The LDS Church is driving people to madness

[RC Vikings]

I blame garments. The whole mood of the state would change overnight if the men starting wearing nice UA shorts and the women some nice VS stuff.

[ERCougar]

Sure, I think the statistics are very suspect. If you self-medicate for anxiety with alcohol instead of Ativan you might not be counted. I'm sorry but it just defies common sense to think that people in New Jersey and Nevada have significantly less overall mental illness than people in Utah. That's gotta be an artifact of the study design and subjectivity of the "mental illness" diagnosis.

On the other hand, I do think that a lot of LDS men and women become depressed and/or anxious because they have very high, religion-based expectations for themselves and a lot of guilt when they don't live up to those very high expectations.

LDS people need to lighten up and not take religion so seriously.

I think the truth is somewhere in between. A friend texted me on Sunday during open mic meeting commenting how unsettling it is to see so many pretty good and nice people in tears describing how they were "applying the atonement" to their lives. Sure, we all have our challenges and weaknesses, and it's healthy to be cognizant of those, but to the point of tears? That doesn't seem particularly healthy to me. Yes, the studies showing the higher use of porn and antidepressants have their problems, but I think there's a kernel of truth to their findings--for some (a lot), the Church is as much or more a source of anxiety and stress as it is peace.
Anecdotally, I've noticed the same thing, both through my interactions with severely depressed/anxious patients and in discussions with mental health professionals. I think I shared a story about a discussion I had with a counselor about this. I had consulted her to evaluate a suicidal patient and as is often the case, we were stuck waiting for a psychiatric bed, so we had some dead time. Turns out that she had done here internship and early professional career in SLC (this happened in another state). She was Jewish, but through her time in SLC, she had developed a very positive view of Mormons, to the point of reading the BOM and meeting with the missionaries. But she said that religious-oriented mental health issues were "off the charts" and that she was never short on business. On another note, I've watched my MIL just become more and more...well, crazy... in the five years since she's been working in the LDS institute, to the point of really shaking my wife's testimony, far more than any historical craziness would.
Again, anecdotal and imperfect evidence, but it'd be silly to ignore it. Really--like you say, people just need to chill out on this stuff. Which is not what is preached at church.

[Uncle Ted]

I think the truth is somewhere in between. A friend texted me on Sunday during open mic meeting commenting how unsettling it is to see so many pretty good and nice people in tears describing how they were "applying the atonement" to their lives. Sure, we all have our challenges and weaknesses, and it's healthy to be cognizant of those, but to the point of tears? That doesn't seem particularly healthy to me. Yes, the studies showing the higher use of porn and antidepressants have their problems, but I think there's a kernel of truth to their findings--for some (a lot), the Church is as much or more a source of anxiety and stress as it is peace.
Anecdotally, I've noticed the same thing, both through my interactions with severely depressed/anxious patients and in discussions with mental health professionals. I think I shared a story about a discussion I had with a counselor about this. I had consulted her to evaluate a suicidal patient and as is often the case, we were stuck waiting for a psychiatric bed, so we had some dead time. Turns out that she had done here internship and early professional career in SLC (this happened in another state). She was Jewish, but through her time in SLC, she had developed a very positive view of Mormons, to the point of reading the BOM and meeting with the missionaries. But she said that religious-oriented mental health issues were "off the charts" and that she was never short on business. On another note, I've watched my MIL just become more and more...well, crazy... in the five years since she's been working in the LDS institute, to the point of really shaking my wife's testimony, far more than any historical craziness would.
Again, anecdotal and imperfect evidence, but it'd be silly to ignore it. Really--like you say, people just need to chill out on this stuff. Which is not what is preached at church.

Doing a quick search for some hard data...

The Relationship between Religion and Mental Disorders in a Korean Population

[…]
Results


Strong spiritual values were positively associated with increased rates of current depressive disorder and decreased rates of current alcohol use disorder. Using "atheist" as the reference category, Catholics had higher lifetime odds of single episodes of depression whilst Protestants had higher lifetime odds of anxiety disorder and lower lifetime odds of alcohol use disorders.


Conclusion


The results of this study suggest that depressive episodes often lead to a search for spirituality and that religion may be helpful in overcoming depression or becoming less vulnerable to relapsing. The associations between religion, spiritual values, and mental health have not been fully elucidated and warrant further exploration.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3285738/

SU may be on to something. The state of Washington must be much more religious than places like Texas.

[ERCougar]

Doing a quick search for some hard data...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3285738/

SU may be on to something. The state of Washington must be much more religious than places like Texas.

That's an interesting study about the effects of religion in Korea. And a sort of strange conclusion to draw.

[Jeff Lebowski]

That's an interesting study about the effects of religion in Korea. And a sort of strange conclusion to draw.

Ha. You are almost as bad as SU at misreading sarcasm.

[byu71]

for some (a lot), the Church is as much or more a source of anxiety and stress as it is peace.

Where is that peace and sweet spot? I think a lot of people find it or are comfortable they are on their way to it. The problem I see is when someone else feels the need to define it for you. Whether it is a church leader, friend or relative, if the are "devout" they feel part of their peace and happiness comes from getting you to their goal too. It is only natural that those who are the most "devout" move to the top. That is why you are more likely to get a "live and let live" Elders Quorum President vs the Stake President.

[ERCougar]

Ha. You are almost as bad as SU at misreading sarcasm.

I didn't say anything about Ted's point. I just think it's a bizarre conclusion to make from their data (not Ted's conclusion--the authors').

[Uncle Ted]

Ha. You are almost as bad as SU at misreading sarcasm.

Actually, Texas has a secret anti-depression medicine and that is why we outshine Washington in mental health…




Now if they just sold it on Sundays (well, before noon anyway) to keep those folks sane a full seven days a week.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Weird. I always figured Uncle Ted to be a Shiner Bock guy.

[Pheidippides]

Actually, Texas has a secret anti-depression medicine and that is why we outshine Washington in mental health…




Now if they just sold it on Sundays (well, before noon anyway) to keep those folks sane a full seven days a week.

The cans are magnificent to cut up in creepy ways to make figurines of satanic cultist murderers too. Or so I hear.

[Green Monstah]

Where is that peace and sweet spot? I think a lot of people find it or are comfortable they are on their way to it. The problem I see is when someone else feels the need to define it for you. Whether it is a church leader, friend or relative, if the are "devout" they feel part of their peace and happiness comes from getting you to their goal too. It is only natural that those who are the most "devout" move to the top. That is why you are more likely to get a "live and let live" Elders Quorum President vs the Stake President.

For me, I've found it in apathy. Ihave to simply not care that some middle-aged guy in a cheap suit is telling you to strive for perfection, when it's never going to happen. I can't get concerned that the gospel doctrine teacher insists that a person named Nephi actually lived, breathed, and began a now-extinct civilation of white dudes in the pre-Columbian Americas, and perhaps most importantly, you can't let it bother you when your fellow parishoners extol the virtues of Joseph Smith. I'm really quite happy not giving a shit. In exchange for sacrificing three hours per week, I get a happy family, great friends, and a way of life that has treated me fairly well. In the words of Stands with a Fist, "Good. Trade."

[Donuthole]

Ha. You are almost as bad as SU at misreading sarcasm.

Must all sarcasm be expressly acknowledged before continuing the repartee?

[Blueintheface]

For me, I've found it in apathy. Ihave to simply not care that some middle-aged guy in a cheap suit is telling you to strive for perfection, when it's never going to happen. I can't get concerned that the gospel doctrine teacher insists that a person named Nephi actually lived, breathed, and began a now-extinct civilation of white dudes in the pre-Columbian Americas, and perhaps most importantly, you can't let it bother you when your fellow parishoners extol the virtues of Joseph Smith. I'm really quite happy not giving a shit. In exchange for sacrificing three hours per week, I get a happy family, great friends, and a way of life that has treated me fairly well. In the words of Stands with a Fist, "Good. Trade."

Wasn't that Wind in His Hair?

[Green Monstah]

Wasn't that Wind in His Hair?

You're right. Stands with a Fist is the lady, isn't it? It's clearly been too long since I watched Dances with Wolves.

[Blueintheface]

You're right. Stands with a Fist is the lady, isn't it? It's clearly been too long since I watched Dances with Wolves.

And clearly I've managed to find a Kevin Costner movie I've seen more than once.