My Story with OCD (Christian Perspective)

It was the worst situation in my life. My OCD got so bad that it was all I could think about…constantly. I was tormented day and night to no avail. The more I tried to fight it, the worst it got. I had terrible thoughts (which I now know are intrusive thoughts – they have nothing to do with me). Normal people are able to push these thoughts away, but for someone with OCD, the thoughts simply stick. It is a constant rehearsal in your mind, and anxiety levels rise.

Looking back, there are things I wish I knew then that I know now. Here are some strategies I want to share with you that I hope will help you in your struggle.

#1 – Realize you have a problem. When I realize that I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, it helps alleviate my stress. The reason why is because I begin to see that I need to think differently. Suddenly, the problems I am dealing with lose some of their heaviness when I begin to understand that this is a mental disorder.

When I begin to see this, it helps me realize that I am looking at things incorrectly. God looks at the heart, and when I suffer from anxiety, I’m basically pushing Him away and giving into fear.

God loves us so much. He doesn’t want us to suffer. He sent His one and only Son to die for us. He knows we carry a burden we were never meant to carry. We need to let go of what is troubling us so Jesus can take over.

#2 - Watch your stress levels. We live in a stressful society. There’s a go, go, go mentality. A lot of us may suffer from stress from work, relationships, etc.

We may need to simply take a step back and see if there is stress that is causing us to be vulnerable to OCD attacks. Maybe taking a break and resting in the Lord can help.

Are you under a lot of stress? The answer to this question can help ease some of the tension you have and help you understand why maybe you are thinking irrationally. While it may be difficult to find times to relax, just realizing that you are in a stressful season may be the reason you need to explain why you’re feeling the way you are.

I know that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places. Being in God’s presence sounds really nice right now to me. 😊 This is something I actually want to do as well!

#3 – Endure Just like there are different seasons in the year (spring, summer, fall, and winter), there are different seasons in your life. Ecclesiastes shows that there is a season for everything.

Just because you find yourself in a tough place right now – don’t freak out! Just wait through it. Things will get better. Sometimes you just have to take in the pain. Literally. Soak it up. Don’t fight back…eventually it will go.

Focus on Jesus and His goodness in your life. He wants a relationship with you. Cry out to Him. Be honest in your suffering. I’ve recently found this verse to be so helpful:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Sometimes, we want to grab control of the situation but forget how human we are. Let God be God. Let Him fight for you. He may change the very situation you are worried about around. Give Him your burdens. He is much more able to take over from here the mess you are in.

# 4 - Face your fears (little by little) I read an amazing little book called “A Thousand Frightening Fantasies: Understanding and Healing Scrupulosity and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder” by William Van Ornum, PH.D. This man did his research let me say!

There’s a part in the book where it recommends facing your fears. When I first tried to combat the OCD I was experiencing, I tried to go to an extreme in facing my fear. It was very counterproductive because my anxiety level increased dramatically.

What I should have done is faced my fears little by little. Your mind is like a muscle – practicing little by little gains great strength over time. Don’t worry about the big things…practice facing the little things you fear. For example, if locking the door is something you struggle with, practicing walking away (even if there’s a part of you that doubts if you really locked it) and sit with the pain. Little by little, the pain is easier to deal with. It just takes baby steps.

Remember, God is patient with us. He wants us to get better!

# 5 - Make decisions for yourself (make a decision one way or another) Learn to be decisive. I think with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, we’re so afraid of messing up that we are very indecisive. I can’t help but find this quote so funny (and true!):

Start taking back your life by making a decision. You will find that the control you’ve been wanting is there all along. You just needed the courage to be assertive. Yes, you may make mistakes, but that’s just part of the learning process. Go for 100%. Don’t get stuck in the middle – remember the squirrel!

#6 - This is for your good – God is not mad at you. Why do we think God is mad at us? I know for me, I’ve struggled with thinking that if I make one major mistake, I will go to hell, no turning back. This is not the type of God I serve. This is the kind of struggle God wants to free people from. He doesn’t want others in this type of bondage.

If you have gone through severe OCD, you can help others. God is going to give you compassion for others that you never felt possible. Trust Him in the process.

Even the worst situation can be turned around for His glory. Just think of all the people who weren’t perfect in the Bible. Paul persecuted the Church – and yet, this man is a man God used. Don’t ever think you’ve fallen too short of God’s grace. That’s exactly what grace is: a gift undeserved.

#7 – Focus on Jesus and the Bible I believe the Bible is filled with promises that are true. We need to believe them! I need to trust that Jesus can forgive anything. Jesus needs to be the focus of my life. Against all odds, I need to trust in Him. I need to think about His love for me. . . that I am clean in His eyes.

When I am disheartened, I need to turn to a Bible verse that gives me hope. For example:

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Remember, you will stumble sometimes. The righteous can stumble – but God can pick us up again. Give yourself some grace – God sure has! You’re not going to be perfect. In the midst of the storm, you might need to call out to God. Just don’t give up! You may be in a season of struggle, but when all else fails, God never will. . .

Keep enduring, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ!