Therapy, Confession, Scruples?

Every help I have ever read on Confession begins with a recommendation to consult a Catholic Examination of Conscience and when I do so, I always find something I might have otherwise omitted. Nevertheless, I am sure that no honest and truly contrite Confession is invalid. Personally, I don't think I am called to humiliate myself in confession by recanting the specific details of each of my sins as long as I don't fail to reveal them at least in a general nature but that is my personal feeling. One of the many benefits of Confession is to wash away our guilt by honestly conveying our sins. Perhaps if you feel your confessions have not thoroughly assuaged your guilt, then you should reveal those things in your next confession. Freedom is worth any price.

 

Shortly after I typed these words, I was led by Mr. Eko to a free book online http://patrimoinechretien.com/Bibliothèque/Oeuvres/ScupoliSpiritualCombat2016en.pdf. I have only read chapter XIX so far but these words seem to speak directly to your question.

" Therefore, in this temptation (when you are not clear as to whether you have consented or not) it will be sufficient to confess the whole as briefly as possible to your spiritual father, and then to rest satisfied with his opinion upon the matter, without thinking about it more. Be careful, however, that you lay bare before him every thought, and do not let human respect or shame hinder you from doing so. For if in all cases we need the virtue of humility in order to overcome our enemies, we must exercise it in this more than in any other ; [64] this vice being, as a rule, the punishment of pride."

 

Correct! I have committed some truly reprehensible sins in the past and memories of these horrible choices still return to me from time to time and when they do it is hard not to feel guilty. However, as Catholics we are privileged to have the sacraments and particularly Holy Communion and Reconciliation.

Faith is a choice and our faith teaches us that once we confess our sins to an ordained priest and when He conveys the Lord's forgiveness to us, we are forgiven. This amazing grace is of such a divine and unconditional nature that it is hard for the cynical human mind to believe. However, it is very credible and it is important to our souls to believe in this miracle when it is given to us. Once you are forgiven through confession you must also forgive yourself. God does not want us to be burdened by feelings of guilt and thus the reason He gave these sacraments to us.

Remember how the father came rushing out to greet the prodigal son in that parable. He saw him far off and came rushing to him to put a golden ring on his finger. The father's only thought was joy at the return of his son. No recriminations, no demand for recompense. God is faithfully represented by the father in this story. No matter what reprehensible and disgusting thing we might do, if we return to the Father and sincerely seek His forgiveness, He is there rushing to forgive us. Once He has forgiven you, forgive yourself and commit to sin no more and if you do sin again, rush back to the Father.

 

Therapy? absolutely yes (don't be a purist Catholic who denies the good and just help of medicine and psychology).
Confession? absolutely yes, especially if you are in mortal sin.
Scupules, fight them because scruple is bad for both the spiritual life (virtue is in the high middle between laxity and scruple) and are bad for your physical and psychological life (it really harms your psychological part a lot, which will consequently your spiritual life too, no one can pray well with a disordered head).
Both, you need both to go to confession and the psychiatrist/psychologist for therapy. Remember, you are body and soul, you need to take care of both.

 

I too suffer from scrupulosity. It's really hard. I've read it's associated with OCD. I've had other symptoms of OCD throughout my life but I don't fit the mold of your typical OCD sufferer (I'm a bit of a slob). Look into Pure O OCD.

Also, my church teaches that one should "sum up with specific wording, not details, so as to protect the innocence of the priest. God already knows the story." This will save you the embarrassment of confessing the gory details of your sin and it preserves the innocence of the priest. It's win-win. Think of the priest, man. He doesn't want to hear the ins and outs of the horrifying world of pornography. Of course, you could always ask the priest how detailed you should be. You can't go wrong with that, right? Tell the priest you have some sexual sins that are really shameful and embarrassing and ask him. What could go wrong?

 

I read this recently from Fulton J. Sheen's "Life of Christ" Ch. 27. I hope it is helpful to us all.

“It is by endurance that you will secure Possession of your souls.

LUKE 21:18


The possession of a soul means the undisturbed mastery of oneself, which is the secret of inner peace, as distinguished from a thousand agitations which make it fearful, unhappy, and disappointed. Only when the soul is possessed can anything else be enjoyed. Our Lord here meant patience in adversity, trial, and persecution."

 

May I also add, (sorry if I missed this in anyone else's comments) but the devil will use your guilt against you. Once he knows our weaknesses, he will try to crush us with guilt.

I've heard it said this way: the devil convinces us that sin is harmless before we commit the act and then he convinces us that it's unforgivable after the act. You needn't be thoroughly detailed in content, only explaining the portion that makes it sinful. It is no more sinful to watch hentai pornography than it is to watch a different genre. But if you want to explain it to a priest, that is alright as well.