Debra Theobald McClendon: Scrupulosity—Obsessive-Compulsive Anxiety You May Mistake as Faith Crisis

You may have never heard of scrupulosity, but it is possible it has hijacked the religious experience of you or someone you love. In her September 2019 Ensign article, Dr. Debra Theobald McClendon wrote, “Scrupulosity masquerades as a desirable, higher standard of righteousness and personal worthiness—but it’s not!” So, what is scrupulosity? How does it manifest itself? How is it treated? Dr. McClendon helps us answer all of these questions and more on this week’s episode.

"If it is a spiritual prompting, and you go through the things you need to repent, including a confession to an ecclesiastical leader if necessary, you will feel better. If it is driven by toxic anxiety, you will not feel better, because it's an anxiety issue. It's not a moral issue or a spiritual sensitivity issue."

Show Notes 

3:11- What is Scrupulosity? 8:34- How Does It Manifests Itself? 12:39- Confession 16:18- Therapy and Treatment 23:41- Correcting Sin While Not Giving Into Obsessions 26:18- Triggers 31:44- Godly Sorrow? 34:02- How to Help Others Who May Be Struggling  38:48- Too Late? 41:35- Repentance is Not a Checklist 43:31- The Atonement 45:16- What Does It Mean to be “All In” the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Find the full episode transcript at ldsliving.com/allin.

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