Mental health treatment

by kidchameleon43 9 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  kidchameleon43

  Hi everyone. I'm actually not a JW, but I've always been curious about the religion since it always had an esoteric vibe to it. I was raised Catholic, but more than half my life I've struggled with my faith, and therefore, I've defaulted to the agnostic position.

  I'm sorry, let me get to my question. I've struggled with mental illness for most of my life. I also see a counselor and psychiatrist regularly for meds, which help me function. Sadly, due to my condition, I'm also on disability.

  The last time I had to go inpatient in a psych hospital, there was a JW also being treated there. He also happened to be diagnosed with one of the same disorders I'm diagnosed with, so we got along fairly well. He didn't try to convert me, and I didn't ask him any questions about his religion in return. I just thought JWs were against mental health treatment and psychiatric care. I thought they fell into the category of Christian Science when it came to mental health. I know they don't go as far the scientology nutters, but I always thought they had strict rules about it.
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  cha ching

  From my 50+ years inside this organization, I have seen the viewpoint change with time. A long time ago, the 1960's and 70's, people in general (from what I could tell) did not want to be known as someone who was sent to a *Psych ward.," as we called it.

  JWs were wary of "counseling" or therapy... That would mean that you valued what a worldly doctor/therapist could do for you, versus wisdom from God's word.... Especially regarding marriage counseling.

  Over time, 60 years, slowly the need for drugs and therapy has become more accepted, as people have allowed themselves to be more educated.

  Sometimes, it can vary with where you live.

  Hope this helps.
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  was a new boy

  I have seen the viewpoint change with time.

  
  
  
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  TxNVSue2023

  It's discouraged but not banned by JW. It makes sense - they don't really help much anyway. The best you can do for mental health issues it what the Bible says to do for everyone: keep a healthy mind & body ( be selective about what you put in both) & take and live life one day at at time ( don't take on too much of a mental burden).
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  Kosonen

  It is good to remember that God loves all people and people with mental abnormalities can somethimes do extraordinary things for God, things that normal people are simply unable to do, mostly because they can simply not think so to speak outside of "the box".

  1 Corinthians 1:26 For you see his calling of you, brothers, that there are not many wise in a fleshly way, not many powerful, not many of noble birth, 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world to put the strong things to shame; 28 and God chose the insignificant things of the world and the things looked down on, the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the sight of God.
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  Earnest

  The first three articles in this September 1986 Awake! discuss mental illness :

  Mental Illness - The Mystery Disease

  Taking the Mystery out of Mental Illness

  Mental Illness - Is There a Cure?
  
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  TheOldHippie

  Why don't you refer to the latest magazine discussing it, the public Watchtower no. 1, 2023? You find it on wol.
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  Earnest

  Here is a link to the public Watchtower no. 1, 2023.
  
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  kidchameleon43

  It makes sense - they don't really help much anyway.

  I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to strongly disagree with that statement. I know I wasn't raised a JW, so I wasn't taught to be wary of the psych field, but it does work plenty. These professionals and these medications save lives whether you want to believe that or not. Prayer alone is not going to cure any of these disorders, especially psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. There is no cure for any mental illness, but we have to rely on counseling and medication first because they're proven to help manage symptoms.
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  Fisherman

  I just thought JWs were against mental health treatment and psychiatric care. I thought they fell into the category of Christian Science when it came to mental health.

  In the past, JW discouraged going to a shrink. And for good reasons. If you ever have a legal problem, they ask you about your mental history and use it against you and treat you like a metal case in Court. Sadly. WT was also against psychiatric advice that violated the Bible. Maybe they could do better to help a person with the literature, elders, meeting and spiritual program? Spirituality is about the mind.

  Nowadays, JW doesn’t discourage seeing a shrink like before but you will still have to deal with a mental health history if you ever see a shrink or take meds for mental illness, when dealing with a legal issue.

  However, sometimes a person needs meds or professional help the elders aren’t qualified to provide and it is not wrong or a sin for person to get help and the human thing to do is to have compassion for a person that suffers. I hate to call it mental illness but depression or another disorder. And medication and compassionate counsel from a doctor can make a suffering person feel better.