The Need for a Biblical Approach to OCD

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NOTE: DO NOT take this article as medical advice of ANY kind! This post is only meant to generate thinking about how to address OCD spiritually, not medically. For medical advice, seek qualified medical professionals ONLY.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a plague that afflicts many victims. Like every other issue, God's Word, which thoroughly equips the Christian to do all that God desires (2 Timothy 3:15-17), speaks to this topic. However, unlike other issues, it doesn't appear (at least, to my satisfaction) that OCD has been sufficiently analyzed and addressed from a Biblical worldview. Therefore, I would like to propose a step-by-step plan by which Christians can Biblically analyze OCD, and by which they can tackle it.

1) Realize what OCD is. OCD stands for "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder." For our information about this disorder, we'll turn to the International OCD Foundation's website, specifically their "What is OCD?" page. First, let's focus on the "obsessive" part! The page defines "obsessions" as "thoughts, images, or impulses that occur over and over again and feel outside of the person's control." So, the first part of this disorder is that the one experiencing it has constantly-occurring and uncontrollable thoughts, images, and impulses. Second, let's focus on the "compulsive" part. The page defines "compulsions" as "repetitive behaviors or thoughts that a person uses with the intention of neutralizing, counteracting, or making their obsessions go away." So, the second part of this disorder is that the one experiencing it, attempting to fight against their obsessions, as defined above, repeatedly employs certain thoughts and behaviors to achieve that goal. And, given "obsessive-compulsive" is a hyphenated term, the obsessions and compulsions together form one problem. Finally, this obsessive-compulsive cycle is a "disorder." The fact that it's a "disorder" implies that there's a right "order" for thinking, feelings, and behavior that OCD violates.

2) Study God's Word to see what He defines as the right order for thinking, feelings, and behavior. His standard will be found in His Word's commands concerning thinking, feelings, and behavior. All things that deviate from that Law, including what is called "OCD," are "disorders." In this step, you'll learn what God, man's very Creator, calls the proper "order" for man's thoughts, emotions, and actions is, and, consequently, what He calls "disorders." This is a fundamental flaw of all unbiblical psychological theories: they are based on sinful and finite man instead of the true and infinite Creator.

3) Study all the Bible passages concerning what we today call "obsessions" and "compulsions" (as both terms are defined in Step 1). By doing this, you will learn God's thoughts on these concepts and things relating to these concepts.

4) Study all the Bible says about the Gospel (i.e., Good News) of the Lord Jesus Christ's Person and work and how it addresses OCD and all the problems related to it.

May God, through His Son and by His Spirit, use this article to develop, in the hearts and minds of Christians, a Biblical view of OCD, and to cure this malady in the hearts of all whom it afflicts!