Study Says People Less Depressed With Belief In God

[bird28]

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/02/24/belief-in-benevolent-god-aids-depression-care/11678.html

 

 

Is it true that people are LESS depressed when they believe in God? Or is this study flawed somehow? I have seen many people here say that belief in God adds to their depression?

 

Or maybe the stress is on BENEVOLENT God, and most people on here believed in a not so nice God when they were in church?

 

Ehhh, I'm not that good at picking apart articles and stuff, I need help. I can't even debate, cause I empathize with the other point of view so much I can't argue.

[Deva]

Looks like there were only 136 people in this study. I'm no expert, but statistically I don't think that is a large enough sample.

 

I think a belief in a benevolent God could easily work to the detriment of people with depression. They would all the time be wondering why God, who is so good, doesn't make their life easier. They could easily condemn themselves.

 

At the same time I am willing to grant that for some people, this idea does seem to help. It gives them something else to focus on, namely God, outside of themselves.

[Shyone]

"The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is

happier than a sober one." - George Bernard Shaw

[OrdinaryClay]

Looks like there were only 136 people in this study. I'm no expert, but statistically I don't think that is a large enough sample.

If the sample is properly done(random) then it is adequate to draw some conclusiosn with some defined(in the study) level of confidence.

[mwc]

Or maybe the stress is on BENEVOLENT God, and most people on here believed in a not so nice God when they were in church?

That's the emphasis of the study. If you can maintain this belief then you will be less prone to depression and if you are depressed you will respond to treatment better.

 

Just belief in some sort of a god isn't enough. It has to be this nice, caring, giving-a-shit parental unit type of thing. You've got a boo-boo and it wants to kiss it make it all better. Awwww...

 

If your personal god isn't like this then you're screwed. Darn the luck. Better get with the right "god" and the not only that but the right "type" while you're at it.

 

mwc

[Ouroboros]

Looks like there were only 136 people in this study. I'm no expert, but statistically I don't think that is a large enough sample.

If the sample is properly done(random) then it is adequate to draw some conclusiosn with some defined(in the study) level of confidence.

Except in the other cases when they contradict your religion. Funny, isn't it.

 

But honestly, I can believe this study.

 

I was depressed the last years as a Christian, and through the de-conversion it was painful and scary, but I got rid of the depression. I don't get those feelings anymore, and feel pretty much at peace with myself (except that I still have a hard time tolerate and accept stupid fundies).

 

But I do think that a lot of people have to have that mental crutch, that something to rely on to soothe their minds. For some, like me, it's better to be without religious beliefs.

[oddbird1963]

I think they should do a study of non-religious people who have an optimistic view that things generally work out for the better. The results will prob. be the same.

 

I too found deconversion to be an unsettling, depressing process. But once I got over the 'funk' of stressful change, things continued , up to now, to be much less depressing.

 

Less depressing than when I was a believer.

[NotBlinded]

Or maybe the stress is on BENEVOLENT God, and most people on here believed in a not so nice God when they were in church?

That's the emphasis of the study. If you can maintain this belief then you will be less prone to depression and if you are depressed you will respond to treatment better.

 

Just belief in some sort of a god isn't enough. It has to be this nice, caring, giving-a-shit parental unit type of thing. You've got a boo-boo and it wants to kiss it make it all better. Awwww...

 

If your personal god isn't like this then you're screwed. Darn the luck. Better get with the right "god" and the not only that but the right "type" while you're at it.

 

mwc

Well, that saying, "Ignorance is bliss" originated for a reason. If one can remain in ignorance, they will be happy. We chose to recognize the not so nice parts of the Jewish/Christian-created god.

[redlemon]

I wonder how many people said they felt better because they felt that they shouldn't be depressed in the first place. It makes me think to certain religious denominations that say if one has Jesus, there's no such thing as depression. Perhaps people who don't hold religious belief are more willing to say that treatment isn't working or admit their full depressed feelings in the first place. In my own personal experience, I was much more hesitant to admit the full scope of my depression when I believed that Jesus was all I ever needed. Now a days, I'm much more willing and open to what I feel.

[Shyone]

I wonder how many people said they felt better because they felt that they shouldn't be depressed in the first place. It makes me think to certain religious denominations that say if one has Jesus, there's no such thing as depression. Perhaps people who don't hold religious belief are more willing to say that treatment isn't working or admit their full depressed feelings in the first place. In my own personal experience, I was much more hesitant to admit the full scope of my depression when I believed that Jesus was all I ever needed. Now a days, I'm much more willing and open to what I feel.

This sounds about right. I think that being unable to admit depression because it is not acceptable under the circumstances is like this.

 

It could also be that the religious people are truly capable of blowing depression away with a sugar coating of Pure Joy^TM.

[OpheliaGinger]

I think it is fundamentally flawed because it is basically blasphemous to even admit that you can be depressed and religious at the same time. Religion is supposed to heal you and all that crap.

[godlessgrrl]

I can actually see how religious belief might be associated with lower rates of depression. Religion provides a guide to life that has All The Answers™ and a certain amount of structure; it tells you how to live and what to believe and how the world works. I can see how that might be very comforting to someone who can't tolerate ambiguity or uncertainty, or who needs to have some sort of understanding of why the universe is the way it is, why bad things happen, what their place in the world is, and so on.

 

For a lot of people, Truth™ is a lot more comforting than cold, hard reality.

 

Religion can also provide someone with a community of like-minded people around them. Being social creatures I'm sure that's part of the appeal. for a lot of people. Evangelical churches in particular are also good at stirring up ecstatic emotional states that have the quality and potency of a drug trip. Despite the overall misery of my own believing life, on rare occasions I'd experience that sort of high during a service, and believe me, it kept me coming back as sure as that first hit of crack keeps a junkie returning to his dealer. (And the first one's always free, ain't it.)

 

Small personal anecdote on religion & depression: I've suffered from terrible depression over the years, for I suspect a variety of reasons which I won't go into in any great depth at the moment. Believe me, it was one of the things that I prayed desperately to god to heal me of it, with no results whatsoever - in fact for the most part, religion just made it worse.

 

One of the slimiest and most manipulative sales tactics a xian ever used on me was during a conversation with the NBTX™. We were talking about depression and my history of it, and of course he couldn't just listen and offer empathy, he had to turn it into an opportunity to try and strong-arm me back into the fold. I can remember starting to tell him something about a particular experience, and he wouldn't even let me finish the sentence before he leapt in with: "How would you like to be healed of your depression?" He kept it up, kept cutting me off and trying to sell Jesus as the solution to my mental health issues; I finally managed to shut him up by asking him how come Jesus apparently hadn't seen fit to heal me of it for all the years I'd been asking - begging - for healing in his name.

 

He didn't seem to have an answer for that.

 

So I can also understand the idea that maybe people are lying on the questionnaire. There's probably no way of knowing for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out later that such was the case. For a lot of Born-Agains in particular, Jesus is the answer to everything: he can heal anything, can bring joy and peace that surpasseth all understanding, and if you're depressed or sick or whatnot, well then there must be something wrong with you, not with Jesus.

 

Depressed believers make Jesus look bad. And We Can't Have That, Can We™.

[Kathlene]

I think it is fundamentally flawed because it is basically blasphemous to even admit that you can be depressed and religious at the same time. Religion is supposed to heal you and all that crap.

Actually that is not my interpretation of religion at all.

Yes there is that element that you are filled with joy and peace by Jesus.

However, christians are humans just as much as anyone else. I dont think Jesus ever promised anyone life with him would be stars and rainbows every day. I think what he did say and offer was that he would be there with them through every valley and peak. Depression is a very real sickness, and needs to be looked at. Its sad that some christians don't acknowledge this and do hide behind the fluffy bits that Jesus should be enough and not acknowledge how hard and bad it can get. Thats not real life, thats trying to live on a high spiritual plane without your feet on the floor.

When life gets so black and hard and horrible I cling to Jesus, and thats what gets me through. I find comfort in Him. My problems are still there, no doubt about it. My heart just feels filled with his presence and peace. I also find the spiritual connection that helps me find what will work out best is the thing that grounds me.

[FreeLily]

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/02/24/belief-in-benevolent-god-aids-depression-care/11678.html

 

 

Is it true that people are LESS depressed when they believe in God? Or is this study flawed somehow? I have seen many people here say that belief in God adds to their depression?

 

Or maybe the stress is on BENEVOLENT God, and most people on here believed in a not so nice God when they were in church?

 

Ehhh, I'm not that good at picking apart articles and stuff, I need help. I can't even debate, cause I empathize with the other point of view so much I can't argue.

 

This finding doesn't surprise me at all. Christianity can be very appealing to people who are in pain. It offers answers to all the questions, an instant support system, forgiveness for whatever guilts you, and volumes of feel-good mental health quackery. Some people's depression responds to Prozac, yoga, or diet changes. Some respond to Jesus.

 

The churches know this, which is why they have "ministries" for divorcing people, addicts, abuse survivors, etc. Adults are easier to brainwash when they're vulnerable. Admittedly they do help some people get better and move on with their lives, but it can come at a very high cost. My family is a prime example of that!

[Neon Genesis]

I think they should do a study of non-religious people who have an optimistic view that things generally work out for the better. The results will prob. be the same.

 

CFI actually did do a survey on this awhile back. It was the most comprehensive study on non-believers and the perceptions believers have of non-believers. One of the interesting findings they discovered from the study was that atheists who were certain of their non-belief felt their lives were just as fulfilled as believers who were certain in their belief. The conclusion CFI reached was that it wasn't religion itself that gave people satisfaction in life but certainty, so an atheist who was certain in their non-belief was more likely to be satisfied with their life than someone going through the middle of a crisis of faith. Interestingly, they also found that Canadian atheists were the ones who reported to be the most satisfied with their lives, so I wonder if location also has something to do with it. Like if you're an atheist minority living in a country that's heavily religious and also persecutes non-believing minorities, it's natural that the non-religious would have more depression problems than the religious majority. I remember there was another study done on non-believers in Sweden and it was found that the majority of non-believing Swedens were also happy and satisfied with their lives. And if I remember correctly, the idea was that the majority of Sweden was secular, so when you had a community of mostly secular individuals, it was easier to feel more satisfied with your life than if you were a skeptic living isolated in a religious majority country. Here's the episode of the Reasonable Doubts podcast where they discuss the CFI survey: http://www.doubtcast.org/podcast/rd32_profiles_of_the_godless.mp3

[★ Citsonga ★]

Neon Genesis, that sums up what I would expect. It definitely seems reasonable.

 

I was fairly content when I was a convinced believer, struggled when I doubted and wasn't sure what to think, and now I'm more content again since I'm a convinced nonbeliever. If I were to make my nonbelief well known amongst strong believers, I'd probably end up being less content.

[Ouroboros]

The whole "less depressed with belief" also falls under "ignorance is bliss". A belief kind of makes the person pretend all problems are solved and enter a state of blindness of reality. It makes a person happy, but not necessarily correct about the world.

 

Reading Neon Genesis response, I guess I'm strong in my unbelief.

[qec]

The whole "less depressed with belief" also falls under "ignorance is bliss". A belief kind of makes the person pretend all problems are solved and enter a state of blindness of reality. It makes a person happy, but not necessarily correct about the world.

 

Reading Neon Genesis response, I guess I'm strong in my unbelief.

 

 

Maybe that's why the happiest motherfuckers are holed up in monasteries? Actually I was just kidding.... I think a more nuanced understanding is that ignorance is bliss for some and fucking misery for everyone else when it's mandated; people like us who like to ask questions.

[Galien]

All Christianity ever did for my depression was blame me for it. Even on medication I was totally emotionally fucked up whilst still in church. 4 years out and I have never felt better.

[Vigile]

“It was tied specifically to the belief that a Supreme Being cared.”

 

I wonder what would happen if they screened for intelligence. This just seems like such a childish thing. An invisible man in the sky cares. Ahh...

 

[Vigile]

I wonder how many people said they felt better because they felt that they shouldn't be depressed in the first place. It makes me think to certain religious denominations that say if one has Jesus, there's no such thing as depression. Perhaps people who don't hold religious belief are more willing to say that treatment isn't working or admit their full depressed feelings in the first place. In my own personal experience, I was much more hesitant to admit the full scope of my depression when I believed that Jesus was all I ever needed. Now a days, I'm much more willing and open to what I feel.

 

That's a good point. Even more so, the study asked them questions about their faith, reinforcing the idea that they had better ought to suck it up to put on a good face for their god.

[Vigile]

Yes there is that element that you are filled with joy and peace by Jesus.

 

Keep on telling yourself that. Most of us here have found something like the opposite to be true. You've never been in our shoes. We have been in yours.

 

When life gets so black and hard and horrible I cling to Jesus, and thats what gets me through. I find comfort in Him.

 

I used to do that too. I've found that actually taking personal responsibility works much better. And when that's not an option at least I'm not left with unreasonable expectations that don't get met.

[buffettphan]

All Christianity ever did for my depression was blame me for it. Even on medication I was totally emotionally fucked up whilst still in church.

 

 

redlemon, on 24 February 2010 - 04:22 PM, said:

 

I wonder how many people said they felt better because they felt that they shouldn't be depressed in the first place. It makes me think to certain religious denominations that say if one has Jesus, there's no such thing as depression. Perhaps people who don't hold religious belief are more willing to say that treatment isn't working or admit their full depressed feelings in the first place. In my own personal experience, I was much more hesitant to admit the full scope of my depression when I believed that Jesus was all I ever needed. Now a days, I'm much more willing and open to what I feel.

 

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine having to go to a church with this sign out front:

 

 

We're Too Blessed

To Be Depressed

 

I have to drive past that stupid sign at least twice a day.

[Ouroboros]

Maybe that's why the happiest motherfuckers are holed up in monasteries? Actually I was just kidding.... I think a more nuanced understanding is that ignorance is bliss for some and fucking misery for everyone else when it's mandated; people like us who like to ask questions.

True.

 

Some people can't deal with not knowing, they just have to figure out the final answer to every question, so for them, ignorance is pain. But the majority of people rather ignore the truth, as long as they can just get on with their day. Lazy brains, I guess.

[Legion]

Lazy brains, I guess.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it saved my ass several times.