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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Scrupulosity	George	Monday, November 8, 2004
Question: I suffer from a condition called scrupulosity (OCD) or at least that is what I have learned. How can I be sure if this is a physical mental illness or some kind of oppression or possesion? It has been recommended to follow the advise given by Fr. Thomas M. Santa director of scrupulous anonymous. Is this good advise to follow? I am concerned because I was invovled in some new age stuff such as: auric healing, a course in miracles, reki, and other new age stuff.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear George: We will certainly be praying for you. Scrupulosity can be a very big problem. Those with scrupulosity, a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, should consider four steps to help overcome this problem: 1) Focus on what you KNOW to be true, instead of what you "feel" to be true. No matter how much you "feel" that you are in mortal sin, look at the matter objectively with cold intellect and reason. The details will depend on the specifics of how your scrupulosity is manifesting, but for example, if you think you have committed mortal sin by lying on the phone to someone telling them that you are busy and cannot talk when that is not true, this is NOT mortal sin. Remember the definition of mortal sin. That definition begins with requiring that the sin in question be GRAVE in nature. If the sin is not a grave one then it cannot be mortal. Read the Catechism to find out what sins are grave. If you are not sure about the gravity of a sin, then ask your confessor and OBEY what he says. St. Alphonsus Ligouri teaches, "I tell you that you should implicitly trust in obedience your confessor. This advice is given by all of the doctors of the Church and the holy fathers as well. In short, obedience to your confessor is the safest remedy which Jesus Christ left us for quieting the doubts of conscience, and we should give thanks for it." Despite the wisdom of this advice, those with scrupulosity may find it difficult to follow. Thus we go to the next step. 2) Seek psychiatric help. Since scrupulosity is a form of OCD, the medication that helps OCD may also help to deal with the scrupulosity. Medication can take the edge off, at least, to make it easier to do Step 1. 3) Follow the advice of Fr. Thomas M. Santa and join his Scrupulous Anonymous support group. A good introduction to Fr. Santa and group can be found be reading his article, Scrupulosity And How To Overcome It 4) Close all the doors, patch all the holes in the hedge of protection that surrounds each of us, and clean house on the spiritual warfare level. Demons often do not cause problems, but will hitchhike on problems that already exist. Either way, a scrupulous person, as do all of us, needs to practice the basic spiritual warfare that Bible advises for all Christians. The HELP section of our website is useful in practicing this basic level of spiritual warfare. Prayers in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog such as the Hedge Prayer of Protection, a prayer to ask God to take away any demon of scrupulosity, putting on the armor of God are recommended. If you were involved in New Age things, then you need to renounce those things, ask God to remove any demonic attachments associated with those activities, and take back the ground gained by Satan because of your New Age activities. It is common for scrupulous people to go to several confessors or counselors. This should be avoided. You need to go to a doctor for possible medication, and your confessor to help with discernment. Thus, only after you have tried the four steps above for a while and find no relief should you even think about approaching deliverance counseling. If that day should come we can evaluate you to see if you might qualify for deliverance counseling. You are in our prayers. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Scrupulosity

George

Monday, November 8, 2004

Question:

I suffer from a condition called scrupulosity (OCD) or at least that is what I have learned. How can I be sure if this is a physical mental illness or some kind of oppression or possesion?

It has been recommended to follow the advise given by Fr. Thomas M. Santa director of scrupulous anonymous. Is this good advise to follow?

I am concerned because I was invovled in some new age stuff such as: auric healing, a course in miracles, reki, and other new age stuff.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear George:

We will certainly be praying for you. Scrupulosity can be a very big problem. Those with scrupulosity, a form of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, should consider four steps to help overcome this problem:

1) Focus on what you KNOW to be true, instead of what you "feel" to be true. No matter how much you "feel" that you are in mortal sin, look at the matter objectively with cold intellect and reason. The details will depend on the specifics of how your scrupulosity is manifesting, but for example, if you think you have committed mortal sin by lying on the phone to someone telling them that you are busy and cannot talk when that is not true, this is NOT mortal sin.

Remember the definition of mortal sin. That definition begins with requiring that the sin in question be GRAVE in nature. If the sin is not a grave one then it cannot be mortal. Read the Catechism to find out what sins are grave. If you are not sure about the gravity of a sin, then ask your confessor and OBEY what he says.

St. Alphonsus Ligouri teaches, "I tell you that you should implicitly trust in obedience your confessor. This advice is given by all of the doctors of the Church and the holy fathers as well. In short, obedience to your confessor is the safest remedy which Jesus Christ left us for quieting the doubts of conscience, and we should give thanks for it."

Despite the wisdom of this advice, those with scrupulosity may find it difficult to follow. Thus we go to the next step.

2) Seek psychiatric help. Since scrupulosity is a form of OCD, the medication that helps OCD may also help to deal with the scrupulosity. Medication can take the edge off, at least, to make it easier to do Step 1.

3) Follow the advice of Fr. Thomas M. Santa and join his Scrupulous Anonymous support group. A good introduction to Fr. Santa and group can be found be reading his article, Scrupulosity And How To Overcome It

4) Close all the doors, patch all the holes in the hedge of protection that surrounds each of us, and clean house on the spiritual warfare level. Demons often do not cause problems, but will hitchhike on problems that already exist. Either way, a scrupulous person, as do all of us, needs to practice the basic spiritual warfare that Bible advises for all Christians.

The HELP section of our website is useful in practicing this basic level of spiritual warfare.

Prayers in our Spiritual Warfare Catalog such as the Hedge Prayer of Protection, a prayer to ask God to take away any demon of scrupulosity, putting on the armor of God are recommended.

If you were involved in New Age things, then you need to renounce those things, ask God to remove any demonic attachments associated with those activities, and take back the ground gained by Satan because of your New Age activities.

It is common for scrupulous people to go to several confessors or counselors. This should be avoided. You need to go to a doctor for possible medication, and your confessor to help with discernment. Thus, only after you have tried the four steps above for a while and find no relief should you even think about approaching deliverance counseling.

If that day should come we can evaluate you to see if you might qualify for deliverance counseling.

You are in our prayers.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

For information on how to receive help see our Help page. We suggest that before contacting us directly for help you try the Seven Steps to Self-Deliverance. These self-help steps will often resolve the problem. Also our Spiritual Warfare Prayer Catalog contains many prayers that may be helpful. If needed you can ask for a Personal Consultation.