Back when I was living with undiagnosed Scrupulosity OCD, one of my most destructive OCD cycle loops had to do with developing Christlike attributes - especially humility. The Religious OCD distorted humility to mean that it was sinful to be proud of yourself, feel hurt by other people, etc. And this is not a common occurrence among the Scrupulosity OCD community. That's why in this episode, I'm sharing my do's and don'ts when it comes to humility as a Scrupulosity OCD sufferer.&n...

At first glance, it may appear that Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) has nothing to do with how Thanksgiving goes for you. However, that may not be the case! In this episode, learn all about how exactly OCD may ramp up during the holidays AND how you can best cope with it. For more information, check out this blog post: https://www.abbietabbilos.com/post/how-scrupulosity-ocd-affects-your-thanksgiving-experience Connect with me: Website: https://www.abbietabbilos.c...

When your self-love is rooted in your religious beliefs, that means it is conditional upon things like: Whether or not you’re following the “rules”If you’re spending your time wiselyIf you’re serving people enoughIf enough people love you (because that means you are righteous)Sound familiar? This podcast episode is for you. Listen to the episode to learn: How to untie your self-esteem from your religious beliefsHow religious discourse can affect your self-esteemHow to overcome the hurdles tha...

You don't have to have Scrupulosity OCD to wonder if God has truly forgiven you for your sins. However, people with Religious OCD need to approach the question much differently. In this episode, we discuss how to respond when you find yourself wondering if you're truly forgiven. We also talk about: What feeling guilt means when you have Scrupulosity OCDHow to respond to intrusive thoughts about God's forgivenessWhat religious discourse surrounding God's forgiveness to avoid applyin...

Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) involves a person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) completing tasks that are targeted to help them face the fears that are driving the OCD cycle. For those with Scrupulosity OCD, those exposures involve things like changing the way they pray, skipping church or doing other behaviors that they believe might offend God. It's no wonder that many individuals with Scrupulosity OCD feel like ERP is basically just purposefully committing s...

Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) certainly isn't a disorder that only affects the sufferer. And if your loved one has Scrupulosity OCD, it can be very difficult to know how you can best support them. In this episode, we talk about 5 ways OCD can affect relationships and 5 ways you can effectively support your loved one with Scrupulosity OCD. We also discuss: How to navigate when taboo topics come upHow you can ensure you don't encourage compulsionsThe best ways you can take ca...

It's common to think that if you don't feel happiness or peace, it means you have done something wrong and need to repent. Scrupulosity OCD can find tons of evidence for you to feel this way, and even though you can tell it's harmful for you to think this way, it feels so real! In this episode, we talk about how to address when emotions feel like evidence, and feelings feel like facts. In addition, you'll hear about: Pema Chodron's quote, "Pain is not a punishment, pleasure is not a rew...

If you've been diagnosed with Scrupulosity (Religious) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), chances are you have been confused about whether you received revelation from God or if it was just your OCD talking. I understand that answering this question can be incredibly complicated, especially since many people eventually realize that some of their most treasured spiritual experiences were simply the reduction in anxiety that comes from completing the OCD cycle. In this episode, we cover every...

Have you ever wondered if worry was a sin? If you have, it's probably because a lot of people genuinely think it is. In fact, they often cite increased faith and/or prayer as the perfect antidotes to worry. However, for people with Scrupulosity/Religious Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), believing that worry is sinful can be incredibly harmful, not only because OCD sufferers don't have control over which worries come into their minds, but also because it encourages believers to monit...

If you have Scrupulosity/Religious Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) there's a big chance you may have had difficulty deciphering whether or not the religious behaviors you participate in are because of your faith, or because your OCD is talking. For example, you may feel an overwhelming need to repent for a sin you committed, but you are unsure whether that is because you actually made a mistake, or your OCD wants you to find certainty that you are in good standing with God. Or, you may be...

When I asked my followers what they wanted to hear me speak about on a podcast episode, they said "How to manage the everyday exhaustion of intrusive thoughts." And if you have OCD, you know that if you had to pick one adjective to describe living with the disorder, "exhausting" would be near the top of the list! In this episode, we talk about what everyday life dealing with OCD intrusive thoughts can look like and how you can cope with exhaustion while expressing self-compassion. In addition...

Scrupulosity Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is already complicated enough before you consider that it isn't much of a stretch for the OCD sufferer to develop complicated feelings towards their faith. In my journey with Scrupulosity OCD, I've asked myself questions like: - If I wasn't raised in a religious household, would I still have developed OCD? - Is it worth it to remain an active member of my religion? - Is my religion making my OCD worse? It's painful to consider the idea that maybe I...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is really good at making a person question everything about who they are. For example, Scrupulosity OCD may heavily impact a person's religious identity by making them unsure of what they believe or what mistakes they may have made. Relationship OCD can blur the lines of what a person's thoughts and actions mean and how others might perceive them – and that's only scratching the surface. If you've asked yourself, "Who am I without OCD?" then this podcast ep...

Living with OCD is incredibly exhausting. So how do you find the energy to apply the skills and tools to recover from the very mental illness that is creating mental and emotional exhaustion? In this episode, we discuss the small steps you can take towards recovery, even when you are mentally and emotionally exhausted. In addition, we'll cover: - How OCD recovery doesn't always have to be hard work - How to cope when you are struggling and overwhelmed with OCD - Strategies for starting...

I don't know anyone who struggles with their mental health that doesn't suffer a mental health relapse from time to time. And perhaps one of the most difficult parts of those relapses is the fact that it can be extremely difficult to have self compassion. In this episode, we'll discuss 5 ways you can show yourself some compassion, even when it feels impossible. In addition, you'll learn: What a mental health relapse can look likeWhat to do when you start to winder if you even deserve to...

Mental illness can take so much from you – relationships, self-esteem, experiences – even simply the ability to feel joy, or feel anything at all. That's why it's no wonder that people who suffer from OCD (or anxiety, or depression, or anything in between) may sometimes think to themselves, "If I just didn't have anxiety, I could be happy." Or, "If I just didn't have OCD, my life would be incredibly different." These feelings are VALID and INCREDIBLY real, but what do you ...

When you get anxious, you have two options: resist it, or lean into vulnerability. In this episode, we'll discuss how rather than letting anxiety harden you into resistance, you can let it soften you. You can stop fearing anxiety. In addition, we'll discuss: Resisting anxiety is natural because you are trying to protect yourselfAlthough anxiety is extremely uncomfortable, it cannot hurt youYou can learn how to embrace all human emotion through mindfulnessFor more information on how you ...

Do you ever feel like your emotions take over, clouding your judgement and making it hard for you make decisions? If so, this week's episode is for you! We're going to be discussing the Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) concept of Wise Mind, which details how you can find the right balance between rational mind and emotional mind to healthily regulate your emotions. Plus, we'll discuss: How hormone fluctuations can affect mental health The difference between rational and emotion...

After an individual is diagnosed with Scrupulosity OCD, they may question EVERYTHING about their past religious beliefs because they realize many of the times they thought they were experiencing God's love was just the reduction in anxiety that comes from participating in the OCD cycle. That's why I said in Episode 2 of The Enough Effect that as a Scrupulosity OCD sufferer, it felt like my entire religious past was a phony and I didn't know where to go from there. I've been thinki...

I'm not sure I've met someone who struggles with mental health who doesn't feel shame about it from time to time. But why is that the case? Whether you're worried about being a burden on people you love or struggle giving yourself permission to slow down and feel your emotions, you're not alone. In today's episode, we're discussing how you can overcome the shame that often surrounds mental health difficulties and learn to give yourself compassion in any scenario - because you are worthy...