Ep. 11 Religious and Moral Scrupulosity OCD

Out of OCD Podcast

In this episode of The Out of OCD Podcast, Toi Hershman dives into a widely misunderstood OCD subtype: religious or moral scrupulosity. Toi draws from personal experience to explain how this condition affects individuals’ faith and mental health.

Key Topics Covered:

• What is Religious Scrupulosity?
  • A subtype of OCD involving intense fear of sin, blasphemy, or punishment.
  • Common compulsions include repetitive praying, excessive confessions, and seeking reassurance from religious leaders.
• The Emotional Impact:
  • How scrupulosity drives people to avoid their faith or worship spaces.
  • The excruciating feelings of guilt, shame, and fear tied to this OCD subtype.
• Treatment and Hope:
  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) as the gold-standard therapy, even for religious scrupulosity.
  • The importance of shifting focus from fear and punishment to love and grace.
• Resources and Support:
  • The International OCD Foundation’s free online support groups and conferences like the “Faith and OCD” conference.
  • Encouragement for listeners to seek help and know they are not alone.

“Remember, OCD attacks what you value most. But healing is possible, and you are not alone in this journey.”

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Resources:

Free Workbook to Quit OCD: https://outofocd.com/free-workbook/
Out of OCD Website: https://www.outofocd.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToiHershman

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outofocd/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toi.hershman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toihershman/

Online support groups: https://iocdf.org/ocd-finding-help/supportgroups/
IOCDF Faith and OCD Resources