Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Support Group
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, more specifically, an anxiety disorder. OCD is manifested in a variety of forms, but is most commonly characterized by a subject's obsessive (repetitive, distressing, intrusive) thoughts and related compulsions (tasks or rituals) which attempt to neutralize the obsessions.
I have SO much anxiety over what God's will is for me. I thought that it was His will for me to be in a loving marriage that reflected the love of Christ and the church...but then my boyfriend of 2.5 years and I broke up in March. Since then, I've been having anxiety and panic attacks that maybe I'm on the wrong path, that maybe I'm being called to be a homeless minister. In my faith, we call it "going in the work"...because they are "workers in the harvest field" looking for lost souls.
I'm just wondering if anyone else has this obsession? I've read a few people on here having the obsession that they are being called to be a Nun.
What are some of the intrusive thoughts that anyone else has?
I obsess like 85% of most days, I can't get the thoughts out of my head. They have morphed from, "What if you're supposed to go in the work, " and "Maybe you're supposed to go in the work. Maybe you're ignoring your call, " to more serious and anxiety inducing, "Go in the work. You're supposed to go in the work. You're ignoring your calling. You can't buy those clothes because you won't need them as a homeless minister."
Help!
I had my first session with my therapist last week. I prayed before I made the appointment that I would be matched with someone who understood what I was going through and could point me in the right direction. Turns out, my therapist was a youth minister before he went back to school for counseling! He went through the same thing I am...he even considered becoming a monk because he didn't know what else to do. He said that if I'm questioning whether it is God speaking to me or not, then it probably isn't.
Anyway, I'm just looking for support...mainly what your OCD thoughts are/were and how you are working through knowing when it's God speaking and when it's just OCD thoughts.
I'm just wondering if anyone else has this obsession? I've read a few people on here having the obsession that they are being called to be a Nun.
What are some of the intrusive thoughts that anyone else has?
I obsess like 85% of most days, I can't get the thoughts out of my head. They have morphed from, "What if you're supposed to go in the work, " and "Maybe you're supposed to go in the work. Maybe you're ignoring your call, " to more serious and anxiety inducing, "Go in the work. You're supposed to go in the work. You're ignoring your calling. You can't buy those clothes because you won't need them as a homeless minister."
Help!
I had my first session with my therapist last week. I prayed before I made the appointment that I would be matched with someone who understood what I was going through and could point me in the right direction. Turns out, my therapist was a youth minister before he went back to school for counseling! He went through the same thing I am...he even considered becoming a monk because he didn't know what else to do. He said that if I'm questioning whether it is God speaking to me or not, then it probably isn't.
Anyway, I'm just looking for support...mainly what your OCD thoughts are/were and how you are working through knowing when it's God speaking and when it's just OCD thoughts.
No, you didn't offend me at all. You actually said exactly what everyone has been telling me- that if I'm questioning if it is God speaking, then it isn't. He is very clear. Like you said, it's a moment of clarity and sureness, not doubt.
You definitely helped, not hindered :)
I've realized that God has been telling me to wait for the right person to marry and that He has a wonderful plan. And that He speaks through rest, peace, and sureness, not panic, anxiety, and doubt. However, I HATE waiting (I'm impatient) and so does my OCD (it hates uncertainty)...so my OCD grabs on to the thing that means the most to me and causes all this guilt and anxiety.
You are going through something very common with sufferers of OCD who are religious.