Mormon Depression...why?

[_karl61]

After forty-six years on this earth these are my thoughts: I think people get depressed due to environmental issues or chemical or both. I think environmental issues have to due with thinking you don't have any say in what goes on in your life. An eighteen year old Mormon male is an easy candidate for depression. If his home life is toxic (his parents happiness is based on his behavior) and you combine it with Church life certainly there are likely going to be some big issues in the person's life. In my youth, I THOUGHT I always had to do things for others whether it was performing or abstaining to stay in a stress-free environment - but in the long run, you end up being angry with your self which leads to a host of others issues. I also think that environmental issues can also change the chemistry of the brain. certain chemical needed to approach the day may break down with constant stress. If this is an issue then the medical community will need to get involved just like if someone broke their arm. As I look back on my youth I really needed medication because of environmental issues - later in life the chemical issues began to spring up which I am happy to report are being addressed. The whole issue may deal with what options you have to do during the week. Did you give up certain things to please others that you really wanted to do. I wanted to join the military when I was 18 and I did not want to go on a mission. My mom talked me out the military with the crazy thought that I would start to use drugs and I ended up going on a mission - for a month.
When I look back at 18 I needed to get as far away from my home as possible, instead I ended up staying way too long. Who knows, maybe I wouldn't be typing this if I went in the military - I've gone through a lot. But I like others to succeed and success doesn't need to start at 21 for a young Mormon male as it should start way before in his life. Great parent's happiness is not dependent on a child's conduct but they are happy because they control their life - great parents also give their kids many options when they need to make a choice. I always say that the Mormon church actually has a mentor to look to and it's the United States and the elections. When a person goes into that booth there are many options to choose from - A young Mormon male should be able to say, think and FEEL that going to school and then in the military is a right choice for him - he should not feel any guilt just like no one walks out of the voting booth feeling guilty*. That is what the church should strive for.

* recently Republicans have reportedly crossed over and voted for Hillary to keep the Democratic Party in turmoil - I listened to some call into talk shows say they voted for Hillary and came out feeling guilty.

[_Yoda]

And of course, you can't discount how depressing it must be to be surrounded by Mormons all the time.

Some of us aren't so bad.

;)

[_beastie]

In my experience, and perhaps this varies depending upon the larger culture, it is almost a commandment that Mormons be "happy". Mormons believe themselves to be "chosen" in a very crucial way - chosen to share the restored gospel during the time period immediately preceding the Second Coming of JC. They believe themselves to have a great honor and privilege to be so chosen. All other trials and tribulations in life should pale in comparison to this great honor. Mormons, of all people, should have the 'peace of Christ", which may not technically be the same as being happy, but is pretty darn close. And, let us not forget, Mormons are supposed to be such happy little critters that their neighbors shout out in amazement "My gosh, dude, what makes YOU so happy! I want to have YOUR life!!" at which time the missionaries are introduced. ;)

In addition to the expectation and almost religious obligation to be happy, there definitely is a tendency to stress constant self improvement with the goal of getting as near to perfection as humanly possible. There was some program we young Relief Society sisters were put in when I was at BYU, If I recall correctly - or maybe it was before that - that divided up your life into different segments - spiritual, intellectual, social, physical, (and maybe one more category like family) and you were to set goals for all these areas. I wish I could remember the name of the program, but I can't. We were told that while we couldn't be "perfect" overall, we could be "perfect" in specific areas of our lives. And, of course, the entire point of life is to continually progress TOWARD perfection, in order to be better prepared for our exaltations.

In the meantime, with all these lofty goals and expectations, Mormons deal with the normal stresses and pressures of life that everyone else does. Kids, money, time. The church exacerbates some of these pressures, in fact. Tithing, supporting kids on missions, can create financial stress. Having what can be, in terms of time requirements, a part time evening job in a church calling creates additional stress on time. And the entire obsession with the Ideal Family creates familial stress, because it tends to heighten and exaggerate conflicts, that turn into threats to the familial exalted unit.

So of course LDS feel pressured and stress, and maybe even unhappy. And then they get to feel GUILTY about feeling unhappy. What an ingrate!! You are "chosen", you have the "one true church" that millions don't have... and you're whining, self-pitying, etc. So it creates even more stress and pressure.

[_BishopRic]

And then they get to feel GUILTY about feeling unhappy.

This is so true! The whole "guilt" thing is huge...having been out of the church for about 10 years, I find this to be the biggest change in my life -- no guilt! Most Mormons don't begin to fathom a world without guilt. When it is mentioned how damaging it is, they say " if we didn't feel guilt, we'd all just kill each other!"

Guilt starts with an expectation to please somebody else. If that's gone, there is no guilt. Simple. And so peaceful.

[_Some Schmo]

And of course, you can't discount how depressing it must be to be surrounded by Mormons all the time.

Some of us aren't so bad.

;)

I know. I was just playing.

The fact is, I don't have anything against theists personally. I have lots of friends who believe in god, and some who attend one church or another.

I just don't think their beliefs are optimal, that's all. And to me, Mormons are like children: they're usually OK if you get them alone, but can be incredibly annoying in a group.

:)

[_Boaz & Lidia]

And of course, you can't discount how depressing it must be to be surrounded by Mormons all the time.

Some of us aren't so bad.

;)

You aren't Mormon. A member perhaps, but not a Mormon.

[_Boaz & Lidia]

Had this study been about any other non Mormon group, you can bet your last tithing receipt that all of the Mormons would be using it to promote their divine principles.

Like the BS they push about Mormons living a few years longer than the average.

Sucks to be Mormon. You live longer and you are very depressed most of that time. Who wants to live longer if you are always depressed?

[_Mary]

This is an interesting issue for me.

I began to suffer from quite severe depression towards the end of my activity...
I don't think I quite realised just how 'off' my thinking was, until I left, and became 'normal' again.

I've often wondered about the root causes....

I do remember someone whom I respected saying to my friend actually, as I remember (I think I was always better at hiding my depression) that God didn't want unhappy people in his church.


I wondered what would have led him to think that way...

[_asbestosman]

I know. I was just playing.

So was I just in case anyone wondered.

[_Gadianton]

It's not just any one cause. It's multiple factors that make Mormonism essentially a blood-sucking religion. It's time consuming, costly, expecting, clickish, and controling. When reports show that suicide is high among women in afghanistan, everyone understands. Mormonism is just a less extreme example.