Mental illness among JWs: cause or effect?

by kid-A 23 Replies latest jw friends

  • Ms. Whip
    Ms. Whip

    The Watchtower Organization attracts co-dependent personalities and then feeds them.

    Although it is a learned behavior...some people are already headed that way. According to the National Mental Health Association "people with codependency often form or maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive and/or abusive." "Co-dependent behavior is learned by watching and imitating other family members who display this type of behavior."

    The WTBTS is the abusive, alcholic controlling partner and it's members are the co-dependent persons who typically sacrifice thier needs and become "martyrs" by giving up their lives to benefit the abuser.

    Here are some characteristics of the co-dependent:

    Characteristics of Co-Dependent People Are:

    • An exaggerated sense of responsibility for the actions of others.
    • A tendency to confuse love and pity, with the tendency to “love” people they can pity and rescue.
    • A tendency to do more than their share, all of the time.
    • A tendency to become hurt when people don’t recognize their efforts.
    • An unhealthy dependence on relationships. The co-dependent will do anything to hold on to a relationship; to avoid the feeling of abandonment.
    • An extreme need for approval and recognition.
    • A sense of guilt when asserting themselves.
    • A compelling need to control others.
    • Lack of trust in self and/or others.
    • Fear of being abandoned or alone.
    • Difficulty identifying feelings.
    • Rigidity/difficulty adjusting to change.
    • Problems with intimacy/boundaries.
    • Chronic anger.
    • Lying/dishonesty.
    • Poor communications
    • Difficulty making decisions.

    Some questions to identify the signs Of Co-Dependency

    Do you keep quiet to avoid arguments?
    Are you always worried about others’ opinions of you?
    Are the opinions of others more important than your own?
    Do you doubt your ability to be who you want to be?
    Are you uncomfortable expressing your true feelings to others?
    Have you ever felt inadequate?
    Do you feel like a “bad person” when you make a mistake?
    Do you think people in your life would go downhill without your constant efforts?
    Are you confused about who you are or where you are going with your life?
    Do you have trouble saying “no” when asked for help?

  • sonnyboy
    sonnyboy

    Ms. Whip,

    Your list seems to describe defd pretty well.

  • mapleaf18
    mapleaf18

    i can think of very few dubbies who are not experiencing depression, mental/emotional difficulties, on medication for it, etc.

    my super dub dad just related a story of a guy who was "out of da troof" for 14 years then came back in. my dad quoted him as saying "he was glad to be back in; it's a wreck out there in the 'world' ". but now, coincidentally, this same dude is SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION, go figure. my mom has always felt inadequate and has suffered with emotional problems her entire adult life *which strangely coincides with her life as a jw*

  • doofdaddy
    doofdaddy

    Shit, I felt a psychosis coming on just reading your comment ms W!!!!

    If I scored yes to all those pointers, will everyone like me??

    Please?

    Sorry, just excuse me, my opinions dirt really.

  • horrible life
    horrible life

    Lucky,I am very surprised that your mother majored in religion, and still is a JW. But I am also surprised that my family, with dad, sister and brother with a college education, still believe. HL

  • sonnyboy
    sonnyboy
    Shit, I felt a psychosis coming on just reading your comment ms W!!!!

    I didn't want to say anything, but me too!

    I think everyone fits those categories from time to time.

  • Nick
    Nick
    I have inherited my mental illness and alcoholism, it was compounded by the JWism and their not acknowledging either as illness , instead as either moral issues or demonism.

    Brenda, I think you're right on. That's what I noticed about the WTS. They were always a decade too late in even realizing mental health issues like depression. I can remember an "Awake!" magazine that came out in the early '70s that basically said: If you're depressed it's because you're thinking too much about yourself -- it really is a form of selfishness.

    Also, those who had emotional problems never received any helpful counsel from the elders who assumed that depression equalled guilt which equalled your having done something BAD which equalled discipline.

    I can remember feeling so depressed when I was 20 -- really suicidal. I called the presiding overseer and he kept saying that I couldn't feel like I did if I hadn't done something wrong. He even said that if I confessed I'd feel so much better (read: disfellowshiped). But I hadn't done anything wrong. I was a straight arrow. Vestal virgin.

    Nick

  • garybuss
    garybuss

    I say from personal experience that the Jehovah's Witness group is one of the WORST groups in the world to be associated with for a person with a mental illness due to their history of refusing rational counseling and treatment for mental illnesses. The Jehovah's Witness people took my son out of a mental hospital against medical advise and moved him into a group member's house then advised him against seeing a psychiatrist. He had several more psychotic breaks and is totally disabled today.
    Many Witnesses I know are neurotic, depressed, suffer anxiety disorders, are delusional, paranoid, and addicted to prescription drugs as well as alcohol. Virtually all Witness behavior I saw was an act. The home life and the work behaviors of the Witness people was often a stark contrast to the facade they presented to the group at group sponsored activities.
    I think for me, the pressures of being a Witness child had terrible mental / emotional consequences. It was all made worse by marrying a Witness and making sure I stayed exposed to that which did not work. Bad beliefs mixed with bad behaviors do not make for a good life.

  • joelbear
    joelbear

    i think joining up is an effect. i think mental illness is caused by physical problems in the brain.

    easy solutions (God will take of it)

    structure (how should I: live, make love, educate myself, eat, treat my family, etc.)

  • LongHairGal
    LongHairGal

    Some years back when I was active I told my life story to a man I worked for. He said he saw a similarity between my story and a man that he knew who was also a dub. He theorized that we both came from troubled backgrounds so THEREFORE we were attracted to this religion. Well, I was highly insulted! I tried to rationalize it by telling myself that people who were content with life and the world would never look for religion. I felt that my reasons had more to do with my view of the world as opposed to my home life. Whether this is true or not I do not know.

    What I do feel now is that some people that are inside were borderline when they came in. If you couple this fact with the severity of the teachings and the constant nagging that you should be doing more plus the stressing how "sinful" we are (this used to really make me mad), plus guilt, guilt, guilt, it is possible this could send certain individuals over the edge.

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