Valis, that sickens me. They just want to know when you're coming back to the meetings. Heartless bastards!
Depression & Jehovah's Witnesses
by minimus 41 Replies latest jw friends
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PinTail
(Major Dittos)
I can not exspress how greatful I am for this site. I see now also that at least a reasonable percentage of my depression namely 89 % came from being raised a witness and continueing on with it till age 42, I am now 50.
The nagging from my ex-wife about taking the lead in the congergational activitys, service, like as she said: that I must do more than my "token services" and so on while working two jobs that dam near made blow my head off.
I still feel like a thick lead rope is tied around my head from it, at times. Basicly I have been afraid to live, now that most of my life is used up; what a shame. I see this same condition in my siblings their lives slipping by with out seeing the roses along the way, because of their fearing being destroyed, and that weird feeling only they "MAY be preserved in the day of gods anger; what a nightmare. I belive Jehovah God did not intend for serving him to be full of feelings of dread. So I say suround your selfs with many friends, that is what saved me and the aid of my brother who escaped from them earlier.
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kwintestal
They just want to know when you're coming back to the meetings.
And more importantly, handing in FS reports so you're not dragging the cong. numbers down!
I was thinking of this subject in relation to child abuse victims. If the JW parents take their kids to the elders to report the problem, the parents aren't to bring the kids to get counselling. Why? Well, when the counsellor get's word that the abuser wasn't reported to the athorities, they are obligated legally to. So the kid goes through life with problems that remain, when they could have received the proper mental help years previously.
The abuse therefore continues, just in a different form.
Kwin
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Evesapple
yup! Our whole congregation was on something and it seemed the more responsiblity you had (pioneers, elders...etc.) the worse it was....every single pioneer in our congregation was on anti-depressants.
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Tim Horton
This is a really interesting topic. My sister would always comfort me about my depression by telling me that there's tons of people in her kingdom hall on medication for depression. I don't know why but that never made me feel any better. I wonder why. Great, I'd be thinking. I'm in a religion that's represented by a bunch of depressed lunatics. Not all were lunatics but alot were. Oh my Goodness. It was scary. It's always nice when someone introduces you as depressed before they even mention their name. I don't make this a practice myself. You'd be amazed at the amount of people I've come across in the truth/pardon me Jw's who do. It's really weird. Since I've left the org. I guess it's officially been about a month since I've told my family and friends that I'm leaving I've been under alot of stress. The funny thing is. I'm not depressed at all. All these negative things happening to me but no depression. My doctor has actually reduced my prescription by alot. I guess I'll leave it up to you to decide if I feel better from leaving the JW's organization. I feel really horrible about not having my friends anymore. I miss them terribly but I'm not depressed. Repressed leads to depressed. Just a theory of mine. Love panther
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redskymedic
I was treated for depression at 16 and then attempted suicide at age 18 . . . all because I couldn't live up to the JW expectation and didn't know how to go about my life without the support of my JW mom and all of the 'friends'. I don't know how anyone could grow up secure in that atmosphere. I am so happy to not be passing this on to my children.
Red
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jgnat
I am convinced that my JW hubby only needs medication for depression due to the wrenching demands the society puts on him. To walk away from the society, he is convinced, leads to certain death. He is regularly told and utterly believes that the earth is on it's last legs, and eagerly scours world events to support this worldview. When he picks a non-theocratic activity such as going to a movie, he feels guilty for not putting Kingdom interests first. Even if he became a perfect attender and completed all assignments without complaint, he remains marked. He married an "unbeliever". Unaccepted and unacceptable to the only "correct" way to live on the planet, no wonder he is depressed!
I don't think the JW's have any higher incidence of the hereditary mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Unless the structured Watcthower lifestyle attracts people with this disorder. Depression, however, can be an indicator that the person is living in severe denial, ignoring the abuse that is being heaped upon him/her.
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little1
My dub ex-boyfriend was depressed and in denial. Not only denial about being depressed, but denial about any "bad" feelings he might have-anger, hurt, whatever. He tried to pretend that he was one of "the happiest people on earth" and that everything was just great, but he lived a double life that tore him apart inside. I suggested counseling, but was rebuffed time and again because jws aren't allowed to seek outside counsel. So there he is, trussed up like a Christmas goose-can't think for himself, has to swallow rules he doesn't believe in, pretends he's a good jw when he knows he's doing "bad" things behind their backs. He is one screwed up dude.
Seems to me that someone like that would have to implode, explode or self-destruct in some manner sooner or later.
L1
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minimus
Yes, they often do implode or self-destruct because there only human. The DEMANDS of this religion is truly UNBELIEVABLE!!!! It's only when you separate yourself from the structure that you get to see how controlled you were!