not make you flush. If you start to feel nauceaous, lower the dosage or skip a day altogether with it, then take a "normal" dosage, like 100-500 mg. An extremely high dose like 1000-2000 is for when things get extremely uncontrollable and it should only be temporary. It's too much to take regularly. After a day or two you could start to feel naucious from that much, but it will jumpstart the seratonin in your brain to help you relax and control your thoughts, then you can lower it to 500.

2000-3000 mg Vitamine C take 1000 mg 3x a day

HTP5 - At least 100 mg daily

Vitamine B 8 - (inisitol) - 10-18g per day depending on severity of your OCD (it's alot but take it)

Vitamine B combo vitamine 2 or 3 per day (with B1, B6, B12)

Essential Omega Fats (with fish oil and flax) take 2-3 per day.

Results will be notable within a day or two, with the greatest results starting at around 6 weeks of taking these.

Swear off all junk food, all artificial sweetners, all refined white sugar products, all alcohol, eat GOOD NUTRITIOUS FOOD, fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits, unsweetned fruit juice, filtered water or spring water, cut down on caffeine. Going gluetin free is also good but it's not necessary for everyone.

Please research these things on line yourself as I am not allowed to post URLs on this site. I would have posted them if I could have.

Please, also understand that you must honor Jesus Christ and trust his shed blood and ressurection fully for salvation. Read the word daily and pray, and live according to biblical principals and this along with proper nutrition, will eliminate spiritual OCD and extreme spiritual fearfulness.