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.[SUP]
[1][/SUP] It is typically conceptualized as a moral or religious form of
obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD),[SUP]
[2][/SUP] although this categorization is empirically disputable.[SUP]
[1][/SUP]
The term is derived from the Latin
scrupulum, a sharp stone, implying a stabbing pain on the
conscience.[SUP]
[1][/SUP] Scrupulosity was formerly called
scruples in religious contexts, but the word
scruples now commonly refers to a troubling of the conscience rather than to the disorder.
As a personality trait, scrupulosity is a recognized diagnostic criterion for
obsessive–compulsive personality disorder.[SUP]
[3][/SUP] It is sometimes called "scrupulousness," but that word properly applies to the positive trait of having scruples.
In scrupulosity, a person's obsessions focus on moral or religious fears, such as the fear of being an evil person or the fear of divine retribution for sin. Although it can affect nonreligious people, it is usually related to religious beliefs. In the strict sense, not all obsessive–compulsive behaviors related to religion are instances of scrupulosity: strictly speaking, for example, scrupulosity is not present in people who repeat religious requirements merely to be sure that they were done properly.[SUP]
[15]
Source: [/SUP]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrupulosity
Intrusive thoughts are unwelcome involuntary thoughts, images, or unpleasant ideas that may become
obsessions, are upsetting or distressing, and can be difficult to manage or eliminate.[SUP]
[1][/SUP] When they are associated with
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),
depression,
body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and sometimes
attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the thoughts may become paralyzing,
anxiety-provoking, or persistent. Intrusive thoughts may also be associated with
episodic memory, unwanted worries or memories from OCD,[SUP]
[2][/SUP]
posttraumatic stress disorder, other
anxiety disorders,
eating disorders, or
psychosis.[SUP]
[3][/SUP] Intrusive thoughts, urges, and images are of
inappropriate things at inappropriate times, and they can be divided into three categories: "inappropriate
aggressive thoughts, inappropriate
sexual thoughts, or blasphemous religious thoughts".[SUP]
[4][/SUP]
[h=3]Blasphemous religious thoughts[/h] See also:
Scrupulosity
Blasphemous thoughts are a common component of OCD, documented throughout history; notable religious figures such as
Martin Luther and
St. Ignatius were known to be tormented by intrusive, blasphemous or religious thoughts and urges.[SUP]
[20][/SUP] Martin Luther had urges to curse God and Jesus, and was obsessed with images of "the Devil's behind".[SUP]
[20][/SUP][SUP]
[21][/SUP] St. Ignatius had numerous obsessions, including the fear of stepping on pieces of straw forming a cross, fearing that it showed disrespect to Christ.[SUP]
[20][/SUP][SUP]
[22][/SUP] A study of 50 patients with a primary diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder found that 40% had religious and blasphemous thoughts and doubts—a higher, but not statistically significantly different number than the 38% who had the obsessional thoughts related to dirt and contamination more commonly associated with OCD.[SUP]
[23][/SUP] One study suggests that content of intrusive thoughts may vary depending on culture, and that blasphemous thoughts may be more common in men than in women.[SUP]
[24][/SUP]
According to Fred Penzel, a New York psychologist, some common religious obsessions and intrusive thoughts are:[SUP]
[13][/SUP]
- sexual thoughts about God, saints, and religious figures
- bad thoughts or images during prayer or meditation
- thoughts of being possessed
- fears of sinning or breaking a religious law or performing a ritual incorrectly
- fears of omitting prayers or reciting them incorrectly
- repetitive and intrusive blasphemous thoughts
- urges or impulses to say blasphemous words or commit blasphemous acts during religious services.
Suffering can be greater and treatment complicated when intrusive thoughts involve religious implications;[SUP]
[20][/SUP] patients may believe the thoughts are inspired by Satan,[SUP]
[25][/SUP] and may fear punishment from God or have magnified shame because they perceive themselves as sinful.[SUP]
[26][/SUP] Symptoms can be more distressful for sufferers with strong religious convictions or beliefs.[SUP]
[13][/SUP]
Baer believes that blasphemous thoughts are more common in
Catholics and
evangelical Protestants than in other religions, whereas
Jews or
Muslims tend to have obsessions related more to complying with the laws and rituals of their faith, and performing the rituals perfectly.[SUP]
[27][/SUP] He hypothesizes that this is because what is considered inappropriate varies among cultures and religions, and intrusive thoughts torment their sufferers with whatever is considered most inappropriate in the surrounding culture.[SUP]
[28][/SUP]
[SUP]
Source: [/SUP]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusive_thoughts
Ignore them, keep reading your bible, praying, witnessing, and fellowshipping and they will lose their power. Stop filling your head with media such as movies, tvs, secular music, video games, religious conspiracy theories, etc etc. They severely complicate the problem. Entertaining the thoughts reinforces them. This includes negatively distressing over them. Ignore them completely and move on.
You have to fill your head with the things of God, and sacrifice the other junk that is unimportant.