In treating mental health conditions, are psychotherapy and medications enough to do the job? In our discussion on this subject last week, some suggested that there may even be another dimension of care needed: a spiritual dimension. Perhaps it is possible to be psychologically healthy, yet spiritually sickened, even dead? Obsessive compulsive disorder and one of its manifestations—scrupulosity—is a vexing condition for therapists and psychiatrists to treat. I have written a book on this subject, and was extremely surprised one day to hear that John Cardinal O'Connor had used it as the basis for a sermon at St. Patrick's. Cardinal O'Connor went beyond the talking, behavioral, and psychopharmacological therapies I had evaluated in the book:
Dr. Van Ornum did a survey of an organization that you might not know ever existed called “Scrupulous Anonymous.” It is much like Alcoholics Anonymous or Over-Eaters Anonymous. He received replies from a thousand people and discovered and verified everything that he had learned in his work. They depicted immense suffering and anguish caused by scrupulosity. This is not limited to those of us who are ordinary people. A number of the saints had problems with scrupulosity: the great St. Catherine, St. Alphonsus of Liguori, even St. Ignatius who founded the Jesuits.
This gives us one of the fundamental causes for scrupulosity. It itself is a horrifying condition, the belief that we are intrinsically no good. We may be considered the most brilliant people in the world, the most handsome people, the most beautiful people, the most talented people, but beneath the surface we feel we are no good. Therefore everything we do is evil and sinful. It does not matter how much praise we get. We are convinced that we are absolutely useless. Not only that nobody loves us, but that we are incapable of being loved for ourselves as persons. It is the thought, “If anybody knew what I am really like inside then that person would hate me, even God.”
What could this [book] possibly have to do with today’s extraordinary Gospel [Jn. 4:5-42] about the Samaritan woman, the woman who had been “married five times but had never really been married”? To her our Lord says, “The man you are living with now is not your husband.” What would that have to do with scrupulosity?
In this Gospel, we find that this woman does things that scrupulous people do with Almighty God–she plays games with the Lord. She tries to fence with him. “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. How come you are even talking to me? Jews are not to talk to Samaritans.” Ah, if you knew who it is who is talking to you! “Give me some water,” Jesus says. She says, “You want me to use my bucket to get water? Jews are not supposed to drink water out of a bucket that belongs to a Samaritan.” And so on. She was avoiding the issues, avoiding the fact that she has lived with five or six men, avoiding the fact that our Divine Lord is confronting her with the truth. But what is the truth with which he is confronting her? With his love, with his mercy, with his compassion. Initially, she thinks she is beyond that.
Then suddenly, because of our Lord’s great grace and mercy, it hits her. She runs to tell all the other people, “I have found the Messiah!” Because of things that our Lord said to her, because of his word, she believed she had found the Messiah. This is of the very nature of our Divine Lord and this is what Lent is all about.
This Gospel is the perfect summary of Lent–an encounter with Christ in which ultimately we are moved toward pleading for his forgiveness because we know that he has come to suffer and to die for us and that the God who gave his Son to be so horribly tortured and put to death for us is the same God who does not want to see us lost. Christ came to pick up the pieces of broken lives, your life and my life–not to condemn us. But he wants us to ask his forgiveness, in the confessional if this is necessary, outside the confessional if that is adequate. We are not going to ask forgiveness unless we believe we need forgiveness and unless we believe he will grant forgiveness.
This story is the great reminder that God is love, that love drives out fear. If there be any here who are afraid, whether victims of the spiritual disease of scrupulosity or not, if there are any here who are afraid, it is our Divine Lord himself who says to us as, in essence, he would say to the Samaritan woman, Be not afraid. God is love. God drives out fear. Come to me for my mercy. Come to me to be bathed in my love.'
Cardinal O'Connor was later kind enough to write a Foreword to my book. There he notes how difficult it can be to weave together the respective contributions of psychology and spirituality when working in the mental health field:
Psychiatrist Robert Coles of Harvard University expresses understandable perplexity that so many officials of so many churches refer their clergy for therapy instead of turning to the spiritual or sacramental resources within religion itself. I can testify to the phenomenon but am not surprised by it. As one with a certain background in clinical psychology and psychiatry combined with more than fifty years of active priesthood, I am most grateful for what these sciences do offer, quite aware that neither faith nor theology is an adequate substitute when psychology or psychiatry is essential. The reverse of that truism, of course, is equally important.
Part of what I hope to do with my essays for "In All Things" is to start a conversation between the fields of psychology and spirituality. Thanks to all our readers and respondents for helping to keep this conversation going.
William Van Ornum





Comments
I do believe that along with medication, spiritual care is sure to direct towards the source of the problem, rather than masking its symptoms. In the case of OCD however, it is largely up to the individual to accept and acknowledge the disorder before beginning to work towards improvement. The foundation of the illness may differ from person to person however, since it has uncountable possible origins. According to WebMD, “abuse, changes in living situation, illness, death of a loved one, work-or-school related changes or problems, and relationship concerns” list only a few. It is because of this reason that I believe medication helps only to an extent, and possibly only by theory of the placebo effect. It is spiritual healing that truly helps those suffering from OCD.
http://www.webmd.com/anxiety-panic/guide/obsessive-compulsive-disorder?page=2
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2781506
I can understand how a spiritual dimension of care can help because some people may have issues that have to do with religion, like scrupulosity. The usual type of treatments like medication and psychotherapy could work, but I think there should be a spiritual dimension of care too. That could probably help some people a lot more. One way I learned that people with scrupulosity can be treated is having religious leaders from their faith community help clarify a “religious institution’s stance on a particular issue relevant to the scrupulosity sufferer” (International OCD Foundation). Also, some people may be very religious or spiritual and would want a spiritual way of being treated. However, I think that a spiritual dimension of care might not be good for everyone because some people may not want this kind of treatment.
In the article, you said: “Perhaps it is possible to be psychologically healthy, yet spiritually sickened, even dead?” I think that it is not really possible to be psychologically healthy and spiritually sickened. I feel like being psychologically unhealthy and spiritually sickened go together. If you are spiritually sickened, then you are having some issues, which could be counted as psychologically unhealthy. However, I don’t think that if you are psychologically unhealthy, you are always spiritually sickened. To be psychologically unhealthy does not mean you have to have the typical issues (like ADD, OCD, and depression). I think you could be counted as psychologically unhealthy if you do not have faith in anything/yourself or if you are having trouble in believing in something.
http://www2.scc.rutgers.edu/journals/index.php/pcsp/article/viewFile/932/2329
http://www.ocfoundation.org/uploadedFiles/MainContent/Find_Help/IOCDF_Scrupulosity_fact_sheet.pdf
I really enjoyed this article. I find it interesting to examine the benefits of both spirituality and psychology. As a Christian, I believe that a strong spiritual foundation can serve as a positive part of a person’s life. However people may feel anxious about religion and try to avoid it because they feel as though they are too sinful or not worthy enough to make it apart of their lives. When people focus on every aspect of their life that is not perfect according to their religion, religion becomes more of a worry rather than a piece of mind. I think of religion as more of a safe haven, something that offers assurance. As seen in Cardinal O’Conner’s sermon, God’s purpose is not to pick out every flaw you have and his main aim is not to solely condemn you. I believe that god wants us not only to be aware of our sins but also he wants us to realize in amazement and gratitude that these sins can be forgiven! So many people focus on being perfect that they become lost spiritually. When a person is going through a difficult time in their lives, religion offers hope and a piece of mind. I think that this is especially true when psychology does not have concrete answers to hard life situations, such the concept of death. With that being said, I do think that the use of psychology along with spirituality can be very beneficial in helping those with mental illnesses or other issues. I feel both areas can help people in turning their life around for the good.
Also I think there needs to be a distinction between religion and spirituality. For example I have a close friend who isn’t religious but can be considered very spiritual. While the opposite doesn’t hold true for other people I do believe psychologists should be well versed in different religions so they can treat a person of any religion appropriately will not dishonoring or offending the person. I have to say myself that I don’t think I would enjoy therapy that incorporated spirituality and religion to treat me. I would prefer we focused on my issues and ways of coping and how I can change my behaviors that are ruining my life and later concern myself with issues of spirituality. I think religion and spirituality can get in the way of truly finding an answer to a person’s issues.
I find it extremely interesting that John Cardinal O'Connor mentioned your book in his sermon. I like how you always try to connect psychology to religion in some way.
Most of us however have mild forms of these disorders, which I just consider quirks. When they are mild, these people can usually be manipulated by faith, or just suggestive advise from those they view as authorities on the subject.
I am not saying that faith and religion are merely manipulative means, but rather they provide feelings they elicit provide a self-satisfying feeling, which can cure emotional distraught.
Never before have I realized the strength of the connection between spirituality and psychology. For through knowing God, and trusting in him, those who are struggling psychologically, as well of course as those who are not, can feel at peace. Once the Samaritan woman realized that God loved her no matter what she was, in a sense, set free. Her excitement as she ran to tell others the good news proves this. It was like an enormous amount of weight had been lifted off her shoulders. However, it is obvious that spirituality alone is not always enough to treat those who are psychologically troubled. Even those “higher up,” members of the clergy, must sometimes seek professionals when their psychological struggles are too great for spirituality alone. As Cardinal O’Connor stated, “…neither faith nor theology is an adequate substitute when psychology or psychiatry is essential. The reverse of that truism, of course, is equally important.”
I feel that religion, no matter what religion you are, is meant to uplift you and help you become the best person you can be. Yes, every person is destined to make errors throughout their own lives. But if you truly have faith in your religion, then you will understand that forgiveness is a necessary component of that religion and all will be well. I feel that the guilt devised from this disorder can negate from the true meaning and interpretation of one’s religion. It undermines one’s ability to truly live and be happy. If you let your religion drive you to such an extent of obsession, perhaps you would need to take a step back and remember the true happiness that religion can bring to you.
The human body can be explained by science, the human mind can be explained by psychology, but the human reactions, emotions, beliefs, thoughts and our constant need to ask how and why cannot always be explained. Sometimes having spiritual belief just makes a person feel safer, and fear the inevitable death less. Even if that is the only reason for spiritual beliefs, it puts a person's mind at ease.
"Mill believed that empiricists who argued that the mind was merely similar to a machine in its operations had not gone far enough. The mind was a machine - it functioned in the same predictable, mechanical way as a clock. It was set in operation by external physical forces and run by internal physical forces" (Schultz & Schultz, 2008).
If James Mill was right and humans are machines, why did his son turn out the way he did?
Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2008). A history of modern psychology (9th ed.).
(pp. 57). Belmont, CA: Thompson/Wadsworth.
I think that obsessive compulsive disorder can be treated in a spiritual manner, or at least in some part. I find it interesting that scrupulosity has been linked to many saints and also that fear of sinning and punishment is higher in Catholics and Protestants than Jews, as mentioned in some comments earlier. Since the diagnosis of scrupulosity can be linked to religion it only makes sense that the treatment involves some form of religion or spirituality.
The problem with this idea is that a person that does not want to be treated spiritually most likely will not be. There will not be many situations like the Samaritan woman where people will almost be forced into a spiritual treatment of scrupulosity. One must be open to this idea in order to receive treatment of this sort and that is where problems may arise. Since scrupulosity is a manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorder, it is commonly seen as a psychological disorder which should be treated as such. It is important to make people aware that scrupulosity, and possibly other psychological disorders, can have roots in other areas. Once people are cognizant of this information, they can start accepting treatments of other forms that may be beneficial to them.
I think that obsessive compulsive disorder can be treated in a spiritual manner, or at least in some part. I find it interesting that scrupulosity has been linked to many saints and also that fear of sinning and punishment is higher in Catholics and Protestants than Jews, as mentioned in some comments earlier. Since the diagnosis of scrupulosity can be linked to religion it only makes sense that the treatment involves some form of religion or spirituality.
The problem with this idea is that a person that does not want to be treated spiritually most likely will not be. There will not be many situations like the Samaritan woman where people will almost be forced into a spiritual treatment of scrupulosity. One must be open to this idea in order to receive treatment of this sort and that is where problems may arise. Since scrupulosity is a manifestation of obsessive compulsive disorder, it is commonly seen as a psychological disorder which should be treated as such. It is important to make people aware that scrupulosity, and possibly other psychological disorders, can have roots in other areas. Once people are cognizant of this information, they can start accepting treatments of other forms that may be beneficial to them.
If a person is suffering from the belief that they are never able to fully please God, then maybe by connecting to their inner ‘soul’ they may find a certain clarity that cannot be provided through regular treatment. Because this mental health disease is related specifically to religion, why not solve the problem using a form of religion itself? I think this kind of treatment is unique and should not be dismissed as a means of helping someone.
Although this treatment may not work for everyone, I thoroughly believe it can help those who consider themselves spiritual. Knowing that there is a God, and that he has power and control over our lives can serve as the light at the end of a dark tunnel for many people. The constant knowledge that God is available to listen to our problems and bless us with miracles on Earth is a positive and uplifting thought. Treating spiritual sickness by relying on a higher power is a method that could undoubtedly save a person’s life.
The idea of scrupulosity at first seems bizarre and I wonder why people feel this way. I think it may be due to their lack of love or religion. As Cardinal O’Connor said in his sermon, religion and God can be the cure to this sickness. Some people may not realize the good religion brings to their lives and therefore they feel that they cannot help but feel they are bad. It is a scary thought to think about.
I agree with Robert Coles as he says that the fields of religion and psychology must work together. Many people will experience different sicknesses within their lifetimes. If they are dealing with depression, I feel that a psychiatrist may be more suited for the therapy. If a person is dealing with scrupulosity, I hope they can be lead to their religion to see the good they have in themselves. Spiritual sickness is a new idea to me and this article has really opened my eyes to its seriousness and cure. I hope this article is able to help those who are dealing with issue!
It’s hard to imagine if one has a healthy spiritual life that they would have scrupulosity issues. I believe there is a strong correlation between spirituality and psychology. It may be difficult for some strong believers to see the connections but ultimately there is a relationship. I feel that have a positive spiritual life would enable one to heal and foster positive feelings rather than always recognizing the negative in oneself.
As a side notes, it is very shocking to read that multiple saints has issues with scrupulosity. Who would have thought?!
I personally don't believe that it is possible. For those who are not religious, it is their soul, their spirit that must be cared for. It is what makes us move, keeps us going, determines how we live. If a person's soul is weakened, then how could they by psychologically healthy? The weaker the soul, the more problems psychologically, mentally, and physically a person becomes. This all applies to those who are religious too, although they have an extra aspect. Their spirituality is intertwined with their faith. If they have given God control of their lives, they will be spiritually alive and psychologically healthy. The moment they stop relying on God is the moment they open the door to problems of all kinds, including psychological. Every believer has stories of a chaotic time due to a drift away from God. This is not to say that becoming a Christian and maintaining a spiritual life does not allow for problems, but it is to say that keeping spiritually strong allows for those problems to be better handled.
I also found out that Ciarrocchi, a professor and priest at Loyola College also deals with scrupulosity and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and thinks that you need to teach people with OCD strategies to help them deal with the disorder. When you remember that “God is love and that love drives out fear”, you will be able to do and overcome all of those negative thoughts and compulsive thoughts that you might have. You just need to place your life into God’s care.
First off, Congratulations on having your book used in Cardinal O'Connor's sermon. That's quite an honor to receive such recognition. As a few others have mentioned, I had never heard the term scrupulosity before. This condition is intriguing in that it appears so different from the typical mental health conditions seen today. However, as you pointed out, it does seem to fit within the same pattern of thinking shown in those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Is scrupulosity considered a branch of OCD? Also, is this a common condition that you have seen within your work experience?
It would be interesting (atleast to me) to see how common scrupulosity is within different cultures and religion. Would it affect more Protestants than Muslims, more Jews than Buddhists? I wonder how it would all pan out, and if there is a correlation between the strictness of the religion and number of people with this condition. Or perhaps it doesn't have to do with the religion's specific beliefs, but comes down solely to a personal matter. Does people with this disorder show any other signs of personal hatred, or does it only relate to religious matters?
From personal experience, I have seen sprirituality greatly help someone deal with past addiction and the wrongs they had done. Now I know addiction is not the same as OCD, however I feel that there can be benefits of spritiuality used within both conditions. The person I know has been alcohol free for over 30 yeas, but occasionally still struggles with feelings of guilt over hurt relationships with family members, and other events that occured during the time of addiction. It seems difficult to put these feelings completely in the past. This struggle to forgive oneself is where I find that spirituality helps. Any form of spirituality, such as a belief in a higher power in any form, or a spirituality with nature provides one with a mediator to reach their own self. By believing within a higher power for instance, one can perhaps feel less sorrow and guilt about themselves by trusting that this "God/power/etc" has already forgiven them. In addition, sprituality brings one closer to their inner self by allowing for deep reflection and meditation. Once a person reaches forgiveness or content with their own being, spirituality doesn't stop. It provides the person with a model and guidance to conitue on in their spiritual path involving the people and world around them.
Perhaps I am biased because I have seen firsthand how spirituality has greatly benefited someone in my life struggling with mental issues. However, I do think that it can have a positive effect on others dealing with various conditions. I believe that most conditions probably do contain some aspect of self loathing or struggle with forgiveness. From my experience and research, most people with mental health disorders do not wish to be the way they are. Therefore, by coming to accept, forgive, and be at peace with oneself, these people may have a much more successful treatment and life.
I just typed in "Buddhism and Self Forgiveness" on google books and found a page that seems to go along partly with what I was saying about self forgiveness. It also mentions and interesting study done with people of different religions and their levels of self forgiveness. The book continues to discuss psychological well being in accordance with self forgiveness. The book is called Handbook of Forgiveness by Everett L. Worthington. Seems like an interesting read.
Link to specific page from book: http://books.google.com/books?id=emUQqCtrBSAC&pg=PA150&dq=buddhism+and+self+forgiveness&hl=en&ei=OAiZTc-N_KH0QGQmpjwCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=buddhism%20and%20self%20forgiveness&f=false
I think psychology deals with your personality and physical aspect of your brain and your upbringing and background and events that happened in your life to make you the way you are. Spirituality deals more with the inner you...the center of your being that only you and God know....your soul. For me, having ADHD is psychological.
So......spiritual sickness or "scrupulosity" or psychological sickness.....You talk about scrupulosity as being the feeling that underneath we are absolutely no good. I think that is a spiritual sickness that can be treated spiritually or psychologically. I think medicine can help to a certain extent, actually a lot, and having the belief that you are precious in the eyes of God and that you are loved unconditionally can help a lot too. Think about it.....how much better do you feel when you know you are accepted by all your friends. When you know they pretty much love you unconditionally now and you feel the same about them. You have a bond. That goes a long way to make you feel good about yourself and know you are worth a lot. So, the other side of it - those who don't have that bond with anyone feel pretty worthless and no good, unlovable, how awful that must be, of course it would come out in their personality and how they live their lives. How could they have a healthy relationship with anyone if they hate themselve and feel unloveable? In the Gospel of the samaritan woman at the well with Jesus and how she comes to realize that he doesnt hate her because shes a samaritan.....she gets it. Shes not worthless. and he talks about asking God for forgiveness....you have to believe hes gonna give you forgiveness or why even ask. If you know hes gonna give it....then you know you are loved by God.
One statement that Cardinal O'Connor wrote in the forward of the book that I thought was interesting is "As one with a certain background in clinical psychology and psychiatry combined with more than fifty years of active priesthood, I am most grateful for what these sciences do offer, quite aware that neither faith nor theology is an adequate substitute when psychology or psychiatry is essential. The reverse of that truism, of course, is equally important." I agree with what Cardinal O'Connor says. I think it is possible to always find some way to "heal" oneself, whether that be through the use of medicine or spiritual beliefs. It is essential that people who do have a problem they need to fix to figure out a way to "heal". I think that it is also important to acknowledge that there is not always one remedy to a person's problem; some things work better than others depending on the individual. However, both psychology and religion have been helping people for a long time, and I think that people should look into one or both of these options if they are having an issue that needs to be fixed.
Similarly, I mentioned schizophrenia. This type of mental illness needs medication because it starts earlier in a person’s live and it can never be cured. In order for schizophrenia to be treated successfully multiple factors such as therapy, medication and support groups need to be implemented. The medication that is used to treat this mental illness is essential for treatment, so something like religion or faith to “overcome” the illness would not be useful. Yet, the combination may be helpful, correspondingly to the treatment for bipolar. People who have schizophrenia also need social support due to the side effects that may be presented with the treatment. It is also necessary to have a strong support system from family and friends because relationships can be hindered from such a severe illness. Again, the following article provides useful information with proper treatment for schizophrenia: doi: 10.1177/0022167810373394
I think faith plays a major part in treating mental health conditions. Looking to the higher power for guidance may be that additional support needed. It is important to keep a positive outlook when times are rough, and spirituality might be the answer. If God is a part of your life, why not turn to him? It is comforting to know that someone is always watching over you to protect and guide you.
It is so cool that your book was used in a sermon! I guess you really got your message across, and started getting other people thinking about spirituality and mental health.
I consider myself religious; I have been confirmed at my Presbyterian Church, and even though I have not been to Church in a long time, I do still think I am religious to a degree. I would not consider myself spiritually unhealthy, nor would I say I'm in the best "spiritual health" of my life. However, I don't think I need a therapist telling me I should be more connected to spiritual thoughts, etc. I don't think people are unhealthy if they are not religious; i think that is a matter of opinion and everyone is entitled to believe what they want with out being told if they need a spiritual advisor...I mean that's why we live in America right?
It relates again to the dependency on medication in our society. When people are mentally distraught or upset, it could very well be due to a mental sickness, but it could also be something that does not need medical attention. It could be a belief in a higher power that will alleviate all problems. It may not be politically correct to say but sometimes the best medication is to let go and let God.
Interesting article! I never even considered that spirituality may play a role in mental and psychological health. However, after reading your article, and remembering personal experiences and observations, I truly agree! Spirituality plays a significant role in the way an individual may attend to his or her feelings or emotions. In example, a friend of mine once experienced a very traumatic situation and was severely upset. She continued to discuss the good in the Lord and his decisions for such a situation happening. With the trust of her spirituality, she avoided what could have turned to clinical depression.
I think it is very interesting and amazing that the Cardinal used your book in his sermon, Wow! That is so impressive, considering the article you wrote was on spirituality and a Cardinal found your opinions so important that he highlighted them in his sermon.
I find your articles extremely interesting and thought provoking. Glad we are able to view them, keep them coming!
Because the damned have being (Catholics are not annihilationists), and being is good, and God loves what's good, God loves the damned. Damned or not, the meaning of getting to be a be-er is "God loves you." And the God that loves the damned can be a forgiving God, because whether or not God is forgiving does not depend upon whether humans receive that forgiveness by their repentance. And what is takes to be in Hell is not receiving that forgiveness by acts of repentence. So having people in Hell does not conflict with a forgiving, loving God.
Another approach: For the sake of argument, let's say Jesus is God and is forgiving and the Bible records some of what he said. The Bible has him saying, "Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." So we've got damned and we've got a forgiving and loving God, together.
David, am I helping you become de-fascinated :), or is this not really working?
All it takes for scrupulosity to be rational is RCC teaching that eternal damnation awaits those who fail to repent of each and every mortal sin. Self-monitoring decreases the odds of failing to repent. And because the payoff is eternal damnation, no finite amount of self-monitoring could ever be too much. So go for it! There's no comparison between the pain of eternal damnation and the pain of a lifetime of sick-making self-hatred, agony, and terror.
When the brain aneurysm or the texting driver or the lightning bolt comes and ends it all for you, if you have not repented of each and every act of freely taking pleasure in the thought of placing your hands where a woman's waist meets her hips, you're toast for all eternity. ''Watch ye therefore,'' said Jesus, maybe.
Want to help the scrupulous? Go to the root. Invite the scrupulous to consider whether we any longer have access to facts that would decide the matter of whether Jesus or anybody else acted with divine authority to set up a teaching authority that would be the sole authentic interpreter of divine revelation. Invite them to consider whether we any longer have access to facts that would decide the matter of whether any revelation has ever been made at all. Set them free.
In an objective, unbiased sense, does the Church have anything to GAIN when the people are taught to believe that they are constantly being judged and that all people are inherently evil? Why, as Catholics, are we more prone to becoming scrupulous? Do we have to follow more strict and harsh rules that scare us?
Maybe we are lead to be afraid in order to prevent us from sinning, though I think that would be doing us a huge disservice, because even righteous people that do incredible things have some level of fear.
Also, was it established whether these scrupulous people donate or volunteer their time? I am curious about whether they are active in their community, especially if they think that people are inherently evil; why help them? Or does this give them reason to help others?
I found it absolutely devastating to learn that some people truely feel they are incapable of being loved and that they are intrinsically evil. This goes beyond being an upsetting way of life, to a point of self-destruction. A human being can simply not survive if they are incapable of loving themselves and creating meaningful relationships with others. Life is full of tumultuous rollercoasters, and the people we surround ourselves with are what helps us get through the pitfalls. When everything goes wrong and loved ones are not there for us, it is nice to thin that there is some kind of higher being or transcendent form of love that is there for us. Unfortunately, people who are suffering from this disease do not feel this way and instead take part in destructive and sinful behaviors. These people can not ask for forgiveness from God because they do not feel that God (or anyone else for that matter) will ever love them. There are missing out on the mere essence and greatest joy in life, which is happiness, by always thinking so negatively through such tainted shades. Cardinal O'Connor's quote, ''We are not going to ask forgiveness unless we believe we need forgiveness and unless be believe he will grant forgiveness'' captures this idea perfectly. If these poor people do not stray away from their diseases through immense help, then these individuals have a futile future.
While organized religion may not be for everyone, I think there is something to be said for the role of spirituality in mental health. Having faith in something, regardless of what that belief may be, seems extremely beneficial. Changing a behavior alone is not enough to fix a problem, so for many disorders, successful treatment could come from a combination of traditional psychological methods and spiritual measures.
'Scrupulosity is a psychological disorder characterized by pathological guilt about moral or religious issues. It is personally distressing, objectively dysfunctional, and often accompanied by significant impairment in social functioning'. With a psychological disorder like scrupulosity, talk therapy or medication don't seem to be the cure that the patient needs. A patient with this disorder needs something more direct and in-depth in order to help them overcome or even just weaken their symptoms of the disorder. Spiritual efforts must be made in order to help these patients become more open to the religious world and believe in God on a deeper level than just "saying" they believe in God. Attending church even helps to make me feel less stressed and more relaxed because I look to God whenever I am in a situation that I feel I can't deal with alone. Spiritual therapy definitely seems as if it would be an impressive and growing 'medication' for any patients with this disorder, or any psychological order for that matter.
More than once the thought has also crossed my mind that organized religion has much to do with scrupulosity! :-) / :-(
Thank you for affirming the efficacy of higher powers, kindness, and support. bvo
Thanks for keeping the conversation going. This has been debated since before Chrisitanity and honorable people in all ages have held different viewpoint. best, bill
I am impressed by your humility and openness. best bvo
You can find spiritual directors by calling retreat centers, asking religious sisters doing pastoral work in parishes and also contact Episcopal parishes as they seem to be taking a lead in certifying spiritual directors.
"Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in ouir hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5
I do feel that sometimes we equate organized religion with scrupulosity. We sometimes feel inadequate and that we don't measure up to what is expected of us. We feel that God is judging us. This article implies that scrupulosity is the belief that people are intrinsically no good. It is certainly a healthier attitude to take the view that God is loving and all forgiving. This belief would be an important component along with psychotherapy and medication in the treatment of mental health conditions.
I don't know that your questions can be adequately answered. Humans are such complex beings, with our physical, emotional, spiritual selves so entertwined I feel that in many cases it is fairly impossible to tease out what is causing what. Especially when you begin looking closely. There are physical expressions of psychological illness, and medical doctors are taught to rule out the physical before deciding on the psychological. But then trying to discern between psychological and spiritual sickness adds a whole new layer of complexity. If you believe man is just an exceptionally complex machine, and all our actions/reactions/illnesses/neuroses, etc... can be explained by physical realities (biochemical, nutritional, etc...), then I think trying to add in and figure out where spiritual illness lies just isn't going to fit into that model. Maybe it is all chemistry (etc..), but I feel strongly that the soul, or spiritual part of us whatever we want to call it, is not bound by these physical rules.
Perhaps one can't tell just by looking if something is spiritual or psychological. Or perhaps they are in many ways the same, but the optimal treatment for a particular patient may lie with one or the other focus. Perhaps a spiritual sickness can be defined after-the-fact, when spiritual therapy yields results? Pehaps most things are spiritual in nature and we just fail to acknowledge this dimension? Perhaps you are correct, and everything really is just a product of our physical nature, and we just haven't discoverd the cause yet. Lot of perhapses. It is my belief, and I can't back this up with a definition or any data, that much of what is wrong with our world today is from a long-standing spiritual deficit. Just an opinion, a belief ... is that enough?
Have you read Viktor E Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning ? Excellent book, which on some level may help to clarify the line we are looking to draw: a line which by its nature is not entirely solid.
In terms of scrupulosity, there is an evident relationship between spirituality and psychology. Like Kayna’s posting, I found the description of scrupulosity much like that of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). People with BDD have obsessive thoughts about a perceived deficit in their body image. This is much like the perceived personality deficit perceived by individuals suffering from scrupulosity.
A 2005 study entitled “Scrupulosity in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder: relationship to clinical and cognitive phenomena” investigated the relationship between religious affiliation and scrupulosity. Results found that Protestant participants had a significantly higher number of scrupulous people than those without a religious affiliation. Results also showed that scrupulosity in Catholics was significantly higher than that of Protestant participants.
http://ocdtherapist.com/PDFs/ScrupulosityinOCD.pdf
Nice article from Psychology Today. I think it has relevance for those of us wanting to be teachers-you will want to have an awareness and sensitivity of the many different spiritual traditions present in any contemporary classroom. This adds to one's understanding of students, families, and co-workers. best, bill
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