6 Week Religious OCD Support Group for Muslims 

Sign up deadline: 30th October 2023

Religious OCD (ROCD), also known as Scrupulosity, is a subtype of OCD and it has been a growing area of concern within the Muslim community. It is massively misunderstood, often misinterpreted as Waswasa (whispers of Shaytan), perceived incorrectly as spiritual weakness, and often the advice and rituals provided for this can escalate the strugglesof those experiencing ROCD. For those with ROCD, it can be exceptionally difficult to relate to others and Islam, seek support, validation or receive empathy and acknowledgement.

Often, those experiencing symptoms of ROCD are encouraged and made to think that they are on the right path, even though these symptoms cause extreme uncertainty and distress with normal day-to-day living as a Muslim, particularly when performing acts of worship or rituals. This difficulty can be further escalated when you are told this is part of your faith and you may face repercussions for not following the compulsions that come with ROCD, which leads to more distress and harm on one’s mental health.

At Inspirited Minds, we get it. We know that it’s not easy to confide in others, or sometimes even attend mosque or a religious event. We’ll never pretend to truly understand your experiences but we are determined to help you find meaning and learning in what you are experiencing, and most importantly, for you to be able to say “Allah Loves Me” and believe it.

We have listened to your requests and are pleased to announce our second Religious OCD 6-week support group of 2023. These support groups have been exclusively developed by qualified individuals in the field, and guided by people of Islamic knowledge with years of experience.

If you are someone who has been diagnosed with or experiences symptoms of Religious OCD, and also:

• Unsure of how to maintain a healthy relationship with Allah (SWT)
• Wants to be able to be a Muslim without feeling guilty, distressed or burdened
• Feels they are ready to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing as a Muslim
• Wants to work with and hear from other people who are on similar journeys
• Wants to have a different understanding of the self and Islam than what is currently available

Then this support group is an investment for you in this world and the next.

By attending all 6 weeks you will:

• Learn about the nature of ROCD, including the obsessive compulsive nature behind intrusive thoughts, and common myths and misunderstandings
• The Islamic Concept of Waswasaa including Prophetic stories and from the Sahaba and how you can utilise their experiences in your coping, as well as differentiate between normal Waswasaa and ROCD
• Understand how ROCD presents for you, relates to your experiences, and the different ways of coping
• Weekly activities that explore an ayah, a name of Allah, Quranic stories and other Islamic examples that is beneficial for our awareness, mindfulness, grounding and to build a better relationship between our mental health and our deen
• Understand the CBT model and Person Centred approaches to understand how your thinking and behaviour patterns work, and figure out ways to break negative cycles
• The purpose of emotions, identifying positive, negative, comfortable and uncomfortable ones and how we can manage them
• Learn and explore different and unique narratives that the Quran and Sunnah offers, through a mental health/wellbeing lens, unavailable elsewhere
• Learn the Sunnah ways of wellbeing, and multiple different exercises and activities that can help you on a daily basis
• Weekly homework that will motivate you to try different exercises and activities to reflect and build on
• and so much more!

Each attendee will be provided with a free toolkit at the end of the support group which consists of:

• The Daily Companion to help you stay on track of your mental health and wellbeing
• An Individual blue print, which will have a personalised care plan
• A pack of resources to refer back to in future and build on constantly

Dates & Times

• Every Monday from 13th November – 18th December 2023, from 6pm – 7.30pm
• Online only

Sign up + Payment information

To register your interest, please fill out the screening form below. Please note that the sign up form has been created for the safety of all parties and does not automatically enroll you onto the support group.

By filling out this form, you are registering your interest for participating in the support group, and if you are selected, then you will be requested to make payment in full by the 6th of November. Failure to do so will mean your space will be given to the next person waiting. So, please do keep an eye on your inbox/junk mail, In Shaa Allah.

Concessions available

If you cannot afford £30 for the full 6 weeks, we can offer a discounted rate. This option will be made available on the sign up form. If you have any questions please email support.groups@inspiritedminds.org.uk for more information. Please be assured that this will remain anonymous to the facilitator and will be handled with privacy.

Facilitators

Disclaimer

This support group is not suitable for those who have experienced sexual abuse. By filling and registering interest in this form it is assumed you have not experienced sexual abuse and accepted the disclaimer.

Due to the sensitive nature of the topic and the discussion of potentially triggering topics, we recommend individuals to only attend if they feel safe and well enough. Please note that a member of our qualified support team will be present whom you will be able to contact on the day should you need any support during the support group, however this is subject to the benefit of the entire group.

Important things to note before the sessions

• Please arrive at least 5 minutes prior to 11am GMT as we aim to have a prompt start every week.
• The support group places are non-refundable, so please check that you can attend all sessions in advance of booking.
• We are unfortunately unable to provide partial refunds in the event of participants missing any of the sessions.
• We highly encourage participants to attend all sessions and participate in as many discussions as possible in order to reap the full benefits of the support group.
• If you miss more than 2 sessions, you will be removed from the support group in order for us to ensure the confidentiality and progress of the group.
• We require all forms (before, during and after) to be completed in order to receive your takeaway toolkit.
• For any further questions or information, please email support.group@inspiritedminds.org.uk