When Faith Feels Like Fear: Religious OCD Explained | Get to know OCD Ep 29
Get to know OCD5 Joulu 2024

When Faith Feels Like Fear: Religious OCD Explained | Get to know OCD Ep 29

Scrupulosity, or religious OCD, twists faith into fear, trapping individuals in relentless cycles of guilt, shame, and self-doubt. Intrusive thoughts like “am I a sinner?” or “did I commit an unforgivable act?” fuel compulsions — endless prayers, confessions, or mental checks — that only tighten OCD’s grip.

In this episode, Dr. Ted Witzig — a psychologist and ordained minister — joins us to unpack this complex and often misunderstood OCD subtype. Through his unique blend of clinical expertise and spiritual insight, Dr. Witzig offers compassion, clarity, and practical guidance to help untangle faith from fear and reclaim a life of peace.

Struggling with scrupulosity? Have questions? Visit https://learn.nocd.com/podcast to learn more about our best-in-care treatment options.

Show notes:

0:00 Intro

1:39 Ted’s unique background

5:49 Understanding scrupulosity

8:15 Scrupulosity is NOT a faith problem

17:43 Ted treats all faiths

21:05 The role of ERP when treating scrupulosity

27:38 Anxiety hierarchies

34:24 Opportunity for clinicians and families to work together

39:02 The problem with online checking

41:03 The tricks OCD likes playing

46:42 Ted’s parting advice

50:43 How to reach Ted

Follow us on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/treatmyocd/

https://twitter.com/treatmyocd

https://www.tiktok.com/@treatmyocd

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(195)

How I Stopped Fearing My Darkest OCD Thoughts

How I Stopped Fearing My Darkest OCD Thoughts

During the 18 years she went without a proper diagnosis, Alison Dotson lived inside a "horror film" of her own mind. She was suffering from Pure O — a form of OCD dominated by mental compulsions rathe...

5 Helmi 48min

Nothing Was Ever “Just Right” For Alex Anele's OCD

Nothing Was Ever “Just Right” For Alex Anele's OCD

Alex Anele has been creating makeup videos online for more than a decade, building an audience of over a million people along the way. Behind the scenes, her lifelong OCD made almost everything feel u...

1 Helmi 41min

John Green: The Thoughts I Was Too Scared to Share

John Green: The Thoughts I Was Too Scared to Share

Everyone has intrusive thoughts. With OCD, the difference is that they tend to escalate from 0 to 100 in an instant. Author John Green compares it to a snowstorm: three flakes, then four—then suddenly...

29 Tammi 25min

What It’s Like To Have OCD In A Culture That Doesn’t Talk About It

What It’s Like To Have OCD In A Culture That Doesn’t Talk About It

Radha Bage grew up in India, a culture where mental health wasn’t discussed openly — not at home, not in the community, and not as something you sought help for. When OCD began to take hold in her adu...

22 Tammi 45min

OCD Made My Own Thoughts Feel Unsafe

OCD Made My Own Thoughts Feel Unsafe

Faith Hilmer was terrified of driving — not because of an accident, but because of a thought. What if I have a seizure? What if I lose control? Those questions stemmed from her harm OCD that paralyzed...

18 Tammi 38min

My OCD hit a breaking point on a Netflix set. This is what happened next.

My OCD hit a breaking point on a Netflix set. This is what happened next.

OCD hijacked Rachel's life. Perfectionism and obsessive thinking had always been a part of her life, but a new relationship gave OCD something to latch onto — and it escalated fast. Her thoughts spira...

15 Tammi 44min

4 Simple OCD Tips For 2026

4 Simple OCD Tips For 2026

As 2026 begins, NOCD therapist Tracie Ibrahim offers up a few small but meaningful shifts that can make living with OCD feel more manageable. Instead of chasing quick fixes or “perfect” routines, thes...

11 Tammi 4min

She Made A Comedy Show Out Of Her OCD Journey

She Made A Comedy Show Out Of Her OCD Journey

Olivia didn’t set out to make a comedy show about her OCD struggles. The idea came from noticing how much power her thoughts still had when they stayed unspoken. In her head, they felt heavy, urgent, ...

8 Tammi 43min

Suosittua kategoriassa Terveys ja hyvinvointi

unicast
voi-hyvin-meditaatiot-2
rss-hanna-tikander
rss-pitaisko-erota
psykopodiaa-podcast
rss-narsisti
tiedenaiset-podcast
terapiassa
puhu-muru
junnut-pelissa
vakeva-elama-viisaampi-mieli-vahvempi-keho
meditaatiot-suomeksi
rss-kuumilla-aalloilla
rss-pt-paahtio
selviytyjat-tarinoita-elamasta
rss-kyykkya-ja-kuoharia
paaasia-podcast
fitnessvastaanotto
katilon-kahvitunti
rss-duodecim-lehti