Mental Disorders among JW's

by Blackfalcon98 87 Replies latest jw experiences

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  talesin

  I can only access the abstract, but this is interesting.

  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1174772

  The mental health of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Spencer J .

  Abstract

  The function of religion in human society is complex. The part played by religion in psychiatric disorders is even more obscure. Previous literature and theories are divided into two groups: one school believes that intense religiosity is a symptom-complex indicative of psychiatric disorder, while the opposing view is that religious belief in some way acts as a defence mechanism protecting the individual and his psyche. The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. Furthermore, followers of the sect are three times more likely to be diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia and nearly four times more likely from paranoid schizophrenia than the rest of the population at risk. These findings suggest that being a member of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith may be a risk factor predisposing to a schizophrenic illness. Further studies would be interesting in investigating whether pre-psychotic people are more likely to join the sect than normal people and what part (if any) membership has in bringing about such a breakdown.

  PMID:

  1174772

  [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
• 

  talesin

  And this, from the U. of Ottawa ...

  http://www.med.uottawa.ca/sim/data/Religion_Jehovahs_e.htm

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  Mental Health Mental illness may be viewed by Witnesses as spiritual weakness, or as a result of evil influences. Witnesses may therefore distrust psychiatric therapy, preferring to treat mental illness within their own group. Nonetheless, an issue may be that the strict nature of the religious practices demanded by members, the focus on imminent cataclysmic disaster, and the shunning of members who have left the faith, may form fertile ground for the development of mental distress

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• 

  3rdgen

  Very interesting Tal, thank you!
• 

  clarity

  Blackfalcon98...hey welcome to JWN, nice to have you here!

  You are very observant.......here is a very good & very old

  link that explains a lot.

  Enjoy.

  http://thejehovahswitnesses.org/unhappy-jehovahs-witnesses.php

  clarity

  .
• 

  DATA-DOG

  Jws recruiting the downtrodden and uneducated probably adds more individuals with the propensity for disorders into the group.

  DD
• 

  zeb

  Perhaps its this. As a jw you associate with only other jw and tend to live in each others pockets. From minute one I saw this as not good and kept my 'worldy firends'. Jw in my experience have no interest/s outside the borg and this is narrow. Its possible that the 'promise' of the entire borg is for a better life of things to come and this attracts many people (self included once) who are at the pits end of life have had all the kicks and none of the gifts. As the promises remain u filled and the pressures of life with poor employment, crime injustice take their toll then more and more will be exhibiting behaviours and will be 'victim' to fads whether its taking a particular health supplement or believing something rumoured to have come from that all consuming line"the society". and.... we are all subject to poisons in the food chain, irradiation from certain lights and so on.

  ps I have a terrible life without my daily medications. But i do not allow my condition to prevent me being aloving caring person. I extend myself even when i feel like S*** to do spontaneous acts of kindness to any around me in the shopping malls, work and yes home* knowing as i do not to expect thanks* but to do kind acts because it is good to do so.
• 

  Awake at last

  I am a born in Jdub and have recently been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome. I am not blaming having been a Jdub as Aspergers is something some people are born with, my daughter has been diagnosed as well. I think back on my father who became a witness in 1950 and some of his behaviour. He emotionally abused my mother and me. He seemed to have some sort of personality disorder, which is partly what Aspergers is although he was never diagnosed, the diagnosis was not available when he was younger. What I do think though, is that organisations such as the witnesses attract people who are like my dad, a bit disfunctional socially and that could be a reason as to why there appears to be a higher incidence of mental illness among witnesses.

  Part of my accepting and dealing with AS has been leaving the Borg. It has helped in that I now feel happier and not so stressed. I used to cry at meetings, I was so depressed and I also found it really hard to keep up with all the requirements. I thought I wasn't trying hard enough and looking for excuses. I believe in Jehovah and loved the involvement, the part I felt hard was the lack of love shown to me in more than one congregation. I would have stayed in for the sake of my daughter had she been able to connect with the young ones. Another problem was that my husband's sister was disfellowshipped for complications arising from having Multiple Personality Disorder now known as Disassociative Identity Disorder. She was sexually abused as a child. I used to shun her, but now I am just trying to get my own life back on track, or on track as it was never really on track before. I have told my husband that if he wants to see his sister, he won't have any problems with me. Amazing what a mental health diagnosis can do to generate compassion in someone who was not taught to be compassionate.
• 

  Witness 007

  Many are on depression medication that I know including a sister I studied with...the expectation of armagedon delayed and getting older cause this.
• 

  mana11

  JW's verses Pentecostals I cannot see any differences in Wacko's.

  Both are completly obsessed with irrational thinking.I would mention another group but i am not allowed to mention that group least i blasphemeee the great one!.
• 

  KateWild

  Yes I think being in a cult causes depresssion. As a JW we were always pushed to do more and not getting enough rest. I am sure this messes with the brain and can cause depression. Stress can cause other mental disorders too, JWs are always stressed.

  Kate xx