Do JW's attract the mentally ill, or do their beliefs cause mental illness? (page 2)

Meeting Junkie No More

Yes to both.

I do agree that over the years, the new 'releases' and study books have become so dumbed down, that the new recruits seem to be 'dim and dimmer' in the intelligence department and therefore, a large proportion of those joining the religion seem to be verging towards the mentally deficient spectrum of things, which is just the type the 'Society' is aiming for! They may not be mentally 'ill' when they join up, but the closed-box atmosphere of life as a JW will eventually do that to anybody! There's no real help given to anyone 'in the truth' even when it is blatantly obvious that professional help is what is needed. Just the usual mantra of 'pray more, go out in service more, blah, blah, blah.

When I look back on the quality of elders from years ago, there was a much bigger percentage that seemed to have some 'smarts' but for the most part, since that is discouraged, the leadership has been going on a straight downhill trajectory...where the leaders go, the sheeple follow...the whole thing is incredibly SAD but reality imho.

Anyhow, the 'light bulb' of truth seems to be getting dimmer as well, so as WT Wizard says, perhaps the Second Dark Ages is about to begin in Witnessland!

NewYork44M

The message is geared towards those who are hopeless. The hope the wt gives is that within a few years god will intervene and fix all the problems.

So, they do attract those with major problems and have nothing to offer other than a future event that keeps getting farther away.

nomoreguilt

YES!! To everything already mentioned. Over my 40 plus years as a jw I saw every sort of SPECIAL person come into the borg. The interesting thing about it was that the goofy folks already in always seem to attract the new goofy ones. They're like magnets. And , of course, the borg has an impact on causing depression to those already in. Sad statement, but true.

NMG

chickpea

YES/YES

esp in depressive disorders as causative!!

boyzone

I'm no expert when it comes to looking at the statistics of these things but in the cong I was in, there was a good percentage of normal witnesses who got mentally sicker as time wore on. A certain elder would crack up on the platform and had to be given other duties. A ministerial servant was so depressed he left his pioneer uber-dub wife and went completely off the rails, needing hospitalization. Quite a few parents and older ones were on anti-depressants. I can personally name 6 in my congregation. Likely there were a few I didn't know about. One young sister of 33 drank herself to death out of lonliness for a partner. A number of elders stepped down due to burn-out.

The thing is, our congregation was considered to be one of the stronger ones in the district. I dread to think what others were like.

R.Crusoe

Why does WT practise increase mental health problems?

It maximises friendlessness!!

Some reasons are obvious!

Getting individuals to believe they will die if they ever leave for one!

And we all know the saying, 'It isn't what you know, it's who you know!' And WT insist on what you know and if you leave try to take away ALL of who you know! They give an individual and 'ego' that is totally reliant on them before leaving you disconnected from the world and all its cultural richness. And they already did the surgery on making sure you knew noone 'in the world' = who you know!

Little wonder they reduce personas to a void space!

And noone in the world knows who the 'core you' is!

They are all interested in their own 'circles of life' they have well established!

And 'mental illness' becomes a TAG they attach even when it doesn't exist UNTIL they almost inflict it upon individuals.

And regular people find it tough understanding what losing a 'CULT' belief does to your inner self! The giving up - the letting go and the further rejection of similar circles of reasoning you then come into contact with that others accept as respectable or whateva.

The searching for a foundation removed by WT ethics! And feeling the 'imaginary self' being crucified whilst everyone just seems to look on!

Lack of any friend may be your life? Lack of anyone who can talk with you about your inner feeling and be close to you! It's why so many 'paid professionals' are deemed essential by many - even though they can be of very limited value when compared with having a true friend.

quietlyleaving

Here are some reasons why people join new religious movements from my text book

a search for new structures

a rejection of the status quo

anti-materialism

a search for self-identity and self fulfillment

a spiritual quest

a desire for a supportive community

disillusionment, alienation

a quest for meaning

a desire to change the world

the mainstream left them feeling unfulfilled and exploited

a desire for self-enhancement

I think that seriously mentally ill folk would not find the JW way palatable or want to engage with it because it so demanding. But conversely the JW lifestyle can send sensitive people over the edge.

boyzone

But conversely the JW lifestyle can send sensitive people over the edge.

YES! You hit the nail on the head QL. When I first read Christian Freedom, Ray Franz mentioned a phrase that really struck a chord with me. He said it was those in the congregation who were particularly sensitive and consciencious that seem to suffer the most from the pressure exerted by the Society.

You just reminded me of it, thanks.

WTWizard

Both. First, they attract those with problems. I noticed that most of their hook lines are about promises of better conditions, which entice those with problems. Mentally sound people are less likely to fall for their specious line about better conditions, and they are less likely to have need for "friends(??)" that the cult promotes. Loneliness is one of the risk factors for people that are in the world to be drawn in.

People develop mental problems while in the cancer, too. Notice how many threads are geared toward demon phobia. People are afraid of the demons. People are afraid of getting violently destroyed, too. And both are played on with tons of severe rules, including rules against everything that is fun. Don't believe it? Just look through this forum and see how many people feel that they have been deprived during childhood because they were born in. The ones that weren't had parents that were "weak" in the cancer.

Besides the fear, the witlesses are devoid of fun. Don't believe me? Just look at the hardships they create for people wanting to marry. Look at all the fun things that most people take for granted that they don't get to do. Prom season is upon us, and soon there will be threads about how people didn't get to go. Class trips, parties, and vacations that are towerless are also off limits. Music has to fit the mold of the cancer, and they find something wrong with just about every song. Holidays are also off limits (just check posts between November 1 and January 1 of any year if you don't believe me). Besides the pressure to do ever more, the boasting sessions all the time, and endless study of material that often contradicts other material from only a few years back (and sometimes even a paragraph back), and you have the recipe for disaster.

dinah

I wish someone would do a comprehensive study on this subject.

There are some articles over on FreeMinds that suggest children raised in the religion seem to have a higher rate of depression and emotional disorders.

There's no way constantly hearing that God is going to destroy everyone who doesn't attend all the meetings and get out in field circus could maintain mental balance for very long. Also, at every meeting you are reminded that you are undeserving to serve "Jehovah" and "probably he won't kill ya" The "persecution complex" is alive and well in the organization also. They are taught that they will be persecuted rather quickly when they first start studying. That prophecy fulfills itself when a person tells their family they are studying.

They have all these crackpot ideas and rules which makes them look like freaks. The opposition they receive is called persecution because they have the ONE TRUE religion.

Yep, I'd say it's unhealthy. But your question is kinda like which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Do JW's attract the mentally ill, or do their beliefs cause mental illness?

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