This topic has been discussed before … I just wanted to put my two cents in.
I will start off by saying that of course mental illness exists outside of the organization. I know that mental illness can arise from a variety of issues such as genetics, chemical imbalances, emotional trauma etc. However, I have seen more mental illness and suicide in the organization than I ever have outside of it – which does not jive with their claim that JW’s are the happiest people on earth. I have begun to wonder whether the organization creates mental illness where it otherwise would not exist, or at least makes it worse than it would otherwise be. I have a few experiences to share that I think illustrate this.
In the past two years, my husband and I have been to the funerals of three friends that have committed suicide. All three came as a complete and sudden shock.
The first was a young man in his early twenties. He was raised by a single mom. His two older sisters studied but never got baptized. A brother in our hall began to study with him, but he often made it known that he would look at his sister’s lives and they were happy – without the religion, so he didn’t know why he should bother. He also believed in evolution. He eventually got involved in some wrongdoing and was removed as a publisher. He became a “marked” individual in the congregation, and people would not hang around him as much. This guy had showed no hint of mental illness prior to his suicide. Even looking back, no one can even recall hints that something was wrong.
The second was the wife of an elder in her late forties. We’re talking a couple that was a pillar in the congregation. They moved away to the country to a property that allowed for the brother to set up his business at home. It was a move that was supposed to help them simplify their lives, allowing them to devote more time to the ministry, but the sister made the comment to someone that they ended up making their lives more complicated and were working harder than before. This made her feel guilty. One morning she made her and her husband a nice breakfast, excused herself and then took her life. She left no note, nothing.
The last was a younger guy in his mid twenties. He had been disfellowshipped and shunned by his family for a time. He was reinstated eventually and got married young. The marriage fell apart quickly. Again, this is a guy who is remembered as being outgoing and energetic , who loved life and travel, and was extremely genuine and helpful. His death was extremely shocking.
Now I’m not saying that the organization is 100% to blame. We’ll never know what goes on in someone’s head before they take their own life. And sometimes people are able to keep serious mentail illness hidden from even their close friends and family. But in all three of these examples – the religion is a constant – the first brother had privileges removed for wrongdoing and never really believed the doctrine but for his mothers sake kept up appearances, the sister felt overwhelmed and guilty over not being able to do more in the ministry, and the last had felt the pain and humiliation of disfellowshipping and shunning.
I know of SO many in the organization suffering from depression and other forms of mental illness. I myself have gone through periods of depression and my own sister was suicidal for a time. Is it just me, or does this religion seriously screw people up?!
When I talk about these experiences with close friends … ALL of them say the same thing: “This system is getting so tough”. But I feel like saying “NO. It’s NOT this system. It’s this religion. It’s making life SO much harder than it has to be!”
What do you guys think?