Mind and Soul : The beast of OCD

Various comments on old website (Guest) (30/12/2009 13:18)

Don't tame it - get rid of it!
by Martin, posted on October 22 at 03:59
Thank you for your honesty in this article. From the Ignite write up I hoped to read that you are free, but you say it is better but not gone. Almost all addictions are masking pain in us, or are coping mechanisms to help us deal with pain. The addiction is the outworking, but not the root, of the problem. It is the 'root' that therefore needs to be dealt with and then you can be free. Ellel Ministries, which jointly organises a number of conferences in London with Premier Lifeline, have Healing Retreats at all of their centres (4 in the UK) which last 48 hours and there is no charge (for details see: www.ellelministries.org/uk). May I suggest you find the nearest Ellel Ministries centre to you and phone them. This is not a 'plug' for Ellel Ministries, but a recommendation from someone who can testify that Jesus came to set the captives free! Your story can yet have a 'happy ending'.

Thank you
by Anon, posted on October 21 at 03:33
Thank you for your article. It was really helpful. I have been struggling with OCD for about five years now. It is hell. I am glad that other Christians know how it feels. I think understanding it is key, as well as lots of prayer and support. Thanks again. Really appreciate it.

Christian OCD online support group?
by anony-brummy, posted on October 10 at 04:10
Thanks for this really encouraging article. It's so amazing hearing that you've persevered into church leadership grappling with obsessional problems. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever be able to marry as I struggle with OCD, yet I know God has promised this through two separate people so I have hope. I've had my own set of difficulties for a good many years since childhood. The thoughts become so intense that I get tension headaches at times. I know for sure that it's not the way God intends us to live. Trying to repent in the midst of obsessional problems is a hard issue and I wonder if there's much theological stuff out there, in relation to OCD.

People in church often do not understand obsessional problems, so there's definite wisdom in being wary who you tell. I have been blessed with a very kind and understanding friend who bears much with me through the problems. I have been seeing a counsellor for the past year and a half and that is coming to an end soon. I think it would be beneficial to join a Christian support group. Does anyone know of one of these? I am aware that obsessional problems are chronic - they are probably something I am going to have to manage through my life.

Having said that, I am seeing God pull me through obsessional problems. I am seeing the Holy Spirit whisper guidance to me. Last week I believed he told me to choose to look at the Four Step Dr Schwarz book. The importance of choosing to refocus struck me. The last time I read this I didn't find it too helpful, however last Saturday I had the best obsessional (free) day ever. I constantly refocused through out the day. It was incredible. I played so well that day in a gig because I wasn't caught up in my thinking. Praise the Lord. It is possible to come through in His strength, but being bogged down in the middle of obsessional problems is also hard.

Anyways, I'll come to an end of my ramblings. If anyone does know of Christian support groups, it would be great to hear from you.

Blessings.

Don't give up
by anon1, posted on October 8 at 10:49
i can't actually believe i'm writing this, i usually don't. i have been a christian for over 5 years and was doing very well. I had a passionate relationship with the Lord, then i got married and had two babies in little over 2 years, my first child suffered brain damage and is still behind in his development. so my relationship with God declined.

One sunday, i was watching the news about a child molester, when a thougt came to my mind suggesting that i molest my son, i wept that day praying and begging the Lord. I was very afraid. It went away for a while and came back like a flood one day, now it wasn't just my son but both my sons and other children, oh what sadness and heaviness filled my soul. I don't want to do this, why am i thinking of wicked things like this, i dropped put of school, my husband took time off work because i couldn't stand to be alone and lost his job. I prayed and cried and so did my husband and several pastors.

One Monday, i dreamt and (i'll shorten this) i saw the Lord on his knees in intercession and so many other things ,It is definately getting better and i am glad that i can now think that i will have a normal relationship with my sons, i believe one day when i look at them i will laugh at satan because all i will see is love for them and every other child is love. My hope is restored and i will overcome

Understood
by Anon, posted on September 25 at 05:57
I've also suffered all my life with similar irrational thoughts, behaviour and high anxiety levels, again looking back comes from childhood. Many years of therapy helped me understand and provided tools for coping but I wanted more than that. Having given my llife to Christ 4 years ago I started to pray for healing and gradually breakthroughs happen and now the problems have disappeared or decreased dramatically. What I have realised is God wants us to be filled with Joy, Love and Freedom and that's exactly opposite to what Satan wants for us so when I feel irratiional fear or have irrational thoughts I say to myself that's not from God, ignore this and remember the Holy Spirit is residing in me, my Christian friends and is all around, I have nothing to fear and carry on with my day. I know this may sound too simple and easy but it's taken me years to realise the power of prayer and that we are in a spiritual battle but we know it has already been won for us by Jesus.

interesting stuff
by John, posted on September 23 at 07:51
thank you for your honesty and insight, it has confirmed a few thoughts of my own, and I wonder whether, we all have some degree of OCD, to a greater or lesser extent. It would suggest that this is the norm and that those who don't suffer are abnormal! However, that said (with a pinch of salt) your advice is very astute, and certainly helps me understand better my own OCD type anxieties, and those of friends who suffer to a much greater degree. Never give in, keep getting up and we will win with God's amazing Grace!

Thank you
by Clare, posted on September 18 at 09:15
What a brave, honest and helpful account of your life with OCD. It is really well described. Thank you.I had no idea what OCD felt like to a sufferer before reading this.

KM (Guest) (22/07/2010 22:20)

For once, people who truly understand where my head is at - I am so thankful to all of you, not just for the article but also for the honesty about your experiences. I too have had horrendous thoughts to deal with, and its taken me to the blackest of places, but over time God's grace has brought me more peace - even without freedom from the thoughts - and hope that things can get better. And just knowing that others are moving forward in this too is such a help. God be with us all as we keep on walking with Him and learning about the path marked with suffering - and the crown of glory waiting at the end.
Love to you all,
KMx

B (07/05/2012 18:53)

I agree that understanding more about the condition has helped me. A couple of books that I would highly recommend are: The Doubting Disease by Jospeh W Ciarrocchi (a clinical psychologist) and Can Christianity Cure Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? by Ian Osborn (a psychiatrist who has overcome OCD in his own life). I liked both books but particularly the one by Ciarrocchi. It has some exercises to do in it and deals with OCD in relation to the Christian faith.

Susan Parnaby (31/05/2012 14:49)

Thank you I am still processing and trying to understand what on earth was going on during a 26 year long marriage that ended in failure or rather me being taken out of it by a loving God. That's another story too long to relate here. I just was not up to the task of being the wife of a victim of OCD especially one who struggled to accept any kind of help whether medical or spiritual.The church does not always help reminding wives that they should be submissive and hinting that if there is any discord that the problem is due to the wives lack of submission to the irrational behaviour of the husband. Apparently there is nothing wrong when a husband is so angry at his wife for touching a hearth that he bruises the wife's back with his fist as she crouches on the ground. If she had been the sort of submissive wife that she should have been then she would not have been punished for her disobedience. Unregenerated OCD really is a nightmare. Problem is when you wake up the consequences are still there. The broken family relationships take time to heal if they ever do. Gloria Wilson (21/03/2013 19:38) My experience with OCD began when my 2nd son was born, 38 years ago. I was a missionary, so these intrusive thoughts appalled me. Prayer did not change them. They were constant and overwhelming. Sometimes I could hardly concentrate on what people were saying because of battling my thoughts. I suffered terrible stress headaches, and could not sleep well. Then there was the guilt of having such thoughts, as a follower of Jesus, and a missionary. It was about 30 years later I discovered I had OCD. What a relief to know this awful thing had a name!! Medication helped, but also a book called The Brain that changes itself, by Norman Doidge. He writes about the plasticity of the brain. After reading the book I began to fill my mind with Scripture, reciting or listening as much as possible all day. It was very hard mental work for a while, but it paid off. For the same reason, meditation is beneficial for OCD. I now have only very occasional and relatively minor breakthroughs of OCD. Gloria Wilson