Anxiety

by BourneIdentity 11 Replies latest jw experiences

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  BourneIdentity

  The first half of the May 2019 JW Broadcast focused on anxiety. For them to devote this much time to this issue is evidence there are many JWs suffering from it. I would assume at least half of the members from my observation over the years.

  What bothered me about it is the tips they gave to people to reduce it will do nothing. They failed to mention the 2 biggest things one can do, take medication and exercise. There is no cure for the disorder, but those 2 things can help a a lot. Anxiety is a disorder, it’s not something we can just talk ourselves out of. The chemicals in our bodies need to be adjusted, either through medication and/or exercise (endorphins).

  All of us know the agenda of the WT is to push people to serve them, so their tips aren’t surprising. But one would think they’d show some love and want to see their people gain some relief from this horrible disorder, rather than continue to tell them to pray to Jehovah. All this will do is cause more guilt when they do that and it doesn’t work, they are left assuming they are not good enough and Jehovah isn’t answering their prayers. I hope a lot of these anxiety sufferers look to the wisdom of the world to cope, because the Dubs sure aren’t going to be the answer for them.
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  Spiral

  Yes, indeed.

  Several of the JWs I still know suffer significant anxiety. By their own admission, they have already found out that praying does not help.

  The definition of anxiety is "a worry about future events".

  How ironic that Jehovah's happy people, who have the utmost faith that he will protect them from the upcoming events of Armageddon would suffer from ANXIETY.

  I'm surprised the GB would even acknowledge that their members suffer from anxiety. To me, this is admitting to an EPIC FAIL on their part.

  Meanwhile, the sufferers are crying for help and wondering why their faith doesn't make them feel better.

  The "bunker videos" are abusive, looked at from this context.

  I was asked a while back by one JW acquaintance how I dealt with anxiety. The question was framed in such a way that I think the person just assumed everyone has anxiety every day. I did not answer completely, because yoga and meditation help keep me on track.... but if this person asks me again (might happen), I will answer correctly.

  Beyond sad.
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  Ding

  Telling them they will soon be dragged out of bunkers by persecutors and then hope they are worthy to avoid being annihilated at Armageddon may add to the anxiety somewhat...
  
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  Brighton

  Of course they suffer anxiety - on top of any biological vulnerability to that - they are part of an organization that does nothing but talk about how awful things are, things shouldn't be the way they are and that everyone on the outside is a dangerous enemy who will die for their wickedness.

  No wonder I was suicidal for so long. That sort of thinking leads to paranoia and anxiety. And their answer is to just read the bible, pray more and go out in service.

  NOT HELPFUL. they don't talk at all about how many people are anxious due to unresolved trauma. Meds and therapy are great tools for resolving that and reducing symptoms.

  But of course, not mentioned. White Knuckle till the new system. THAT was a prescription I could not stomach.
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  Biahi

  Everyone knows the best thing for anxiety is more meetings and service, and reading JW literature, lol.
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  Searril

  Anxiety is a disorder, it’s not something we can just talk ourselves out of. The chemicals in our bodies need to be adjusted, either through medication and/or exercise (endorphins).

  I deal with anxiety, and this is very true. Unfortunately I'm going to be having back surgery so I haven't been able to go to the gym in almost a year. I do have medication that helps. Weed helps me also.
  
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  sir82

  Yeah, the interview with the JW lady was pretty weird.

  OK, yeah, she has anxiety, but...

  -- she has time, energy, & stamina enough to "take a walk with Jehovah" for a whole hour every day? A lot of people with anxiety couldn't walk for 5 minutes a week, due to insanely cramped schedules and/or being drained of energy from the worrying or working 2 or 3 jobs while caring for kids and/or relatives. How is telling people to take an hour walk every day even remotely helpful for 99+% of the people who have anxiety?

  -- she has time, energy, and mental acuity enough to embark on long study projects, and make little refrigerator magnets, and stick them right side up or upside down on her refrigerator to track her daily progress? A lot of people with anxiety can't concentrate on anything for more than a few seconds, or remember to flip magnets around, because they have literally 40 or 50 things that have to be done that day, and the next day has another list of 40 or 50 tasks, and the next day....How is telling people to "study more" and flip fridge magnets even remotely helpful for 99+% of the listeners with anxiety?

  Don't even get me started on how remarkably unhelpful the comment about how "Jehovah knows you have anxiety" is....
  
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  tiki

  The whole religion is structured to create anxiety, not deflect it. Everything centers around misery, expected persecution and torturous death if you don't live up to their standards. No positive reinforcement...only negative. No support for good health practices, personal fulfillment...nothing mentally healthful. And that "interview" above is just plain stupid....you can shoot so many holes through it its not worth bothering.
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  dozy

  The woman describing how she walks for an hour every and "talks to Jehovah" sounds a bit scary to me. I've often seen people in the park wandering around muttering to themselves. Not wishing in any way to judge her , but she really needs to seek some professional help with some medication and cognitive counselling. Or maybe find a friend to walk and talk with ( one wonders whether the sisters on the congregation tend to avoid this option. )

  And her and her husband sitting holding hands when JWs are counselled not to hold hands during congregation prayers and the "you should tell Ron about your broken dish" line - it just looked a bit overtly stage managed to me,
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  LongHairGal

  BOURNE IDENTITY:

  I agree that the JW religion causes much anxiety and it doesn’t surprise me that so many JWs are on medications for their mental state. The problem is that the religion tries to get its people to think the WORLD is causing their problems and anxiety. Not so.

  I felt the religion caused the problems telling people not to get education or decent employment; trying to isolate them from non-JW friends and relatives; engendering hateful attitudes of judgmentalism in congregations with gossip and labeling people; instilling phobias about evil worldly people, demons and whatnot; telling them they are not doing enough; not worthy enough; not spiritual enough, ad nauseam.

  I felt that it was positively masochistic for me to even be there. This unnecessary anxiety ended when their 1995 Generation teaching came out. I decided it was over and walked away from this toxic vacuum of a religion and purged my mind of all the nonsense.