As a Muslim, if you answer YES to many of these items, you may be suffering from aspects of OCD:
Do you:
- transgress the bounds?
- go to excess?
- be excessively wasteful in resources?
- overstep the bounds in cleanliness?
- overstep the bounds in duas?
- exhibit unrestrained behavior? *
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Ihsan is important
This post is specifically for sincere muslims suffering from OCD who are trying to implement ihsan in their lives:
The key thing is:
"I have cleaned this table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL, because this table has LESSER IMPORTANCE in my life".
i.e. the language to use is:
"I have cleaned up my table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL for the IMPORTANCE that this table has in my life"
Ihsan in all affairs is important, but be careful that you don't overdo it and overwhelm yourself. Take it one step at a time. For example, an OCD person may want to be ihsan-aware in everything that they do. However, the OCD will drive the person to perfection in the tiniest tasks (like cleaning the table countertop with ihsan for the sake of Allah) On one hand, yes, the ihsan is a noble goal to aim for. However, for OCD people, they need to be careful in how they implement ihsan in everything.
My tip:
If you find that implementing ihsan in something like cleaning a table countertop is putting too much OCD anxiety on you, then try to clean the table countertop in a "good enough" fashion. i.e. make sure it's not 100% perfect, but try to aim for 80% goodness.
The reason?
Because you're stressing too much over the tabletop. Yes, you have the noble ihsan goal, but shaitan is driving you crazy.
Allah knows you're doing your best, so for something like the tabletop, I would invite you to consider doing it in a "good enough" manner, rather than super duper perfect. Being "good enough" in a task like the tabletop is still ihsan in my opinion, especially for OCD sufferers.
--
The key thing is:
"I have cleaned this table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL, because this table has LESSER IMPORTANCE in my life".
i.e. the language to use is:
"I have cleaned up my table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL for the IMPORTANCE that this table has in my life"
The key thing is:
"I have cleaned this table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL, because this table has LESSER IMPORTANCE in my life".
i.e. the language to use is:
"I have cleaned up my table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL for the IMPORTANCE that this table has in my life"
Ihsan in all affairs is important, but be careful that you don't overdo it and overwhelm yourself. Take it one step at a time. For example, an OCD person may want to be ihsan-aware in everything that they do. However, the OCD will drive the person to perfection in the tiniest tasks (like cleaning the table countertop with ihsan for the sake of Allah) On one hand, yes, the ihsan is a noble goal to aim for. However, for OCD people, they need to be careful in how they implement ihsan in everything.
My tip:
If you find that implementing ihsan in something like cleaning a table countertop is putting too much OCD anxiety on you, then try to clean the table countertop in a "good enough" fashion. i.e. make sure it's not 100% perfect, but try to aim for 80% goodness.
The reason?
Because you're stressing too much over the tabletop. Yes, you have the noble ihsan goal, but shaitan is driving you crazy.
Allah knows you're doing your best, so for something like the tabletop, I would invite you to consider doing it in a "good enough" manner, rather than super duper perfect. Being "good enough" in a task like the tabletop is still ihsan in my opinion, especially for OCD sufferers.
--
The key thing is:
"I have cleaned this table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL, because this table has LESSER IMPORTANCE in my life".
i.e. the language to use is:
"I have cleaned up my table at a GOOD ENOUGH LEVEL for the IMPORTANCE that this table has in my life"
Monday, October 24, 2011
Pleasureable thoughts drive away OCD anxiety
Have a good, merciful opinion of Allah. Remember him when you experience anxiety. The pleasurable thought of Allah can help drive anxiety away, inshaAllah.
Next time OCD Anxiety strikes, do something which you are good at, and that makes you feel good. As long as it's halal :) For example, recite a few verses of the Quran out loud. This will help you, inshaAllah:
1) Doing something (reciting the Quran) is an action. It gets you out of your head, which is important when you are struck by OCD anxiety.
2) Pleasurable/ Competent - Pleasureable experiences like reciting the Quran drive away anxiety.
Next time OCD Anxiety strikes, do something which you are good at, and that makes you feel good. As long as it's halal :) For example, recite a few verses of the Quran out loud. This will help you, inshaAllah:
1) Doing something (reciting the Quran) is an action. It gets you out of your head, which is important when you are struck by OCD anxiety.
2) Pleasurable/ Competent - Pleasureable experiences like reciting the Quran drive away anxiety.
Help overcome OCD
The following list is for muslims suffering from OCD. Keep these bits of info in mind:
- You don't need to be 100% clean for salah. Having a little impurity on your clothes is OK - a "coin's worth" of impurity is fine. Don't obsess over how big that coin is, or if you have more than a coin's worth. To help you picture that "coin", just take the palm of your hand and draw a small circle inside. Don't make the circle too small, or too big. Just right. Just what you consider to be "a little bit" of impurity. And go easy on yourself. Just keep in mind that you can have a "little" impurity on you. What you consider to be little is different from what someone else may consider.
- Have a good merciful opinion of Allah. Allah treats you as you expect him to treat you, so expect him to treat you with mercy regarding cleanliness.
- Shaitan causes people to either become excessive, or become negligent. With OCD, Shaitan tends to take people to the excess in cleanliness and prayers. Do not go excessive - set a limit, follow the sunnah.
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