Simply Scrupulosity

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by cycles of unwanted thoughts, anxiety and compulsive behaviors. But there are many different sub-types of OCD. For example, individuals who typically worry about cleanliness and getting others sick may have Contamination OCD, and those who fret about hurting others or themselves may have Harm OCD. But what is Scrupulo...

One of my viewers recently asked me, "Where do you draw the line between Scrupulosity OCD and church culture? Your account has opened my eyes to a lot of harmful thought patterns, but I feel like these are taught to us as children." My viewer has a point! Especially when it comes to high-demand religions, it can be hard to differentiate between what can be classified as Obsessive-Compuls...

One of the most common messages I get in my inbox is Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) sufferers wondering how they can stop realizing on avoidance as a compulsion.  Avoidance comes up for a multitude of different reasons. But no matter the reason, it can be just as distressing to try and overcome. That's why I made today's episode! When you tune in, you'll discover:...

Many people know that Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is commonly referred to as the doubting disorder. However, what most people don't know is that the doubts that are part of OCD know almost no boundaries. In fact, many Scrupulosity OCD sufferers eventually deal with chronic doubt about whether God thinks they're just pretending to have Religious OCD so that they have an excuse to...

If you've ever asked yourself, "Is this faith or OCD?", then this episode is for you! In this viewer-requested discussion, we'll cover how to identify when your religious behaviors cross the line over into magical thinking territory - a tell-tale sign that your Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is getting involved. In addition, we'll talk about: What exactly...

In this episode, I discuss everything about my journey with Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - from when my first symptoms appeared to when I was finally diagnosed nearly 20 years later! Tune in to:  Learn about early warning signs of Scrupulosity OCD Get examples of common Scrupulosity OCD thought loops and compulsions A sneak peek into where I am in my OCD recovery Connect with m...

When you're struggling with Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), the last thing you need is to feel lonely and/or isolated when you are attending church. However, knowing how to open up and make friends who may relate to you can sometimes be difficult. In this viewer-requested episode, we discuss: Overcoming feeling like it's taboo to discuss Religious OCD at church Simple w...

After you are diagnosed with Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), it's very common to question the validity of your past religious experiences. You may wonder how many of the times you felt "the Spirit" were simply the reduction in anxiety that occurs after a compulsion is completed. This often leads to individuals with Religious OCD going through a type of "faith...

Back when I was living with undiagnosed Scrupulosity OCD, one of my most destructive OCD cycle loops had to do with developing Christlike attributes - especially humility.  The Religious OCD distorted humility to mean that it was sinful to be proud of yourself, feel hurt by other people, etc. And this is not a common occurrence among the Scrupulosity OCD community.  That's why in this episode...

At first glance, it may appear that Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has nothing to do with how Thanksgiving goes for you. However, that may not be the case! In this episode, learn all about how exactly OCD may ramp up during the holidays AND how you can best cope with it.  For more information, check out this blog post: https://www.abbietabbilos.com/post/how-scrupulosity-ocd-affec...

When your self-love is rooted in your religious beliefs, that means it is conditional upon things like: Whether or not you’re following the “rules” If you’re spending your time wisely If you’re serving people enough If enough people love you (because that means you are righteous) Sound familiar? This podcast episode is for you. Listen to the episode to learn: How to untie your self-esteem from you...

You don't have to have Scrupulosity OCD to wonder if God has truly forgiven you for your sins. However, people with Religious OCD need to approach the question much   differently. In this episode, we discuss how to respond when you find yourself wondering if you're truly forgiven. We also talk about: What feeling guilt means when you have Scrupulosity OCD How to respond to intrusive thou...

Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) involves a person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) completing tasks that are targeted to help them face the fears that are driving the OCD cycle. For those with Scrupulosity OCD, those exposures involve things like changing the way they pray, skipping church or doing other behaviors that they believe might offend God.  It's no wonder that...

Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) certainly isn't a disorder that only affects the sufferer. And if your loved one has Scrupulosity OCD, it can be very difficult to know how you can best support them. In this episode, we talk about 5 ways OCD can affect relationships and 5 ways you can effectively support your loved one with Scrupulosity OCD. We also discuss: How to navigate wh...

It's common to think that if you don't feel happiness or peace, it means you have done something wrong and need to repent. Scrupulosity OCD can find tons of evidence for you to feel this way, and even though you can tell it's harmful for you to think this way, it feels so real! In this episode, we talk about how to address when emotions feel like evidence, and feelings feel like fac...

If you've been diagnosed with Scrupulosity (Religious) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), chances are you have been confused about whether you received revelation from God or if it was just your OCD talking. I understand that answering this question can be incredibly complicated, especially since many people eventually realize that some of their most treasured spiritual experiences were sim...

Have you ever wondered if worry was a sin? If you have, it's probably because a lot of people genuinely think it is. In fact, they often cite increased faith and/or prayer as the perfect antidotes to worry.  However, for people with Scrupulosity/Religious Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), believing that worry is sinful can be incredibly harmful, not only because OCD sufferers don't ha...

If you have Scrupulosity/Religious Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) there's a big chance you may have had difficulty deciphering whether or not the religious behaviors you participate in are because of your faith, or because your OCD is talking. For example, you may feel an overwhelming need to repent for a sin you committed, but you are unsure whether that is because you actually made a m...

When I asked my followers what they wanted to hear me speak about on a podcast episode, they said "How to manage the everyday exhaustion of intrusive thoughts." And if you have OCD, you know that if you had to pick one adjective to describe living with the disorder, "exhausting" would be near the top of the list! In this episode, we talk about what everyday life dealing with OC...

Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is already complicated enough before you consider that it isn't much of a stretch for the OCD sufferer to develop complicated feelings towards their faith. In my journey with Scrupulosity OCD, I've asked myself questions like: - If I wasn't raised in a religious household, would I still have developed OCD? - Is it worth it to remain an acti...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is really good at making a person question everything about who they are. For example, Scrupulosity OCD may heavily impact a person's religious identity by making them unsure of what they believe or what mistakes they may have made. Relationship OCD can blur the lines of what a person's thoughts and actions mean and how others might perceive them – and...

Living with OCD is incredibly exhausting. So how do you find the energy to apply the skills and tools to recover from the very mental illness that is creating mental and emotional exhaustion? In this episode, we discuss the small steps you can take towards recovery, even when you are mentally and emotionally exhausted. In addition, we'll cover:  - How OCD recovery doesn't always have to...

I don't know anyone who struggles with their mental health that doesn't suffer a mental health relapse from time to time. And perhaps one of the most difficult parts of those relapses is the fact that it can be extremely difficult to have self compassion.  In this episode, we'll discuss 5 ways you can show yourself some compassion, even when it feels impossible. In addition, you&apo...

Mental illness can take so much from you  –  relationships, self-esteem, experiences  –  even simply the ability to feel joy, or feel anything at all. That's why it's no wonder that people who suffer from OCD (or anxiety, or depression, or anything in between) may sometimes think to themselves, "If I just didn't have anxiety, I could be happy." Or, "If I just didn&apo...

When you get anxious, you have two options: resist it, or lean into vulnerability.  In this episode, we'll discuss how rather than letting anxiety harden you into resistance, you can let it soften you. You can stop fearing anxiety. In addition, we'll discuss: Resisting anxiety is natural because you are trying to protect yourself Although anxiety is extremely uncomfortable, it cannot hur...