Following on from Sandy's thread on her brother's PT, I wondered exactly WHY does the WTBTS take such an opposing stand to professional mental health treatment?
Why is the WTBTS so against mental health professional treatment?
by Gill 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Scully
For one thing, mental health professionals teach people to deal with reality (the here and now), and how to overcome irrational thought patterns. This is diametrically opposed to the WTS's goal of getting people to live in a fantasy realm, and implanting irrational, paranoid thought patterns into their behaviour.
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Gill
Scully - so do you think that they fear a JW waking up to reality and leaving the WTBTS?
Or do you think they fear that health professionals may actually calculate how many JWs are actually mentally unwell?
And also, do you think that a JW could be hindered from actually recovering from a mental illness, if they also tried to hold on to the WTBTS fantasy?
Can a psychiatrist break the mental control that the WTBTS holds on a person?
To be honest, I would have been totally ashamed to discuss what my beliefs were as a JW to a doctor because they sound so irrational when they actually come out of your mouth.
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DanTheMan
This is generally a trait of conservative, doctrine-heavy religions, not just JWism.
Exhibit A:
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purplesofa
To be honest, I would have been totally ashamed to discuss what my beliefs were as a JW to a doctor because they sound so irrational when they actually come out of your mouth.
I agree. Even explaining it to a friend recently....she could not help but laugh a little and saying You DON'T belive that do you???
I think the emphasis that knowing the scriptures should bring joy it shows a lack of faith needing professional secular health.
Also, lack of understanding mental health issues, it is easier to blame irrational behaviour as wicked or immoral.
I think of all the people that refused professional help or medication that were used as guinea pigs and needlessly suffered listening to the WT advice.
purps
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Lady Lee
As a retired mental health worth I have some ideas on this.
WHY does the WTBTS take such an opposing stand to professional mental health treatment?
Besides Scully's point above there is one thing that the WTS fears above all else - losing their reputation as a "happy" people. In therapy people might actually talk about the JWs and their lifestyle. Therapists who have an inkling about dysfunctional families will see the pattern. Years ago when I finally got permission from the elders to see a professional they gave one stipulation - "Don't say you are a JW."
do you think that they fear a JW waking up to reality and leaving the WTBTS?
It would be nice if they thought that and on one level they probably do. It would be like higher education - they will lure you away from the "truth ™ "
Or do you think they fear that health professionals may actually calculate how many JWs are actually mentally unwell?
The guys calling the shots at Bethel are so blinded by their truth ™ I doubt they would think this. They want and need to believe that their way of life is better than anyone else's
And also, do you think that a JW could be hindered from actually recovering from a mental illness, if they also tried to hold on to the WTBTS fantasy?
Absolutely they would be hindered.They would be forced into cognitive dissonance and denial. They would have to reject the professional's viewpoint in favor of the WTS' world perdpective. There is far more to lose by giving up the WTS world so they would be more likely discount any info they recieve. Add to that they don't tell they are JWs the profession is working in the dark about the biggest unhealthy factor in a person's life. The JW will most likely quit because the dissonace is too great
Can a psychiatrist break the mental control that the WTBTS holds on a person?
I don't know. Perhaps if the person already had doubts and was looking for a way out of the truth ™. Then they might be more open to saying they are JWs and more open to talking about the real problems. -
Twitch
do you think that they fear a JW waking up to reality and leaving the WTBTS?
It would be nice if they thought that and on one level they probably do. It would be like higher education - they will lure you away from the "truth ™I saw a psychologist about 6 years or so after I left. When put to the objective reasoning of a professional, the doctrines of that faith, it's precepts and the beliefs that still lingered in me came apart rather easily. It was a big step into a larger world.
It's kinda sad the org has this position and I think it's a large contributing factor to the fact that there are as many "hidden" problems within it's ranks as there are.
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parakeet
They fear the psychiatrist will see (and rightly so) that the JW's problems are often being caused or exacerbated by their beliefs. What JWs don't understand is that psychiatrists are not interested in forcing them to give up their beliefs. Psychiatrists are simply trying to help the patient overcome their emotional problems.
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garybuss
When a psychologist asks why you are feeling bad a Witness has two choices, they can tell him, or they can say: "I'm not gonna tell ya." They tend to tell the psychologist according to Jerry Bergman. Jerry wrote a good book on the subject, I recommend it.
When I tell a psychologist I'm feeling bad because a snake talked to a naked woman and God owns a book printing business and uses dead people to talk and the seven trumpets of Revelation were the seven Jehovah's Witness District assemblies from 1922 to 1928, starting with Cedar Point, Ohio and ending with Detroit, Michigan and I'm glad that 6 billion people are gonna be murdered by God soon . . . he sits back in his chair.
Then I tell him my parents shun me and my son shuns me and I shun the dog, and I really like being in Kingdom Halls without windows, and in the new world I'm gonna pet a lion.
If he didn't think I'm crazy when I came in, he thinks it now. -
DanTheMan
Gary, hilarious!