High rates of depression in Org.

by chuckyy 72 Replies latest watchtower medical

• 

  cyber-sista

  because some of these people struggled with mental health issues before they became witnesses and some came from families whose members had a history of mood and/or anxiety disorders.

  very true. I came into the Org in the midst of major post partum depression. I had also come from a family background that left much to be desired. So sad that these types are preyed upon by groups such as the WT org. Wouldn't it be wonderful if organizations like this actually helped people with their problems offering support and counceling and real knowledge that could help a person grow strongerand more mentally balanced? Instead the WT compounds these problems and feeds depression, anxiety and the such with their teachings and religious routines. Most of the people I know who are still in there are getting worse by the year and they are taking more meds to control their sanity/insanity. When I have any encounters with these people I don't feel well either. I am much healthier and happier when I am away from anything or anybody that has to do with the WT borganization.

  cybs
• 

  stopthepain

  every day I think about ending it.Sad but true

  P.S.I hate to admit that

  I admit ive been drinking,but sober ,those thoughts always run through my head.
• 

  willyloman

  But... there were significant numbers of other JWs whose mental health difficulties I suspected would probably persist even once they left the organization.

  You are making some very good points here. I can't tell you how many people I met in the organization who led dysfunctional lives before they became witnesses and continued to be highly dysfunctional once they came "in." This frustrated them no end because they had been told by the folks who "studied" with them that once they became dubs, all their questions would be answered (read: all their problems would be solved).

  When there was no magic wand waving over their heads to "fix' their problems once they got baptized, frustration set in and they often turned on the witnesses, especially the elders, blaming them for not practicing enough magic. While they were probably never "told" all their problems would disappear, and in fact, may have been told NOT to expect that, certainly major improvement was implied with all that "new system" talk and the promise of "rewards NOW... and in the coming system of things."

  Imagine how they felt when the only real change was that they were loaded down with even greater expectations and responsibilities.
• 

  seeitallclearlynow

  every day I think about ending it.Sad but true

  P.S.I hate to admit that

  I admit ive been drinking,but sober ,those thoughts always run through my head.

  I'm really sorry to hear that, stopthepain...I wish I knew what to say that could help, but I don't. Hugs to you.
• 

  jeanniebeanz

  The Dubs offer NOTHING to help with this- actually that is their counsel "keep it in, wait on J" etc

  Yeah, I heard that too. Didn't really get better until I got mad about it. Soon progressed to status of an official Smart Ass, and it was all down hill from there.

  Seriously though, I wonder how many decided to take their own life because; they were disuaded from telling a professional, told it was all in their heads, told it was a result of not enough prayer/service, or to snap out of it?

  J
• 

  steve2

  Imagine how they felt when the only real change was that they were loaded down with even greater expectations and responsibilities.

  Well said. My impression was that the elders were genuinely out of their depth with some of the more significant mental health problems people had, and that the elders so-called helpful admonition, often made an already bad situation worse. In my congregation, a Witness had struggled with suicidal thinking and lo and behold, at the next meeting an elder got up and delivered a little sermon on how people who want to die are ungrateful to Jehovah and all he provides, etc. The suicidal brother was in the audience, went home and hung himself. He left a wife and two children. I believe the elder who gave that talk really believed that it would serve as a wake up call to the suicidal brother, but as is known in mental health circles, there are established guidelines on how to reduce suicide risk. Engendering feelings of guilt and obligation actually intensify the suicidal impulse.

  Unfortunately, in my clinical work at the hospital, JWs are not the only religion whose response to mental illness makes it worse. I think of troubled people who have attended Pentecostal church meetings, who've been intensively prayed over and then "sermonized" about satan's influence and then have attempted suicide and sometimes succeeded. It's not always that elders and pastors are callous - many of them are basically sincere, hard-working folk who want to see their brothers and sisters get better. But the mindset fosters unhelpful thinking that exacerbates the problem.
• 

  jeanniebeanz

  Steve 2,

  You make an excellent point when you say:

  many of them are basically sincere, hard-working folk who want to see their brothers and sisters get better. But the mindset fosters unhelpful thinking that exacerbates the problem.

  However, ignorance is no excuse! When a multi-million dollar corporation put's unqualified, ignorant, out of their depth people in charge of their group it is an outrageous travesty. Look at the examples in this thread alone. People don't get the help they need because it was not an option which was viewed favorably (at least when I was there).

  If people are sincere in their belief that it is Jehovah's organization, they are not going to go against the will of the org and get help, in general. To do so would present them with more guilt and feelings of unworthiness than they already were experiencing.

  The Witnesses should not be held to a lesser standard than any other group who puts people in charge of others, and make no mistake, the elders are in charge of others and to the r&f represent the face of the organization. They should have specific training and recognize that when they are out of their depth, they should refer the person to qualified professionals. If a person went to a school counselor and told them that they were experiencing anxiety attacks, depression, feelings of suicide or worthlessness and the counselor did not refer to qualified professionals and the student then killed themselves, there would be a lawsuit so fast it'd make the School District's head spin. The counselor would also lose their jobs.

  Why cannot a multi-million dollar corporation be held to the same standard?

  I for one am outraged by the treatment that I saw the elders met out to people who had need of serious medical/mental assistance, and don't give a rat's ass if they *think* they are doing god's will. A mistake is a mistake, and unless it is corrected it is willful endangerment of the flock.

  They're guilty!

  Jean
• 

  steve2

  The Witnesses should not be held to a lesser standard than any other group who puts people in charge of others, and make no mistake, the elders are in charge of others and to the r&f represent the face of the organization.

  Hey Jean - I could not have expressed it better. There is a huge responsibility in giving out advice and pronouncements to emotionally vulnerable people. My own observation, though, is that the JWs are one of many religions whose response to mental illness actually exacerbates it. It is no excuse, I know, but the elders out-of-their-depth responses to mental illnesses occur in any number of other so-called "Biblical" Christian groups. I know because I have treated members of these religions and have had firsthand experience of the way other church members' "Scriptural" responses often make it harder, and sometimes, impossible for my clients . In my opinion, if JW elders are called to account by the legal system, so should the leaders of any number of other religions!
• 

  jeanniebeanz

  In my opinion, if JW elders are called to account by the legal system, so should the leaders of any number of other religions!

  Steve 2,

  Would that it be so... that is one can of worms that the government is not willing to open though, so, for the time being, many suffer in a lot of religions/protected groups. The Catholic church losing lawsuits is a start, but this accountablity thing is going to take some time. The Govt is going to move very slowly on this...

  Jean
• 

  razorMind

  I know of several Witnesses who committed suicide. My wife's uncle, a young married Witness we were friends with, the lady who had the Tuesday book study at her home committed suicide Tuesday night after the book study after we had all left.
  
  Frankly, I think all of the Witness people I know are depressed, neurotic, or psychotic. When the ideal to aspire to is paranoid, delusional, and fatalistic, it's easy to see why so many are mentally ill. I am trying to think of some rational, well Witnesses. I can think of some but they are not Witnesses any more. I think the well, rational Witness is driven out of the organization.
  
  If any remain inside they have done one incredible job of hiding from me

  Everything in this post rang true. If you weren't in South Dakota, I'd swear you were in my former congregation.

  I know that both my mom and my youngest sister are depressed, as in severely. Even if they never left the org (which I honestly don't see happening anytime soon), I'd rather see them on some sort of medication, because my sister is suicidal and my mom loses touch with reality sometimes. My sister actually was diagnosed as severely depressed and was on medication but I do not know if she's continuing to take it. I'm not sure if I want my mom to babysit my infant on a regular basis.

  My mom is on an express train hurtling towards Nervous Breakdown, not a question of if, but when.....