Do you think that JW are more stressed out than worldly people. Like feeling that they are not doing enought to please Jehovah, not doing enought field service and not attending enought meeting etc. If this is the case on top of most JW suffer from depression. Then we have a bunch of people that are realy srewed up in the head.
Question
by is there help out there 23 Replies latest jw friends
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DNCall
Yes.
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Morbidzbaby
Absolutely. At least "worldly" people have something to show for their stress and can sit back and enjoy their time off. Most live for the weekend when they can engage in recreations, relaxation, kicking back with a few brews, getting together with friends, etc. They work for what they have materially. They feel no guilt springing for that plasma screen because they EARNED IT and it's part of their relaxation and seeing good for all their hard work.
JW's are guilted into doing MORE in their spare time. Time that could be used for relaxation and winding down from the week's grind is spent out door-to-door working for free peddling literature that no one really wants. If their secular job affords them little luxuries, they are made to feel guilty for indulging their "materialistic" side. Heck, they're encouraged to work LESS secularly and MORE out peddling. But yet, it's never enough. Saturday morning is for Field Circus (if you're lucky enough to just get away with only the morning), Sunday is for the meeting and MORE Field Circus. Back to work Monday, study Monday night for Tuesday's TMS & Service Meeting and study EXTRA if you have a part. Tuesday evening is the meeting and if you are lucky to be in the right cliques, you may get invited out afterward for a bite to eat and a modest level if imbibing...unless someone in your group is an alcoholic, then you would have to stick with the virgin daquiri. But you're always "on" throughout...not daring to even relax enough to let your more mellow side show. Wednesday you MIGHT have off if it's not summertime and you haven't been guilted into "evening witnessing". At this point, you won't know what to do with yourself, so you may follow the Society's admonition and do some "personal study"...or you might indulge a guilty pleasure like "American Idol", but all the while you'll judge the participants on their revealing outfits or their obvious sexuality and feel just a bit superior, while at the same time feeling jealous that you cannot be where they are. Thursday night is Family Study night per the WBTS decree. So you'll drag your unwilling and mumbling children to the living room or kitchen table and try to force Johnny to read without sounding like he's bored (even though you know he is). Friday night you're too exhausted from the week to really do anything but sit on the sofa watching TV that you get through a digital converter box (because you can't afford cable and who wants it anyway since it's like putting a sewer pipe into your window?). So you'll sit there with your hand in your pants ala Al Bundy and fall asleep from sheer exhaustion.
And then it's Saturday again...
Is it any wonder the levels of mental illness and anxiety are SO HIGH for JW's? They never get to stop and smell the roses. Or plant the roses. They can have hobbies, but those hobbies can't crowd out "spiritual things". So, tell me, when "spiritual things" take up 99% of the time that's left over after working, what do you do with that 1%? Hell, I'd sleep! Forget hobbies...who has time for that??
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wasblind
Yes.
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mrsjones5
Why jws are so stressed out...can't stop running to please the bOrg
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finallysomepride
If we could convert the stress energy of 7 million jws into electricity, free power for everyone.
To put it simply yes.
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Spade
http://www.watchtower21.org/2010/12/mental-health-and-jehovahs-witnesses.html
Mental Health and Jehovah's Witnesses
Some critics reference bias or scientifically flawed studies as evidence of higher levels of mental illness amongst Jehovah's Witnesses in comparison with contemporary society and attempt to identify reasons why this could be the case.
The Mental Health of Jehovah's Witnesses by John Spencer is widely quoted though the findings are dubious. This found that in the 3 year period from 1971 to and including 1973, 7,546 inpatients were admitted to the West Australian Mental Health Service Psychiatric Hospitals, of which 50 were active Witnesses. This represents a rate of 2.54/1000 for the general population and 4.17/1000 for Jehovah's Witnesses.
Psychiatric and psychological evaluations don't ask about or include religion in their assessments. A legitimate psychiatric hospital doesn't maintain religious beliefs in their patient records. Some studies were conducted while Jehovah's Witnesses were being persecuted by the secular authorities in the 1940's. This can hardly be deemed scientifically accurate or non-bias.Rylander's Study
In 1946, Gosta Rylander investigated a sample of conscientious objectors imprisoned in Sweden. About four percent of the eligible Swedish population was judged psychologically "unfit" for military service, and the corresponding figure for Witnesses was 21 percent, or five times greater. This is close to the same ratio later found by John Spencer, whose diagnosis of "psychotic" or "neurotic" was made on the basis of mental hospital admission screening.
The First American Study
In 1949, in the first study on American Witness mental health, M. J. Pescor diagnosed as psychotic over seven percent of his total sample of 177 young males imprisoned due to obeying the Watchtower's prohibition against complying with military regulations. The level of Witness psychosis in his sample was about 17 times higher than that for the population as a whole.
It is impossible to assess the mental health amongst Jehovah's Witnesses as a worldwide organization from these or like sources.
The basic concept is that chemical and neurotransmitter imbalances within the brain are the main causes of psychiatric conditions. For over three decades, scientists have attributed a chemical imbalance in the brain as the source of major depression for example. Most biological theories focus on the monoamine chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are naturally present in the brain and assist communication between nerve cells. Newer studies provide an explanation of how this “chemical imbalance” occurs. Stress is one of the root causes in the development of a mental illness.Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999) - Chapter 1
Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity. Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and contribution to community or society. It is easy to overlook the value of mental health until problems surface. Yet from early childhood until death, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. These are the ingredients of each individual’s successful contribution to community and society. Americans are inundated with messages about success—in school, in a profession, in parenting, in relationships—without appreciating that successful performance rests on a foundation of mental health.
Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999) - Chapter 4
Interventions for Stressful Life Events
Stressful life events, even for those at the peak of mental health, erode quality of life and place people at risk for symptoms and signs of mental disorders. There is an ever-expanding list of formal and informal interventions to aid individuals coping with adversity. Sources of informal interventions include family and friends, education, community services, self-help groups, social support networks, religious and spiritual endeavors, complementary healers, and physical activities. As valuable as these activities may be for promoting mental health, they have received less research attention than have interventions for mental disorders. Nevertheless, there are selected interventions to help people cope with stressors, such as bereavement programs and programs for caregivers (see Chapter 5) as well as couples therapy and physical activity.
Watchtower 02/01/1992 p. 13 Jehovah’s Gift of Holy Spirit
Benefit From God’s Holy Spirit
What a powerful force this spirit is! But how can Christians today avail themselves of it? First, Jesus said we should ask for it, so why not do just that? Pray to Jehovah to give you this wonderful gift not only in times of stress but on every occasion. In addition, read the Bible so that holy spirit can speak to you. (Compare Hebrews 3:7.) Meditate on what you read and apply it so that holy spirit can be an influence in your life. (Psalm 1:1-3) Further, associate—individually, in congregations, and at assemblies—with others who rely on God’s spirit. How richly holy spirit fortifies those who bless their God “in the congregated throngs”!—Psalm 68:26.
Is not Jehovah a generous God? He says we have only to ask for holy spirit and he will give it to us. How foolish to rely on our own wisdom and strength when such a powerful help is at our disposal! -
mrsjones5
For some folks cut-n-paste is a great stress reliever.
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Morbidzbaby
ROFL mrsjones...
*Wonders if Spade actually can form a coherent thought and opinion without the help of CTRL + C and CTRL + V*
Where's OUTLAW's Muttley when you need it???
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Ding
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
The Watchtower system is the opposite of this.
JWs are on a constant treadmill of works, especially meeting attendance and field service. It's never enough. More. More. Always more.
In addition to that, the WTS multiplies rules and regulations to cover every aspect of JW's lives.
Step out out line just an inch and you'll be "stumbling a brother" and "bringing reproach on the name of Jehovah".
To "worldlies," JWs come across as confident to the point of arrogance: "We have the truth; you don't have the truth; we will teach you the truth."
To other JWs, JWs come across as excited at the thought of the new system arriving any day now.
In reality, deep down, JWs fear they won't be found worthy to survive Armageddon.
