JWs Depression and Suicide

by 00DAD 44 Replies latest watchtower scandals

  • Aussie Oz
    Aussie Oz

    I know of a husband (not baptised) of a sister, who said once that he was not good enough to be a jw, who killed himself earlier this year. He left behind two teenage kids as well. No funeral, a quick cremation. It was like the poor guy never existed.

    As for myself, at one time there i was, a ministerial servant, recent parent, past reg pio, rising star of the congo, standing on the cliff top near home, seriously wanting to jump...I was so darn depressed. I could not help my wife understand or deal with it, shit, i had no idea myself. In a nutshell, i will boil it down to massive lack of self worth. The WT taught me that all my thoughts, feelings and desires of that time were satans. I battled long inside until i had to run. I didnt realize at the time it was to save my life. The reasons and effects, the feelings of those times still overwhelm me at times and it takes others to shake me out of blue funk. (You know who you are!)

    Yeah, the happyest people on earth...what a joke!

    oz

  • sizemik
    sizemik

    I remember the thread Oz . . . very sad.

    I knew 10 people over 30 years who suicided. One was a 16 yr old with isolation issues (make the obvious conclusion). Gas in the car. Another an MS with two small children (car again). Another was a sister round my age with teenage children and an unbelieving mate. The hardest to take were my best friend (who left 2 pre-teens) with a shotty, and the other a 17 yr old who was my sons best friend, hanging.

    Depression and an anxiety disorder knobbled me eventually and went hand in hand with my exit.

    There is an article which reports some studies on mental illness and suicide among JW's . . . I'll try and find a link.

    ED: There's some interesting stuff here . . . and more links . . .

    http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/mental-issues.php

    This thread also sites some statistical data in the OP . . .

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/196611/1/Research-studies-on-the-mental-health-of-Jehovahe28099s-Witnesses

    Mental illness rates may be as high as 16x gen pop and suicide rates 4x.

  • Indian Larry
    Indian Larry

    Over the years I know of several suicides:

    1 hanging (he was DF'd)

    2 with guns

    1 cut wrist

    1 attempted (Pill O/D)

    Thinking it over I would say without any exaggeration that probably 50% or more of my friends in the org are on some type of anti-depressent, and that is a very conservative estimate. I myself have fought with depression for most of my adult life. Looking back at it now with a fresh viewpoint I can see how mentally unhealthy it was to grow up as a Witness in the 1960's. Constant fear of armageddon, knowing all your friends from school will be "birdfeed", worrying that you are not doing enough, you are not worthy of God's kindess.

    My wife is even on anti-depressents now and she has always been one of the most joyful person you would ever meet. She feels like she is not "doing enough" in service etc. She is also worried about me, she knows how I feel about the GB, both of us are worried that I will get DF'd. I have been on a fade for 3 yrs. and as long as I keep my mouth shut I should be okay. I am a 3rd generation Witness, a former ministerial servant, and all my family is in the org as is my wifes.

    Reading C of C and In Search of Christian Freedom helped me a lot but it will still be a while before I have all of the indoctrination out of me. I do still believe in God and Christ, I don't believe in any specific religion and I don't know that it even matters what any of us believes as far as Christology etc. Jesus will read our hearts when the time comes, and the time will come when it does, I am not interested in trying to figure that out ahead of time either.

    Anyway, long story short, yes I do believe that being a witness does raise the odds that you will face some form of serious depression at some point in your life.

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    Uh, well, I guess I could talk about my own personal experience...

    BOTH of my parents are "manic-depressive" - I prefer that term to the much 'softer' and more "politically-correct" 'bi-polar' disorder... Bleah!!!

    I was almost constantly depressed while being bullied and beaten into the Jehovah's Witness cult, from the age of 5 years and up... Depression and violent outbursts of anger - which my father had 'modelled' for me, by attacking me during HIS violent fits of anger...

    I finally decided that I had to leave the Watchtower cult when I began seriously contemplating suicide...

    That meant breaking my marriage to a fellow "Jehovah's Witness", disassociating myself a year[?] after I was put on "public reproof" because I committed adultery to get the HELL out of that marriage - and what a waste. I should have just LIED about having an affair - but at the time I was still mentally trapped into thinking that I HAD to 'play the game' by THEIR rules...

    It also meant eventually cutting off ALL ties with the viciously destructive, diseased parents - I've TOTALLY disowned them, and what a wonderful feeling THAT is!!

    Once I got out - even before I was fully de-programmed - the depressions and suicidal feelings left, and have never returned...

    Zid

  • JW GoneBad
    JW GoneBad

    Indian Larry: yes I do believe that being a witness does raise the odds that you will face some form of serious depression at some point in your life.

    I might add that being a JW is also going to raise the odds that you'll entertain the thought of suicide more so than your average Joe!

    The WTBTS along with its' GB can drive a guy crazy. Over the years I too have witnessed my share of friends hurting and suffering at the hands of the Org. Sad!

    As the saying goes......"Just another day in paradise".

  • 3rdgen
    3rdgen

    Indian Larry , I see you have only been on this board a couple of days. Welcome! You and your wife and my husband and me have a lot in common. This is a healing place where you can just be your self and express questions, concerns, or whatever. thanks for your input. to Zid (((((((((Ziddena)))))))))) hugs You have been through it and then some. I hope life starts smoothing out for you soon!

  • ziddina
    ziddina

    Aw, 3rdGen, thanks... But actually my life - compared to many, many Jehovah's Witnesses and ex-Jehovah's Witnesses - was relatively easy...

    I never had kids [by choice]. Never had to worry about getting THEM out - or being shunned by them.

    I married the other JW just because he was a JW. It was a loveless marriage - and for that reason, easy to leave.

    Didn't really have any family still 'in' - that I gave two figs - two piles of doggie poop - about, so just walking away from the Watchtower Corporation was very easy, once I had a 'support system' in place.

    I never actually believed the stuff - just was so beaten down by the mental, physical and emotional abuse that I went along with it, until I saw my chance to escape...

    I had to deal with some lingering damage - the worst being a lack of a college education, but seriously, I got out with less damage than most.

    It's been eye-opening to read so many stories - so many brave people, and how they've dealt with their situations. Your story has been both heartbreaking and inspiring...

    Zid

  • DaCheech
    DaCheech

    welcome all new ones............... it's really nice to see new blood joining us and seeing the real light

  • 00DAD
    00DAD

    sizemik: Thanks for the links. I just finished reading the jwfacts essay. Intriguing and informative, but still leaves many questions unanswered.

  • 3rdgen
    3rdgen

    00Dad, Thanks for starting this extremely informative thread. Sizemik, Thanks for your links!

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit