How to manage compulsive confessions
Many people with scrupulosity or religious OCD feel a strong need to constantly confess perceived sins to either their bishop or a loved one. I have worked with many clients who have been stuck in a relentless cycle of going in to see their bishop, confessing their perceived sin, being reassured by their bishop that they are ok and have repented sufficiently, and then feeling better temporarily only to have the strong urge to confess come back strong a few days later.
It is often helpful for people with this common scrupulosity symptom to understand that, according to the Church Handbook, the kinds of sins that need to be discussed with a bishop are far, far fewer than they imagine. According to Section 32.2 of the Handbook, it is the responsibility of a bishop or stake president repent of serious sins. So what is a serious sin? The Handbook defines them as a “deliberate and major offense against the laws of God.” It goes on to include violent acts, sexual immorality, various kinds of serious fraud, and felonies.
Fortunately, these are rarely the kinds of issues people with religious OCD have in mind when the feel the urge to call their bishop. It is important that they learn to recognize these feelings for what they are. They are not a religious obligation. They are compulsive behaviors that people with OCD use to try to manage their anxiety.
One of the first things you can do to begin learning how to manage this compulsion is to try to delay it. When you feel the urge to call your bishop, challenge yourself to wait one hour. When you find yourself able to manage a one hour delay, try a little longer the next time. Through this process, you are giving yourself the opportunity to learn that anxiety is always temporary! Often, if you can get through the initial intensity of emotion, it becomes much more manageable.
In some cases, it is also helpful to have a conversation with your bishop about your OCD symptoms, which can help him respond to you in a way that is loving but does not fuel your anxiety and the OCD cycle.
