JW views on Mental Health & Counseling

Confuzzled

I am considering getting couples counseling for the JW Boyfriend and I. He's open to it. He got help himself for an issue recently, but it was in the short term, and it went well for him. I want to know if we started going regularly, and his mentor got wind of it, what are the JW views on mental health help? Is there any superstitions or stigmas attached? Is there likely to be grumbling?

highdose

The JW's are not keen on counseling, in fact i think back in the early 90's there were alot of scare storys in the mags about how counselors make you remember things that never happened(!) and that for that reason they were very dangerous.

I think they mellowed slightly in recent years but the offical advice is still to go to the elders first. Afterall they must be a aware that any counselor worth their salt will hear that your trying to make things work in the face of a mind controling cult and want to deprogram you.

Lozhasleft

Yep the warnings are that 'wordly' counsellors cant possibly understand loyalty to Jah's organisation ...and its true (but in a good way)....lets hope your bf starts to see things more clearly....

Loz x

jeovagood

As of 1990 I have observed the org readily accepting professional psychiatric care.Before that going back to early 1960 big no,no.

The Watchtower responds to incoming lawsuits to adapt their policies and to humanitarian common sense once in a while too

pirata

Talk to Elders, meetings, service, study, prayer is the catch-all prescription, but it is acknowledged that mental health issues may require going to a doctor/counselor, etc.

I know at least one JW who went to counseling but held back on information so that they didn't give God's organization a bad name. I suspect that this pretty much puts a damper on the effectiveness of the whole counseling session.

mindmelda

The thinking I heard a lot is that they will counsel right out of "the Truth" although theoretically it's a matter of conscience, which is Witness speak for "you can do it but we don't like it or recommend it".

Confuzzled

One of our issues are most certainly going to be my lack of respect of his religion. I will surely ask shrink if JWs fall under cult status in their opinion.

dinah

First of all, if your BF is dating you, he's not a Dub. Probably raised in the crap and trying to let it go.

If his "mentor" not sure if you mean father or elder who is sooooo trying to help gets wind of you being in couples counseling and you aren't married.....whew!

"Worldly" counselors sometimes understand, IF the said DUB in counseling will talk. They normally clam up to protect Mother and all they have held true. Said Dub usually covers up for Jehovah.

Questions?

Confuzzled

Ahhhhh the saga of Confuzzled's boyfriend and his many hiccups. Him being a fickle JW study isn't even the biggest issue (it just puts rainbow sprinkles on everything). I hate digging up old bones again and again. Search: "Confuzzled" and my prior threads will give you (most) of the story.

BackRoomBilly

Sad but true- When I was a sophomore in high school (1988), I was in a typing class and occasionally the teacher would give us free typing time. I had been feeling pretty crappy and I just started typing whatever was floating through my mind that day. Well long story short... I accidental left the paper in my back pocket instead of throwing it away like I should have done. My Grandmother stumbled across it while sorting laundry and it wasn't pretty. Among a few other things, I mentioned that I hated life and I was planning on shooting myself.

My Mom and Grandmother freaked out and decided to take me to a child psychologist. I told him all about being forced to be a Jehovah's Wittiness and what life was like. I told him that all they talk about is the world's end and how everyone was going to die except them. I explained to him about the generation of 1914, how they would be alive to watch Jehovah kill all non JWs which I most certainly was. I told him how I was forced to go to the kingdom hall on Tuesdays Thursdays and Sundays, Study with some guy on Wednesdays, and go door to door on Saturdays. I hated all of it and I was miserable. I figured that if Jehovah was going to kill me anyway, I would just expedite things a little to ease my suffering.

In my one and only session, that man completely changed my outlook on life. He reassured me that the JWs 1914 generation thing was just hype and a few other things he thought were bogus. My Mother and Grandmother went to talk to him privately after my session and I'm not sure what he told them but they came out pissed.

Not another word was spoken of the whole ordeal including my mental state. I guess they would rather me kill myself than to blaspheme their precious kingdom hell. -Ryan

JW views on Mental Health & Counseling

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