Are you a highly conscientious person, always concerned about doing the right thing?
Do you dedicate significant time to spiritual pursuits and moral correctness?
Are you nevertheless plagued by cyclical doubts, spiritual anxiety, and worrisome religious thoughts that won’t go away?
It may be time for you to take a Religious OCD test.
This test can help you discover whether there may be deeper causes behind your chronic spiritual anxiety. Take the Religious OCD test right here. ??
Can a Religious OCD Test Explain My Chronic Spiritual Doubts?
There are multiple reasons why people get uncomfortable religious thoughts or obsess about spiritual practices. Sometimes, people have faulty doctrinal understandings about salvation or God’s character. Getting stuck in a rut of extreme legalism — feeling that I am responsible for saving myself — can generate a lot of spiritual anxiety.
And believe me, after more than ten years in ministry, I can tell you from experience that there are a lot of ways people can twist the Scriptures to make it seem like it’s your job to save yourself.
Oh, if only you try harder or believe harder, you won’t get these anxious thoughts. You won’t sin. If you just try harder, you’ll be more acceptable to God.
Well, in theologian jargon, that’s called Pelagianism, and it’s been considered non-orthodox since AD 418. ?♀️
But somehow it keeps finding its way into Christian circles today! ?♀️
Unbiblical views can definitely cause chronic spiritual anxiety. But if you are fairly confident that your grasp of Bible truth is accurate but yet you still get uncomfortable religious feelings, you may need to take a Religious OCD test.
Scrupulosity, also known as Religious OCD, is a mental health disorder that can range anywhere from mild to severely debilitating. It is a specific expression within the OCD spectrum that produces repetitive obsessions and compulsions on religious themes.
For many people, taking a Religious OCD test can be an eye-opening experience. The questions in the test are often surprising. Many people report that they never knew anybody else had these same feelings and experiences.
But taking a Religious OCD test is not merely for curiosity’s sake. For many, it can be a significant milestone in spiritual restoration.
Can True Christians Have Mental Disorders?
What we know from Scripture is that ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan has been busy trying to trip us up (1 Peter 5:8, Matthew 13:24-30, Isaiah 14:12, John 8:44, Luke 13:16).
He distracts us from worshipping God.
He tempts us to glorify idols.
He leads us into sin.
He blasts us with disease, untimely death, and disability.
He pushes us into addictive behavior.
And he strikes us with mental disorders.
In our modern, mechanistic worldviews, we assume that Satan is only busy in the realm of morality.
A little white lie pops out. We grimace and say, “the devil made me do it.” But when Grandma gets cancer, we say it’s because she smoked too much and didn’t eat antioxidant-rich vegetables.
Our advances in science and technology have indeed improved our quality of life over the last few hundred years, but they also have the tendency to make us forget how cosmically abnormal our planet really is.
We were not meant to live only 75 years and die. We were not meant to get broken bones, pneumonia, or depression. We were not meant to experience sexual abuse, divorce, tsunamis, or holocausts. These things — which modern man can study with advanced scientific and sociological measurements — are not part of the natural order that God set up in Eden.
They are interferences of the devil.
How strange it is that Christians often run to God for help with moral issues — overcoming a hot temper, quitting porn, forgiving an abuser — but when it comes to mental disorders, we are suddenly in holy denial.
A real Christian should never be anxious, we think. God said “in His presence is fulness of joy,” so I better work harder on being joyful.
Admitting that we may have a mental disorder is tantamount to apostasy.
Or so we think.
Much of this is due to a historical overemphasis on the “positive” passages in Scripture that remind us to rejoice, praise God, and not be anxious. It fails to take into account the whole canon of Scripture, which deals with the entire range of human emotions and weaknesses (ever heard of the “imprecatory psalms?”)
Yes, true Christians can get mental disorders.
This does not mean that we do not have faith. It means that Satan is ever at work, at the level of neurotransmitters and DNA just as much as he is at work in weather patterns and viruses.
When we recognize this, it frees us to admit our need and seek the help that God has provided.
For some, this help comes as a direct miracle through prayer and faith. But for most, it is experienced as we accept God working through practical means — medicine, therapy, coaching, and lifestyle changes.
Ever heard the short story, “I Sent You a Boat?” Check it out to see what I mean. ??
All this is to say that yes, you may get a mental disorder but still be a true and devoted Christian. And the best course of action to take will be to accept the help that God provides. Maybe what that means for you right now is to take a Religious OCD test and see if it gives you direction for solving your problems.
What Is Involved in Taking a Religious OCD Test?
The Religious OCD test on this page has 50 questions. You should set aside at least half an hour to carefully read through each item.
Taking this Religious OCD test is not a substitute for seeing a mental health professional. Although it can suggest your level of likelihood for having Religious OCD, to be sure you must meet with a licensed therapist.
An online test is only your first step forward, and needs to be followed by appropriate care. However, it can be a crucial step, because if you schedule your first therapy session and go in prepared to ask about scrupulosity, you are far more likely to get an accurate assessment.
If you missed it, here’s where you can take the Religious OCD test:
What Should I Do After Taking the Religious OCD Test?
What to do after taking the Religious OCD test will depend on your results. If you complete the test and find that you are “very unlikely” to have Religious OCD, then your repetitive spiritual doubts and anxieties may be the result of other issues, like
- Religious trauma or abuse
- Manipulation by religious cult
- Faulty doctrinal beliefs
- Cherished sin or addiction (substances, porn, marital affair, etc.)
- Another anxiety disorder
Some people may have symptoms similar to Religious OCD without actually meeting the standard benchmarks for the disorder, simply because of negative spiritual experiences that have skewed their relationship with God. For example, being sexually abused by a religious leader or being a member of a cult can damage our ability to know what is “normal” religious behavior.
Thankfully, these issues can be resolved. I work with clients to gently unpack these experiences and rebuild a healthy concept of God.
But what if the results of the Religious OCD test tell you that you have a high likelihood of being scrupulous? Then there are a few steps you can take:
- Make an appointment with a licensed therapist, preferably an OCD specialist. Go into your appointment prepared to ask proactively about scrupulosity. Not all therapists are familiar with Religious OCD, so it is sometimes misdiagnosed.
- Do internet research about Religious OCD. You can find a lot of helpful resources from the International OCD Foundation, the experience of Grantley Morris at Net-Burst.Net, resources at Made of Millions and BeyondOCD, or search the archives at the OCD Center of LA. You can also check out one of my most popular blog posts, The Ultimate Guide to Scrupulosity.
- Raise awareness among your friends and family. Many scrupulous people suffer in shame because they are afraid to tell their loved ones.
- Get a spiritual mentor or coach to walk alongside you through your journey to recovery. You can search for a spiritual life coach via online directories like Noomi or see if I have any availabilities to work with you.
- Join an online support community. Facebook has several very active (and private!) scrupulosity support groups, or you can sign up for a support newsletter like Scrupulous Anonymous.
As you can see, taking a Religious OCD test is only the first step! There are many things you can do to work towards restoration and wellness. And the good news is that God is on your side as you seek better spiritual and mental health.
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. (3 John 1:2)
Conclusion
I hope you find the Religious OCD test helpful. For me, finding out about Religious OCD was a complete turning point in how I tackled my mental and emotional health. I hope it will be similarly useful to you.
What are your initial thoughts after taking the test? Drop us a line in the comments. You never know how your comment might help someone else!
i am a very overthinker how can i get help