This article examines exposure-response prevention and religious OCD from a Christian perspective, but those of other faiths should find the content useful as well.
There are two components to any exposure response-prevention (ERP) therapy: the exposure to the obsessive thought, and the withholding or delaying of any response that might help to remove the anxiety created by the obsession.
This exercise, which would seem to increase one’s fear, often helps decrease both the amount of obsessive, unwanted thoughts and the anxiety they produce. But how?
God’s Gift of Habituation
Humans with religious OCD have two options for relaxing the anxiety created by their blasphemous and unwanted thoughts: they can give in to their compulsions, which may temper the anxiety momentarily, or they can allow their mind to habituate to the anxiety, meaning any further obsessions may not cause any anxiety at all. Exposure response-prevention involves accepting the latter choice in place of the former.
The reason compulsions fail to alleviate OCD is that they deal only with the anxiety present within one’s mind.
Even if one feels “peaceful” after a compulsion, the next time an anxiety-producing thought comes along, the Christian will naturally attempt the very same compulsion, thereby prolonging and worsening the OCD rather than curing it.
ERP and Habituation
Exposure response-prevention takes advantage of God’s blessing of habituation. When one exposes themselves to anxiety-causing obsessive thoughts, but withholds any sort of compulsion, they allow their mind to deal with the anxiety without any personal struggle.
As habituation takes its course, the Christian’s anxiety level decreases until they feel at peace and forget about the unwanted thoughts, just like one eventually forgets about a dripping pipe if they wait for long enough without turning it off.
With God’s support, the benefits of ERP can be permanent. When a Christian learns to deal with the anxiety caused by an unwanted thought against God without any compulsion, they will likely be less anxious about that same situation in the future.
With time, the very obsessions that lead to anxiety-relieving compulsions may not cause any anxiety at all.
Suggestions for Exposure Response-Prevention for Religious OCD
Treatment for Christians with OCD should begin with a prayer, which can go something like this:
“Dear God, for Your sake, I plan to give exposure-response prevention a try. I want You to be in control of my life, not OCD. Please guide me and support me as I seek to overcome my obsessive-compulsive disorder. Amen.”
ERP treatment can assume two forms. Christians may wish to focus on one specific thought or scruple while delaying any compulsions it leads to, or they might try to delay all compulsions or responses to any obsessive thoughts that come into their head. With God’s help, the anxiety level caused by their obsessions will slowly recede until the burden of OCD is lifted.
It is especially helpful to pick a definite time — after three hours, for example, or at noon — at which point one undergoes the compulsions, such as repentance. This time span can increase as one progresses in the treatment.
Related Reading on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
If the subject of obsessive-compulsive disorder interests you, or if you’d like more help in your fight against OCD, try reading some of these additional articles on obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Fighting Back Against Pure-O OCD offers an examination of treatment methods for those afraid of the thoughts and images in their head, while Afraid of Your Own Thoughts? serves as a general resource for pure obsessions OCD sufferers.
To learn more on praying for help with OCD, particularly those who are considering going into treatment for religious OCD, read A Prayer for Religious OCD Sufferers.
