Confessing Imaginary/Real Sins?

[cavybun]

Hi, Someone made a comment in one of the forums I was reading that made me think- how many have struggled with the urge to confess things? Looking back, I realize that I always think I am bad, and that when people find this out, they will hate me. I also think God is going to punish me if I don't confess... but in the past when I have confessed, it never made me feel better. It seemed to confuse people, and I thought that getting it off my chest would make the bad feelings go away... so I still feel like I need to confess things and that I God disapproves of me... but I haven't confessed these newer "sins" because I don't have someone I can trust. Now I am thinking that this urge to confess and fear of God's disapproval is a symptom of my Anxiety. I want to know if anyone has this issue and knows if it is definitely part of GAD.

[vicky23]

Hi,
I think you'll find this site very helpful www.mindandsoul.info/ (http://www.mindandsoul.info/)
It's written by a Christian psychiatrist and a vicar and has some great articles about mental health and God. One of which is about the obsessive need to confess sins.
So yes what you're experiencing is very common in anxiety disorders, for people in and out of Church.
I have GAD and OCD and I struggle with thoughts of God punishing me, I have to remind myself frequently He loves me.
He loves you too
Blessings
X

[cavybun]

thank you!

---------- Post added at 15:52 ---------- Previous post was at 15:51 ----------

Thank you!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Have a look at this from OCDUK's description of some types of OCD:

http://www.ocduk.org/types-ocd

Religious Intrusive Thoughts - OCD often fixates on areas of great importance and sensitivity and religion and matters of religious practice are prime candidates for OCD obsessions. Sometimes referred to as scrupulosity, religious intrusive thoughts include:

Sins committed will never be forgiven by God and one will go to hell.
One will have bad thoughts in a religious building.
One will scream blasphemous words loudly in a religious location.
Prayers have been omitted or recited incorrectly.
Certain prayers must be said over and over again.
Religious objects need to be touched or kissed repeatedly.
One is always doing something sinful.
Repetitive blasphemous thoughts.
That the person has lost touch with God or their beliefs in some way.
Intrusive sexual thoughts about God, saints or, religious figures.
That the person has broken religious laws concerning speech, or dress or modesty.
Intrusive bad thoughts that occur during prayer will contaminate and ruin or cancel out the value of these activities.
The constant analysing and questioning of a person’s faith places immense strain on their beliefs and prevents the person deriving peace from their religion. As a result they will often avoid church and all religious practice out of fear of their thoughts.


That seems to fit to what you are describing. If so, then its a form of OCD.

Mindfulness is really good for breaking through OCD. It will teach you to accept things and be more compassionate to yourself.

[cavybun]

I followed the links provided and found some very useful information. Thank you for taking the time. I have been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and that does seem to fit my issues. But the intrusive thoughts and issues with an over-active conscience- does GAD and OCD coexist with very many people? They seem to have a lot in common. I seem to have symptoms of both.

[MyNameIsTerry]

All anxiety disorders can share co morbidity. Anxiety and depression also do.

I have GAD which later also developed into several forms of OCD after about 4-5 years. There are people on here with both and even more for instance, social anxiety disorder & agoraphobia which you can be susceptible to with GAD as you lose a lot of your confidence, self worth & self esteem.

GAD is often a general practitioners 'go-to' diagnosis. I've had OCD for 3-4 years now and my GP still doesn't have it on his records. So, I always believe in questioning a diagnosis unless it is made by a specialist e.g. psychiatrist, psychologist, etc. Gp's are not qualified to make a detailed analysis of anxiety disorders anyway, well certainly not in the UK.

So, its possible you could have more than one. It sounds like OCD. My only reservation would be if you are very religious person anyway because that opens up other possibilities because we tend to focus on negative things, despite no real evidence of them as seen in cognitive distortion. In depression we as well we also have a tendency to look at ourselves in a very negative way and I could see a very religious person using God to beat themselves up. This is certainly likely in some cultures.