Hannah Comeau - Scrupulosity as a Teenage Girl in Rexburg, Idaho Pt. 1 | Ep. 1308

The Invisible Struggle: Scrupulosity in the Heart of Mormon Country

In the heart of Rexburg, Idaho, amid a tightly-knit Mormon community, faith and anxiety often intersect. The story of Hannah Comeau exemplifies this collision. Hannah, raised with a devotion that could only be nurtured in a place where Mormon stakes outnumber coffee shops, faced a personal battle: scrupulosity. This condition, a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) marked by religious or moral overcommitment, struck her in the most sacred arenas of her life. As teenage girls worldwide grapple with their identities, Hannah's experience raises questions about the influence of religious environments on mental health. Why is scrupulosity particularly pervasive among devout individuals, and what are the implications for those living in religiously saturated areas?

Scrupulosity: A Byproduct of Zealous Righteousness

Rexburg thrives as a beacon of Mormon values. With a population of just over 28,000, it stands as a microcosm of devout adherence to faith. This environment emphasizes the virtues of righteousness, creating fertile ground for scrupulosity to take root. Scrupulosity is not simply a commitment to morality; it's an anxiety-driven condition where an individual obsessively fears sinning or not being pious enough, often without actual basis. Hannah, like many, found herself caught in this relentless cycle from as young as age 11, fearing she'd breached religious codes simply by walking past alcohol in a store aisle.

Church teachings, meant to guide, sometimes become triggers. Expectations of spiritual purity are ingrained deeply. Scriptures that label errant thoughts as sinful intensify fears rather than ease them. While faith communities view vigilance as a virtue, for some, like Hannah, it fuels an unhealthy over-vigilance.

The Anatomy of Anxious Devotion