Can Christianity Cure Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

A Psychiatrist Explores the Role of Faith in Treatment

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"A wonderful offering by Osborn (a leading psychiatrist in the field). . . . This book is important to any Christian suffering from OCD. It mixes the best research with a call to utilize modern psychological findings and transfer responsibility to God."--Chris Keller, TheOtherJournal.com
 
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a relentless condition, the primary symptom being the occurrence of terrifying ideas, images, and urges that jump into a person's mind and return again and again, despite the individual's attempt to remove them. Christians who suffer from OCD may grapple with additional guilt, as the undesired thoughts are frequently of a spiritual nature.

Many might be surprised to learn that some of the greatest leaders in Christian history may have also struggled with this malady and that this struggle may have contributed to Christian beliefs and practices. Psychiatrist Ian Osborn shares the personal accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Therese of Lisieux, revealing what they experienced, how they coped, whether they were able to overcome their tormenting and often violent obsessions, and where God fit into the picture. He also shares his own story as he explores how faith can play an important role in bringing relief to OCD sufferers.

Can Christianity Cure Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? offers a proven and effective method for coping with OCD, providing hope for patients, families, and Christian pastors and counselors.


Endorsements

"This extremely lucid and well-written book provides clear and profoundly useful evidence for the role of faith, hope, and love in the effective treatment of a major neuropsychiatric affliction, obsessive-compulsive disorder. With extraordinary skill, Ian Osborn teaches us how God's grace, Christ's sacrifice, and the work of Holy Spirit hold the key to overcoming this serious but potentially uplifting medical condition."--Jeffrey M. Schwartz, MD, research psychiatrist, UCLA, and author of Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior

"This important new book by OCD expert Dr. Ian Osborn provides much-needed information, historical perspective, and hope for Christians suffering the terrible burden of blasphemous obsessions or religious scrupulosity, as well as for the mental health professionals who treat them."--Lee Baer, PhD, clinical professor of psychology, Harvard Medical School

"I gave my life to Christ many years ago, but when OCD hit me, I held back that part of my life, too afraid to let God have control. I justified this because OCD is a neurobiological disease, not a spiritual problem. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and medication helped, but as I look back I can see that releasing the OCD part of my life to God is what has given me the most relief. Luther, Bunyan, and Thérèse discovered this centuries ago, and Dr. Osborn has very clearly put into words their spiritual solutions. When I'm tempted to wrest control of OCD away from God, I will turn again and again to Dr. Osborn's book and the examples of these Christian heroes to remind me of Luther's great words, sola fide--by faith alone."--Cherry Pedrick, RN, coauthor of The OCD Workbook and Loving Someone with OCD

"It is a rare pleasure to read a book by a Christian psychiatrist that not only reveals an in-depth understanding of both the pharmacology and psychology of a mental disorder, but also describes how a sufferer's Christian faith may be enlisted as an ally in the course of treatment. Dr. Osborn's book does all that--and more. It describes how Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux each suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and how they ultimately found a way to successfully manage their symptoms by transferring the responsibility for them to God. If you're like me, reading these stories, and the stories of Dr. Osborn and his patients, will stimulate not only new ideas about treating OCD but also a search for a simpler, deeper faith."--Michael R. Lowry, MD, clinical associate professor and associate chair, department of psychiatry medical director, University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute


The Author

  1. Ian Osborn MD
    © Steve Tressler, Mt. View Studios

    Ian Osborn MD

    Ian Osborn, MD, is a psychiatrist practicing at the New Mexico Behavioral Health Institute and has taught psychiatry at Penn State University and the University of New Mexico. He struggled with and overcame OCD in his own life and now lectures on the disorder...

    Continue reading about Ian Osborn MD

Reviews

"This is a wonderful offering by Osborn (a leading psychiatrist in the field) that gives a thorough reading of three seminal figures within the historical Christian church--Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and Saint Thérèse de Lisieux. . . . Can Christianity Cure OCD? is well researched and brings in numerous sources from panoply biographers that each of these individuals suffered from severe cases of OCD. . . . This book is important to any Christian suffering from OCD. It mixes the best research with a call to utilize modern psychological findings and transfer responsibility to God. . . . Osborn offers a hopeful way forward with his book. He has been thorough in his research of modern psychopathologies, he has offered a diligent historical account of the theological roots of OCD, and his has provided the reader with a good understanding of how treatment and wellness means relief from symptoms and a more whole relationship with God. In the end, we all must work out our salvation, and for Osborn, he points a much needed way forward for those who suffer from OCD to do so and for Christians engaged in psychology to think about being a Christian in the field of mental health."--Chris Keller, TheOtherJournal.com

"This book is valuable for drawing attention to the need to recognize . . . Christian religious beliefs and the role that they can play in helping to restore psychological health. It is a reminder that patients come to us representing considerable diversity, that recognition and respect for diversity are fundamental aspects of ethical practice, and that the diversity itself may significantly inform the application of a group of techniques. . . . It is also a good reminder that we do not treat symptoms but rather persons."--Philip Knowles, PsycCRITIQUES

"This volume is addressed to Christians of all traditions who are affected by OCD. . . . This book should provoke further discussion of the relationship of spirituality to good mental health."--Frank Hegedus, Living Faith

"There are plenty of books on how to treat OCD's symptoms, but few offer a distinctively Christian framework. So [this book] is special. Authored by Ian Osborn, who himself struggled with and overcame OCD, this book is unique for its three 'case studies' of notable Christians. By examining the autobiographical accounts of Martin Luther, John Bunyan, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a popular 19th-century Carmelite nun, Osborn presents convincing cases that each struggled with OCD and overcame it through a deepening trust in God. This last point makes the book noteworthy, if not notorious, since the author is suggesting that Christian doctrine held the key to their cures. . . . Luther, Bunyan, and St. Thérèse were colorful figures who made a significant impact on their respective worlds, so Osborn's recount of their lives provides an informative and lively read. It would be my first recommendation to Christians (and interested non-Christians) who struggle with OCD. And the value to counselors and pastors should be obvious, particularly to see how Christians have addressed psychological problems in the past, and how we might approach them today. This may be the book's most valuable contribution. . . . We would do well to follow Osborn's example and comb through Christian literature--beginning with the Bible--to develop a robustly Christian approach to psychiatry and psychology in the 21st century."--Eric Johnson, christianitytoday.com

"Osborn's expertise is displayed by his thorough historical research, up-to-date knowledge of clinical treatment paradigms, and familiarity with current research in neurophysiology. The book's 330 endnotes constitute a veritable 'Who's Who' in research and treatment of OCD and they will be helpful to the academically inclined reader. . . . This book does set forth a helpful cognitive-behavioral intervention that can be used to reduce the suffering caused by obsessive-compulsive disorder for those who possess a monotheistic worldview and a willingness to trust that a merciful and gracious God is willing and able to take responsibility for the concerns that torment them. . . . [This book] will bring help to Christians who suffer from OCD and provide guidance to the therapists who treat them."--William Roth, Journal of Spiritual Formation & Soul Care