Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Islam
OCD is also known as “ the doubting disorder” or in Islam known ad ‘Waswas’ meaning ‘whisperings of Shaitan’. Muslims who suffer from OCD will normally relate it to their faith which is categorized as Scrupulosity and affects every day of worship such as wudu, prayer, cleanliness. They will often question themselves have I cleaned myself 3 times, did I miss my raqat, did I do wudu correctly. These are irrational intrusive thoughts that enter our minds.
What is OCD ?
OCD is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that can be stressful and lead individuals to engage in repetitive behaviors (compulsions) in an effort to reduce their discomfort and ease their anxiety. Although compulsions might temporarily reduce anxiety, many OCD sufferers claim that both their obsessions and compulsions cause them great distress and frequently interfere with their everyday lives.
If you’ve got OCD, you probably know, or recognize, that your compulsive behaviors and obsessive thoughts are somewhat irrational. However, even so, you still feel like you can’t resist them.
Do you know how the needle gets stuck on a record player playing an old record? Well, OCD sort of works the same way. It causes your brain to fixate on a particular urge or thought, for instance, washing hands until almost peeling the skin off because you fear germs.
Though OCD is frequently misinterpreted or oversimplified as the desire for cleanliness or order due to inaccurate media representation, this can lead to confusion and a lack of support for those who are experiencing OCD. This article will serve as a guide, explaining the causes, symptoms, and treatments of OCD in order to demonstrate how complex OCD is compared to what most people believe.
FACTS
OCD an affect anyone
About 3% of the people on this earth will battle with this disorder at some point in their lives. People of all ethnicity and culture can be affected, however, certain risk factors can help increase the likelihood of you suffering this particular mental disorder.
What causes OCD?
OCD can stem from a variety of factors. Similar to many other conditions, there may be a number of risk variables present that range from person to person and have varied effects on everyone. Some of the elements that increase a person’s risk of developing OCD include:
- Family History: Having one or more OCD cases in one’s family may predispose one to acquiring OCD.
- Biological Causes: One biological issue that may predispose some people to OCD is a problem with neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. There is less proof that genetic variables are common in OCD; there may be genes that predispose people to illnesses in general, but no specific OCD genes have been found.
- Life events– Stress plays the biggest part in the development of OCD. Strong triggers might be produced by situations that make you feel responsible or out of control. Numerous studies have demonstrated that abuse and trauma can trigger the formation of OCD, with compulsions acting as coping mechanisms.
The Symptoms of OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) doesn’t show the same way in every person, just as OCD has no single cause. OCD symptoms can, however, typically be divided into obsessions and compulsions
Compulsions are the repeated behaviours, carried out in reaction to obsessions. These compulsive behaviours are carried out in order to ease anxiety or avoid a terrifying outcome. Many OCD sufferers are aware of the unhelpful or unreasonable nature of their behaviours, but they nonetheless feel compelled to carry them out. Common compulsions include, for example:
WASHING AND CLEANING EXCESSIVELY
REPEATIGN ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS
The long-term effects of these compulsions are an increase in obsessional preoccupation and the maintenance of the pattern of responses to them, despite the fact that they can temporarily reduce anxiety.
Obsessions are recurring, persistent impulses that enter the mind unexpectedly. Because they are frequently unpleasant, obsessions can make people feel anxious. OCD obsessions frequently have recurring themes, the most prevalent of which are:
CONTAMINATION – The fixation in OCD is the fear of contamination for oneself or others, notwithstanding how frequently it is depicted in the media as obsessive cleaning or hand-washing.
SEXUAL – unpleasant sexual ideas or pictures.
PERFECTIONSIM: a need for accuracy, precision, or orderliness; a need to know or recall for sure.
OCD can cause Anxiety
When dealing with OCD, you might start to experience chronic anxiety because of your obsessive thoughts. Usually, compulsions and rituals are used to help reduce this anxiety and nervousness that has been caused by the obsession. Some of these obsessive behaviors include
> Counting words, letters or objects
Repeatedly checking your doors to ensure they’re locked
> Rearranging objects to make sure a specific symmetry or order is met
> Doing stuff in multiples, like switching your lights
OCD Treatment
Fortunately, there are a number of ways to get treatment. There are therapies wherein you can rely on different therapy methods that work for you. There are also different kinds of medications you can consider. And lastly, there is religion which can be used to help support OCD treatment as well. For instance, in Islamic culture, OCD is viewed in a religious perspective, thus applying religion to therapy. In conclusion, there’s more improvement when this religious therapy is done, but overall, this would depend on the culture in general and a person’s preferences.
OCD responds well to psychological treatments like Counselling/Psychotherapy and Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) as they address the obsession compulsions and maintenance of behaviors. Our counsellors can help you through this where you can reconnect with your faith in positive ways.
Wrapping Up
Recognizing the triggers is the first step you’ll need to take when managing OCD symptoms. These triggers are normally the situations, urges, and thoughts that give rise to your compulsions and obsessions. Once you’ve figured these things out when you can start on your road to recovery.
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Please talk more about this especially scrupulosity in purification and worship. I went through this about ten years ago and it was the worst time of my life. Alhamdulillah I don’t have this problem anymore but there needs to be more awareness!
Can you tell me about that that how you get cure im suffering from ocd
I’m happy for you. Please can you share tips on how you got over it?
How did u get over it . I’m suffering immensely now and I feel so alone . No one understands
@Farzana,
I am too. A person sits near me in bus and if nobody talks,…..
I have been through something similar. With religious OCD, remember that Allah SWT is the Most Merciful and that whether you have washed a body part 2 or 3 times in wudu or whether you have prayed 3 or 4 rackats in namaz is less important than your intention and effort. Try not to associate these activities (wudu, salah etc.) with stress and oppose Shaytaan’s waswaas. Shaytaan would love for you to worry about whether you have correctly washed your hands or face as he doesn’t want you to spend your time and headspace on more productive activities.
Also, I found this helpful
Hi there can you tell me more how you recover from this as I am going from this
I go through this each and every day. May Allah find me a solution for it!
Salaam I’m a mother of a 17year old he suffers from extreme ocd continues wudu doubtful spends hours in bathroom doesn’t let me touch him there is soo much to add to this list I read your comment you said you no longer suffer from this please please can you give me advice or sign post me I’m desperate for help thanks
Hi how u recovered?
I’ve been dealing with OCD for a prolonged amount of time, which eventually has led to severe and crippling anxiety and depression. So I’m writing with the intention that whoever replies could reverse or at least try the very best in their ability to do just so.
Thank you very much in advance.
Salaam
I have been suffering from OCD from childhood due to a traumatic one.
I have a loooong way to go but still I have some of the methods which you might find helpful and which may reduce or completely cure your OCD (these are tried and tested)
1. First and the foremost, have focus and concentration on what you are dealing with in the present
2. If thinking, always think good thoughts
3. Avoid music
4. Calm down and keep cool, it’s just your heart acting up, try to remain calm and 90% of problem is solved
5. Just leave everything upto ALLAH swt and pray to ALLAH swt to make you calm and give you peace
6. Socialising and being busy/studying/working is the answer to majority of mental problems
7. Praying Salah with khushoo(focus and obedience) solves all of them
If you have found any of these tips helpful please let me know!! Do pray for me and my family and also tell me if you found any good tips too!!
I also have this condition and I have controlled many of the longings. Just ignore them as they mean nothing, it is the best way in my knowledge. Think them as worthless. And if you get uncontrolled thoughts just don’t bother them. And for disgusting thoughts leave them as they are, dont try to over supress them and also dont think about them as they are meaningless in real, you don’t actually mean them so you don’t have to worry. It will help you a lot.
I havesuffered from ocd for many yers how can i get rid of it
Whenever I lose madhiy and I see it in the underwearI have to clean the whole bathroom take a shower as I think its spread everywhere through the dust of my underwear. I have anxiety to go to the bathroom outside home as if I lose madhiy I will make the bathroom najis and my clothes and then get into my car which also gets najis and everything will become najizs (impure)