I have no doubt reading the account that some JWs will believe she was demon possessed instead of the victim of a serious mental illness. The signs were all there, and her family was even trying to help, but in my experience, a good many Witnesses are reluctant to go for psychiatric or psychological help when they are mentally ill for fear that a mental health professional will blame their beliefs, at least in part, for their problems.
Jehovah's Witnesses "snapping" under pressure, their flawed doctrine must be sending people "over the edge"!
by the research lady 42 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Georgiegirl
KKMan - I am well aware of Dr. Jerry Bergman and would encourage everyone to examine his credentials as I would encourage everyone to examine anyone's credentials with whom they work. I would also encourage them to examine the studies that have been done for veracity and scientific integrity as I would with any studies presented as fact. Post partum depression and schizophrenia is NOT a direct result of being a JW. To my knowledge, none of us have seen her medical records, worked with her directly, or have any firsthand knowledge of this situation. What happened was tragic, devastating, and mind-boggling.
I do not dispute the fact that Witnesses face incredible difficulty due to the controlling aspects of this organization. As has been said on more than one occasion, there is no way to leave with dignity. However, sensationalizing and providing false and misleading insinuations does not lend any dignity either and I truly believe it does far more damage and actually helps the organization survive as it lends credence to the Watchtower's statements about apostates.
Furthermore, I resent the phrase "your Jehovah's Witness friends" as I am not a Witness now, nor do I support this organization - far from it. I was born in and still have family in. It was a nasty little insinuation - but that honestly does not surprise me.
Everyone does what they can to the best of their ability in trying to help others. I draw the line when false or unsubstantiated ridiculous stories are presented as fact as seems to be becoming the norm. It ruins credibility and becomes one more thing to overcome when trying to help others out of the organization. I will not comment again on this thread as neither do I choose to participate in ongoing debates as we have seen on this forum as of late. It is not productive but destructive.
-
blondie
I don't think it is good to base such an opinion on just one person's research (Bergman), research done some time ago, and by someone who is not a medical doctor or psychiatrist. I work with a volunteer organization where I meet with groups of people who are mentally ill 3 times a week. To say that jws are more likely to cut up and eat their baby than someone in the general population of mentally ill people is irresponsible and inaccurate. Now if you were to present 2 or more other research studies on this we would have a more balanced viewpoint.
-
Heaven
The Witnesses always have the 'but' in their literature. When you start out positively and end up negatively, you're left with the negativity.
Their focus is all about the coming of the end of the world where they are going to have to clean up the rotting mess! How can anyone be normal with that future to look forward to? In addition, anyone they care about that's not a JW won't be there. That would bum me out totally!
I agree with skeeter1 as well. I have seen this in my own family. Instead of planning, defining, and executing on their own lives, they let the JWs do it for them. And they don't understand why they aren't happy. Here's a revelation: You Will Never Be Happy Touting and Living Someone Else's Plan. It HAS to come from YOU. It may work temporarily, but ultimately, it will fail every time.
They have too much 'doom and gloom'. What you focus on expands. You really can't expect anything else.
-
mindmelda
PPD is not caused by being a Witness, of course, because women who are not Witnesses are also suseptible to it, which seems like a rather obviousl thing to say, but I'm going to say it anyway. It's caused by a severe hormone imbalance and often, in addition to a great deal of sleep deprivation and stress. But, it''s mainly organic in nature.
The only factor that might figure into being a Witness there is the stress factor, but many people have stress for various reasons, being a Witness is obviously not the only cause for stress in a person's life. The woman in the story seems to have had some financial and job stress, which would certainly add to the severe hormone imbalances of PPD.
But, I agree that the JWs in general do not have a healthy or realistic view of life in some ways. The failure to take positive action about one's future because one believes that Jehovah will fix everything "soon" hasn't helped many Witnesses I know avoid depression, it's simply not good or healthy cognition. It's a well documented psychological truism that unfulfilled and/or unrealistic expectations continuously put off or disappointed eventually leads to depression.
-
IWillBeDubbedNoMore
The idea that this woman's mental problems were caused by being a Jw is totally ridiculous. Suggesting this idea will only help push anyone doubting back into the fold. There are so many actual reasons why this religion is destructive, why create your own.
-
OUTLAW
I doubt anyone will believe this womans mental problems were caused by being a JW..
Without doubt her mental problems were left untreated,because she was a JW..
.......................OUTLAW
-
hamsterbait
Every religion has members that do this kind of thing.
If you are/were a JW did it happen at your Kingdumb Hell?
I think there are far better more valid reasons to slam the WT than the numbers of those who are ill.
Mental illness is no different.
Being a Jw gave me cancer.
Being a Jw made me have erectile problems.
Being a Jw gave me irregular periods. baldness/nits/ scrofula/diabetes/ you name it.
See what Im getting at??
Go into a ward at any hospital, most of the patients are NOT JW.
If you want to make mental illness an issue, can you tell me how many per 1000 of Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Baptists, Hindus, Shinto or Atheists are in mental hospital.
HB
-
under_believer
No. This has nothing to do with being a Witness.
Saying things like that makes one sound like an imbalanced conspiracy theorist.
-
lola28
Georgiegirl,
Thank you for saying what I've been thinking for months and months, you said it much better than I ever could. I happen to ignore the conferences because I think they are irresponsible and make ex-jws sound crazy and unstable.
OUTLAW, what proof do you have to support the above statement?
Lola-of the I'm tired of people making irresponsible comments and making us *all* look like nutjobs class