incidence of certain syndromes or diseases?

kgfreeperson

I have seen the study on an unusual percentage of schizophrenia cases coming to emergency rooms being Jehovahs Witnesses, but I wonder if there have been other studies on what diseases/syndromes Jehovahs Witnesses tend to have. I'm noticing, for example, a lot of fibromyalgia and depression, but I wonder if anyone has actually studied if the incidence is actually higher among JWs than in the general population.

Stefanie

I dont know about a study, however i just wanted to bring out that i noticed a high percentage of JW's being diagnosed as bipolar as well.

Annanias

These are intense facts that you've brought up here. Schizophrenia is being traced more and more to physical sources. They have actually traced OCD in a group of children to their having contracted strep throat. Can you give us the sources of these observations, or are they personal noticies? Wow, that is both cool and chilling in it's implications.

Mulan

I don't really think being a JW causes those things, but it's probably true that people like that are attracted to JW's, for whatever reason. Support group? Hope for the future?

Undaunted Danny

The (in) Errancy of Harvard's Mental health manual the DSM # 4 I spent 5 years under the care of Harvard's best and brightest in Boston Mass. right in the shadow of their campus. They misdiagnosed me BIG time.Simply put;destructive cult mind control and brainwashing (as yet) are not components of their sacred mental health 'Bible' the DSM #4. Somebody needs to fix the DSM! Go ahead,I dare you to tell a psychiatrist,"I have have been brainwashed and subjected to cult mind control". They will diagnosis you as DELUSIONAL just for saying such a thing...... Might as well,just go ahead and tell em,'you have been abducted by space aliens'. This is the kicker;the courts,military,journalist,general population,the jury pool, yes,even the good doctor's grandma knows what 'brainwashing' is. The intellectual idiots at Harvard can't grasp the concept,because they are intellectual idiots. The most likely diagnosis of destructive cult victims may be: A-typical P.T.S.D. ( Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in plain language 'shell shock".

orangefatcat

you may find this interesting and helpful. and of course your right most jw suffer in some way or form of mental illness.

please check this out I hope you will find it helpful

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/9993195286/102-1159320-1010554?v=glance

Love Orangefatcat

kgfreeperson

Annanlas, I've seen lots of references to the two studies done in the mid-seventies (one in England and one in Australia) that indicated JWs have about twice the incidence of the kind of mental illnesses that bring people to mental hospitals than would be predicted by comparison with the population at large. When I have looked for newer studies and those considering other illnesses, all I find are anti-JW sites saying things like "studies have shown that JWs are much more likely . . . ." or "studies have shown that being a JW makes you mentally ill."

I think medical understanding of mental illnesses such as all forms of schizophrenia is now that it is physiologically rather than environmentally based. But, some think, environment may cause the disease to be manifest (sort of like a person physically predisposed to acoholism, who never drinks will never become an alcoholic), but that most cases cannot be ascribed to environment.

However, as I've read this site for a while now, I've noticed a lot of references to personal experience with depression, anxiety and various disorders that cause a lot of pain--such as fibromyalgia and migraine which may or may not be related to environment.

So I am interested if anyone (maybe I should be looking at all cults rather than just JWs) has studied this in a disinterested way (just looking to see what is, rather than looking for proof--or at least suggestion--that being a JW significantly increases the chances for certain kinds of illnesses.)

ballistic

it is yet even more complicated, the relgion may contain neurotics who would have been discovered by any religion also.

Country Girl

Funny.

Schizophrenia used to be known as "split personalities". I think a lot of Witnesses must have split personalities: one they show to the world and other Witnesses; the other their "true self."

When you have such labels as:

happiest people on earth,

god's chosen,

spiritually superior,

morally superior,

weak without a human-driven organization,

and

are spoon-fed doctrines that cause cognitive dissonance by greedy power-mongers,

are told that you aren't doing *enough* even though your life is filled up with meetings, service, studying, etc.

are told that without them, you would be raven-chow

are told that you cannot talk to those you naturally love because they refuse to participate in your follies au duex

and

you are under the constant threat of annhilation forever unless you do what they say, to the letter, and even then aren't assured of anything...

I can see how you'd be a little nuts-o.

Country Girl

Undaunted Danny

My early childhood primer and my first'coloring book': http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2919/night.html I had MAJOR Psyche issues all my life CAUSED by Jehovah's Witnesses cult trauma,DEPRAVITY and DEGRADATION!

The WT$'s policy's are 100% swayed by the parameters of incoming lawsuits.Right around 1990 they stopped obstructing members from seeking professional help.This disclaimer was to cover their liability a$$es.

So off i went,i always got wrongfully misdiagnosed with everything ,because i was inhibited ( bring reproach on the 'troof') from telling the MD's what was really going on with me.....

... I was being 'cocooned' by a high demand destructive abusive psychopathic demented false cult..

I have had a LOT of exposure to the mental health profession.I have no experience with repressed memories (as far as I know). I do however have SUPPRESSED memories.

In my case and I bet ya,in many other cult survivors the true diagnose is PTSD. agitation from:Stockholm syndrome

"They weren't bad people. They let me eat, they let me sleep, they gave me my life"

- A hostage from Flight 847

Stock'holm syn"drome

Psychiatry.
an emotional attachment to a captor formed by a hostage as a result of continuous stress, dependence, and a need to cooperate for survival...]

The Attraction Repulsion Compulsion

Elizabeth Smart and the Stockholm Syndrome [backup]

MORE on Stockholm Syndrome { Note from Danny:STOCKHOLM SYNDROME is the same as BATTERED SPOUSE Syndrome (wife beating) --It's the same dynamic of the: Abusive Control Freak with a Mean Streak--Except it's on a LARGE SCALE. The same issues come into play,i.e."If i am a better servant (fawn + curry favor,suck up and kiss a$$),maybe my tormentor won't beat me up as much"? Yes Man It's a variation of the passive/aggressive,'good cop/bad cop routine'. This same Dynamic has been observed in Dogs and other critters that are abused,they sometimes become more attached and dependent on their master } ..In a moment of clarity i peeked out of the cult cocoon and came to my senses. Undaunted Danny

incidence of certain syndromes or diseases?

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