I truly believe the WT contributed to my depression

heybaby

Ok, so here's a little summary. I have suffered from depression for quite a while, at varying degrees. Several months ago, I made the decision to stop attending meetings (check out my first posts for the reasons). I found that while out of the grips of the congregation, my emotional and mental health improved tremendously. I could think for myself and appreciate people for who they are, not what religion they belong to. Long story short, out of pressure from hubby, I started going back for a little while. I noticed an IMMEDIATE change for the worse!! All of the phobias and obsessions came rushing back. "Is this skirt too short? Do I have enough hours in field service? Will my taste in entertainment stumble anyone" I really believe that being in this org is making me worse! Any thoughts/opinions?

snowbird

After I was pulled in, I got my mother and three of my sisters involved; we all suffer/ed from depression.

Imo, there is definitely a correlation between WT life and depression.

Sylvia

Sunnygal41

I, too, had the same experience. after leaving the wts, i felt a great weight lift from my shoulders. something interesting to think about would be the scripture where jesus said his yoke is light and not burdensome............the wts imposes pharisaic type rules and regulations on us, and we know what jesus said about them.

terri

fokyc

Certainly started my period of serious depression, stopped attending the meetings and recovery started.

I am certain if I resumed Kingdom Hall attendance I would be bad again.

fokyc

justhuman

WT is using GUILT and FEAR to control their followers...I left 8 years ago(3 since I was disfellowship) and I do not feel going back there. I have my life and I'm the one who controls it, and I need NO one, and specially some old American fools to tell me what to wear and what to believe..

I;m free and I live for me ONLY

WTWizard

Go back, and your problems will return. You will be afraid of the Christmas decorations (at least there are a few less of them at Target after I got through buying them out) and the Christmas carols. You will have to worry about whether a song is "bad". You will have to worry about your clothing being too "whatever"--short, long, the wrong color, etc. You will be going to boasting sessions when you are too tired to, and worrying about whether you are doing enough field circus. Plus, you will always be worrying about pleasing a God that doesn't deserve it.

If you stay out, you can pxxx Jehovah off all you wish, and the hounders will not be able to do a damn thing about it.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Depression? Oh yes! I was very depressed when I believed that the God I was supposed to love was on the verge of killing 6 billion people because I couldn't convince them that Jehovah's Witnesses were "the truth". Yeah, and my "God of love" just might destroy me, too, if I did anything not quite right.

When I stopped believing, I mourned the wasted years, I struggled with the reality of having lived with a 'false hope', then I got on with life. I thought the depression of not having "the truth" would be overwhelming. Actually, the depression went away.

B the X

rebel8

I was depressed as a jw too and haven't had a problem with it since I left. IMO it is a normal consequence of the jw lifestyle, especially as a woman, because you have no hope of being a respected human being for all eternity. You'll always be inferior.
www.lulu.com/ex-jw

The guilt and worthlessness are things specifically taught by the wts, especially to women.
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Diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Episode [+ my comments]:

A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period [2 wks is not a hard benchmark to reach as a dub] and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood [how can you NOT have depressed mood--you're a worthless female whose destiny is to live as an inferior being with other control freak drones for eternity] or (2) loss of interest or pleasure [pleasure? what's that? no pleasure in jw lifestyle--no celebrations, no happiness, nothing to look forward to, no goals].

Note: Do note include symptoms that are clearly due to a general medical condition, or mood-incongruent delusions or hallucinations.

(1) depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.

(2) markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)

(3) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.

(4) insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

(5) psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)

(6) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

(7) feelings of worthlessness [wts teaches all jws they are worthless, but especially females] or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick) [inappropriate guilt is also a fundamental teaching of the jw religion--if you're not inappropriately guilty, you're not a good jw]

(8) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)

(9) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying) [the whole religion focuses on death, death, death], recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide [suicide is the only way to escape the sad jw lifestyle, other than waiting for Jehoho to torture you]

B. The symptoms do not meet criteria for a Mixed Episode.

C. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. [the whole jw lifestyle causes impairment in all these areas of functioning]

D. The symptoms are not due to the direct physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication) or a general medical condition (e.g., hypothyroidism).

E. The symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.

AuntBee

I just had to ask about this comment WTWizard made on this thread: "You will be afraid of the Christmas decorations" I actually THOUGHT i was noticing this, with a JW friend of the fam, that comes over a lot. But i put it out of my mind, because i thought, no , that can't be true. I know they don't celebrate Christmas, but i just can't believe he doesn't want to be in the most decorated room with the tree. I'm just imagining that......

happy1975

Depression runs very strongly in my family but I became nearly non-functional because of it and the WT. Feeling a lot better now that I'm out.

Happy

I truly believe the WT contributed to my depression

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