Hello all. I'm hoping someone can clear this up for me. I was recently released from an inpatient behavioral health unit. I was wondering JW's stance on mental disorders and tratment. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks
Mental health and JW's
by drewrocks 9 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Merry Magdalene
Hello and welcome.
Here is a quote from a JW magazine at their official website:
Some have made considerable improvement by using the suggestions that have been discussed. There are cases where additional help may be necessary. Some, for example, have been helped by medication.# Others have sought the help of a mental-health expert. Awake! does not recommend or endorse any particular kind of treatment. Whether a Christian pursues such treatment is a personal decision. He should be careful, however, that any treatment he receives does not conflict with Bible principles. http://www.watchtower.org/e/19980722/article_03.htm
All I know is, it can be very confusing being a Witness, especially growing up as one. The things they say, as here, can sound very balanced and reasonable and yet, might not fully reveal what one has learned as a JW in a controlling JW environs for years.
As a JW, I would have interpreted this article, according to everything else I had read and learned and experienced as a JW, to be saying that even though this is a "personal decision" and medication and expert help might be beneficial, they are not really worth the risk to your good standing with God, since mental health professionals are usually not JWs and might advocate something that violates what the Governing Body of JWs tells you are the Bible's principles. So it is better just to pray and go door to door and read the Bible via their "Bible-based" publications more, and follow some of their simple recommendations. I would have thought that since the Awake! does not endorse any particular kind of treatment then I had better not seek out any beyond what they themselves offer.
That is how I would have read it. Others might read it differently, according to their own experience and understanding. I remember unofficial verbal warnings and anecdotes in the congregation I attended, that made me feel expert mental health assistance was, more often than not, dangerous to true Christians (i.e. JWs). It was not forbidden, that I recall, and yet was discouraged. But when I mentioned this to my JW mother some years later, she didn't remember it that way and didn't really seem to know what I was talking about.
~Merry
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okie46
I was associated for over 35 years and knew many in every congregation I ever went to who struggled with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. I knew several who were hospitalized and a few who committed suicide eventually. Many years ago the society did made statements to the effect that if someone was struggling with mental illness, that it was thought that they may be having problems with demon possession. However, through the years the society did lighten up, and become more educated in realizing that there are many reasons that a person may have mental health issues. The biggest reason being that it may a chemical imbalance in the brain which can be corrected with antidepressants or other helpful medications. It then became okay to take medication when needed, although they still cautioned you from going to "worldly therapists who might lead you astray from your beliefs". There was counsel given for brothers and sisters, especially the elders to show compassion to those suffering from mental illness and depression, and not make it harder for them to cope by judging them if someone needed treatment. ETA: At one point about 6 years ago, I was so depressed that I did not care if I went to sleep and never woke up, part of my problem was chemical imbalance, part was a bad marriage I couldn't get out of, part was being a part of a religion I found hard to live up to. I did take antidepressants and went to a counselor and the counselor helped me immensely to be able to do what I needed to do to get better. My youngest son also went to a counselor at one point when he was disfellowshipped and it helped him to realize he wanted to be reinstated. So Therapists don't always lead to people leaving the organization as some ffear.
I found some research which showed that Jehovah's Witnesses's as a group have a much higher rate of mental illness than other religions, it was not proven whether people who are more prone to depression and other mental issues are more drawn to that type of religious environment or if is the pressure and subsequent guilt people feel from having to live such a strict religion and feeling they can not possibly live up to the ideals put before them that are causing more mental illnesses among JW's.
Many religions and people in general look down on those who seek help for mental disorders and need to take medication. There is a stigma in general in this world when someone has a mental illness. Something that amazes me is how many people in our world who have made significant contributions, discoveries and accomplishments in spite of suffering from severe mental illness, depression and bipolar, etc. So if you have this illness, read Kay Redfield Jamison's book "An Unquiet Mind", read about John Forges Nash in "A Beautiful Mind", read about Albert Einstein and even some popular actors and writers today who suffer from this illness and what you can also do to overcome and if not overcome it then to have the most full life that you are able to. Most important, if you need medication and counseling, please take full advantage and not let anyone tell you otherwise, you owe it to yourself to get as much help and support as you need to function to your best ability. There is nothing wrong with getting help, what is wrong is when people tell others to not get the help they need to function.
God bless you if you are struggling, many are and don't be ashamed to ask for help. Medical science and the breakthroughs in treating mental illness is also a gift from God. Ignore those who would try to discourage you from accepting help if you need it. I am passionate about this subject because I lost a few friends who did not get the help they needed to survive. I hope you make it.
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fresia
they are not for seeing psychologist or psychiatrists, though would have to see psychiatrist to get analaysis on what the problem is and the right medication.
Years ago in the 70's I remember it was very much frowned upon seeing an medical help for depression as the bible or God's spirit was the remedy, so black and white.
I have noticed that since America and other countries went sue crazy over any little thing, the WTS has changed many policies. I sometimes think the WTS if very very hypocritical and uncaring of b/s on an individual level.
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R.Crusoe
The issues to be considered are compound and complex. They will relate significantly to the permutation of each individuals experience. For example an individual converted to the faith due to general disillusionment with life in general and a previous religious conviction will differ from one who was brought up as a JW with a large extended family in the faith and some enriched community experiences as a result. On leaving both will face life changing obstacles. Previous insecurities will haunt this new situation as each endeavors to marry their life with that of a social environment they are psychologically new to. Individuals will be carrying internal conflicts which matrix with their emotion, biology and psychology. Overcoming these will necessitate trial and error experiences which may exacerbate or improve their self esteem. Also this will impact on their acceptance or rejection by others in their new environment leading to solutions or even more difficulties. It could be argued that any belief system which sets out to demonize human behavior is fraught with psychological conflict. Instead of helping humans harmonize their psychology, biology and emotion, these belief systems could be the causes of conflicts which will manifest in ways considered criminal or evil. In respect to all the above it could be argued that mental illness is the extent to which an individual has been coaxed or forced away from the psychological, biological and emotional experiences of other members of society whose lives has existed within a range more commonplace and understood by the general public. After all, all reality is transient! But I digress!
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drewrocks
I appreciate everyone's response. It seems as though there is much debate on this topic within your religion. The reason I asked is that my Mother-in law is a JW and has now shunned me because of my hospitilization. I dont want to be on bad terms with her, I want her to understand, but she wont even talk to me to let me tell my side of the story. Thank you once again for your responses, it is greatly appreciated
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drew sagan
A great talk on this issue can be found at this link:
Jerry Bergman - Jehovah's Witnesses and Mental Illness
It may give you some insight. -
WTWizard
If chemical imbalance in the brain was solely responsible, then that doesn't explain why Jehovah's Witlesses are stricken with problems more than worldly people.
It is possible for a chemical imbalance to be the primary reason for a mental problem. Nutritional defiencies, toxicity, past use of street or prescription drugs (whether for mental illness or not), brain injuries, and tumors can all produce imbalances. Absent the means to permanently correct the problem, medication is often used and will probably be the first line of treatment. (Though I would still prefer a cure for the underlying cause.)
In most cases where Witlesses are involved, this is not the case. They are told confusing things, often contradicting what they were told last week. They are severely threatened that, if they do not believe everything they are told by the Watchtower Society, they are going to get disfellowshipped, lose their families and friends, and die a horrible death. They never have any fun (and the ones whose parents are not that strict will see Brother Hounder). They are persecuted, often ridiculed and laughed at. And, with the mainstream expose of the pedophile problem, many are molested and then told to shut up or they will be disfellowshipped. (A side effect will be even worse persecution at the doors.)
Depression and anxiety in these circumstances is a very normal reaction to an abnormal circumstance. Medication is not needed as a major course of treatment, and I would be totally against using it without removing the root cause. And then, it might be necessary to use a low dose of a short acting medicine to lower unwanted resistance to deprogramming (for instance, a short acting tranquilizer might be needed to get the patient to be willing to look at alternative viewpoints and apostate literature). The most important thing in these cases is to immediately cut all ties to the Watchtower Society and get their whole families out intact. Then, they can begin the process of renormalizing.
Here, it should be a gradual process. Getting the average person into everything at once might not be desirable. And there are some things (smoking and drug use) that are better left out. But, the person might need help in developing worldly friendships, for instance. Or, a person might need help in developing a tolerance for Christmas. Medication may be needed on a short term basis (a short-acting tranquilizer) to help with resistance. And, like phobia treatment, it is best to start in small steps. For instance, a person might balk at Christmas but be able to tolerate a small potted plant (undecorated) that looks something like a Christmas tree. Later, the person might choose to put simple decorations that are vague (snowflakes, icicles, etc.) and build up to the full nine yards. Doing this approach works better on many things that the Witlesses have been programmed against but that would normalize their lives gradually.
Of course, the Watchtower Society is cold against it. They are all for use of medication to hide the symptoms so the patients will not have to normalize. That will keep the patient in the Tower while providing the illusion of being happy. Long term use of maintenance medication is used for this effect. I do not recommend using medication like this because it ruins your brain and your liver (use of short acting medication for transient resistance problems is less of a problem since the drug is only in your system for a few hours, not all the time). I would definitely suggest getting out of the Watchtower Society as your first line of therapy, and work from there.
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R.Crusoe
Mental health is banded about as a label to explain a lifetime of difference. And an ex JW now attempting to get into life of the rest of society may face similar problems to an ex Man United fan sitting amongst a group of Liverpool supporters at Anfield and now saying , I'm one of you!' It will feel odd from both perspectives and when one doesn't leap up at a goal the others say he's got exManUtd mental health and the person will be only too well aware of all this which leaves a person with a slightly surreal feeling whilst everyone else is on a high! Haunting really! Oh and the problem in hospital must relate to your having had blood I guess in which case they must treat you as if you went against God - unless it was a vasectomy which I think may get you the cold shoulder too. Tell me I'm wrong!