Compulsion to confess?

KayJ · Post by **KayJ** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 12:52 am

Does anyone have the "compulsion to confess or tell?" If so, any pointers on how you determine whether it's just a compulsion or if you really need to tell someone something. Specific examples anyone has would be great. Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 1:38 am

Hi KayJ,

This is really a large debated topic.Don't know what your belief is,Higher power,God Jesus,but confessing to the wrong person or too many things can lead ,I think to lower self esteem.With confession I think when it bothers you to the point of not being able to think right or tormenting you,I don't think that's from God at all.For example, if I was angry at a person for a period of time I would tell it in confession or to God.Some teach that you go to that person and say so.I don't believe that because it leads to low self esteem and feeling bad.Humiliation is not humility !On the other hand if you broke something in someones house by accident that's another story,learn to just tell the person then and deal with the persons response.Someone you can trust to talk this over with may help a pastor or Priest or close friend that would not use this type of thing against you.In the end it's between you and God anyway so tell it to Him,He's the best person I've found to keep a secret,then 2 know you and He and it's really not a secret anymore know is it !

Hope this helps !

Sincerely,Sit

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 2:48 am

I have always feel that way too .. it drives me nuts. I would always get myself in so much trouble as a kid cause I felt SO guilty, I couldn't stand it. Didn't realize others felt this way too.

Looking forward to hearing some responses too...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:55 am

Feel this way a lot. Trying to put an end to it, because it makes me feel as if I am the lesser person, and whomever I have to confess to is somehow better than me? Or that they can absolve my sin. But most of the time, I do it for the affirmation that I am okay, and I have heard that this need to confirm contributes to anxiety instead of helping it, and I find that to be true.

I think sometimes it has to do with upbringing, like being raised Catholic where confession, even having your first confession is such a big deal. It's like, you felt guilty if you felt like you had nothing to confess, what, am I too good? No one is that good! I confessed to ridiculous stuff, honestly, what does a 7 yr old back in their early 80's have to confess about? Not much. But anyway, I think that plays into it. Then I went in the direction where I thought that everything I did needed a confession. So, anyway that could be part of it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 27, 2007 11:48 am

I didn't even think about this as a compulsion, but yes, I did it just today. Sometimes I am able to calm down and say, "Am I saying this to make myself feel better? Is it self in this circumstance? (Meaning, will it hurt the other person and do no good other than relieve my guilty conscience...only to give me something else to then obsess about, like, 'Now he's mad at me...')"

Originally posted by KayJ:
Does anyone have the "compulsion to confess or tell?" If so, any pointers on how you determine whether it's just a compulsion or if you really need to tell someone something. Specific examples anyone has would be great. Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 3:15 pm

Yes I have this compulsive behavior to confess that I am gay all the time because I feel that I am not being honest if I don't say it to the people I know, even though is not of their business!!

Franca.Canada · Post by **Franca.Canada** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 12:15 pm

YES!!! omg..i have been SERIOUSLY suffering from this for about 2 weeks now, and it is completely eating away at me. I feel this terrible guilt for something but know that telling will do more harm than good. Do you always end up confessing with this compulsion? I REALLY dont want to confess my secret but fear i might.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:52 pm

Ok now this is funny!! I have that problem I can't help!! But the reason I tell people everything is because I really really want help and will do anything to get it. I am like desperate!!!! It's been going on since I could type!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:10 pm

For quite a while, I had a compulsion to pray after any sin I committed. It was rather exhausing. And if I didn't get the prayer right, I'd have to start all over, thus making for some prayers that seemed to last 20 minutes at a time.

I can't really figure how I got over that. Seems it just kind of went away and the OCD festered into something else.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:33 pm

I can't believe that someone else has actually been like me in this. I am a Christian, and while wantintg to please God, I have become overly perfectionistic. This is something I am going to work on in this program. The obsessive thoughts have ranged from maybe I'm not really saved to maybe I judged so and so, or maybe I was jealous of this person or that person, the list goes on. Like you said, I have often tried to keep praying about some certain sin or even imagined sin and keep trying to make sure I'm sincere. I am fully aware that this is ridiculous, but I have definitely struggled with it and I know others have too. I realize God loves me unconditionally and that he is conquering the OCD tendencies through me. People who are like me, don't worry...we'll get through this together!!!