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Depression In Mormonism

Two Studies Find Depression Widespread in Utah

A recent study by Mental Health America, the country's oldest independent mental health advocacy organization, ranked Utah the most depressed state in the country.

Another survey released last week by drug distribution company Express Scripts found that residents of Utah were prescribed antidepressant drugs more than those of any other state and at twice the national average.

According to MHA, some 10.14 percent of adults in Utah "experienced a depressive episode in the past year and 14.15 percent experienced serious psychological distress. ... Individuals in Utah reported having on average 3.27 poor mental health days in the past 30 days."

The reason for Utah's mass depression, however, is unknown.

Ref. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/...=4403731&page=1

Mormonism Depression

I don't think this is surprising in a strong religious state as Utah. Many people trying to live up to the standards of the Church really have a hard time dealing with sin and imperfections. Sometimes the pressure is tough, specially for those dealing with serious issues. If we add to that, some mental health issues then is the perfect combination for depression.

What I always say is, we all fall short, we all sin. Every day should be a new beginning to repent and try to do our best rather than being the last day of our lives.

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I think you are on the right path LDS_Forever. As LDS members there are so many things that we are supposed to do, or not do. It can become overwhelming very easy. I have struggled with depression over the years, and so has my wife. It is very easy to overlook all of the things that you are doing right and focus only on the things that you are doing wrong.

A few years ago in a temple recommend interview with the our Bishop we brought up this very issue and he had some great advice to give us. It has helped us both a lot. He advised us to work on one, or maybe two, things that we feel we struggle with at a time. Work on it until we feel have perfected it and move on to the next. Trying to work on too many things add to that feeling of hopelessness, that you will never be able to perfect it.

Mormonism Depression

The sad point about members being depressed is a lot of them keep smiling on the outside but are very depressed on the inside. Church culture has dictated that you should always be smiling and never look sad or worried so many hide true feelings instead of turning to their brothers and sisters for help. It is a vicious cycle that ends in death if not caught by the trained eye.

Mormonism Depression

I think it goes much deeper than Mormons have it tough trying to live up to LDS standards. Think back to your childhood. Were the church standards different then than they are today? Did your parents raise several kids? Did their parent raise several kids. Did they try to live the gospel? Did they have to take anti depressants?

Over the last couple of decades the entitlement attitude has become much more prevalent. Kids never having to struggle, never being told that what they are doing is unacceptable. Parents are more concerned about being their kids friend than they are about their kids true development. No one wants to see their kids struggle. But Heavenly Father knows it is necessary for true development.

My wife sees this more and more in her 5th grade class each year. Kids aren't allowed to put their name on their art for fear of someones feelings being hurt. No longer are teachers allowed to use the A, B, C, D, F grading system, again in fear of feelings being hurt. Every one is a winner. If a kid is doing D work, that is just fine. We don't want to hurt their feelings by telling them that their work is unacceptable. You see the effects in restaurants and supermarkets, kids running around screaming while the parents just sit there. And Sacrament Meeting? I have never seen such irreverence. In fact I sometimes wonder if reverence is even part of our religion anymore.

So kids grow up thinking they are a winner whether they are putting out the effort or not. Until one day after they are married and have a couple of kids and real life sets in. The boss at work calls them in and tells them in no uncertain terms that their work is unacceptable. They are living from payday to payday and life isn't so easy. They were protected all their life from the real world, but now they have to live in it. Not having any experience in failure or having to struggle, they get overwhelmed.

Sorry about the rant, but it is very hard to watch young parents who can't handle their life. And watching the next generation being raised with and even greater entitlement attitude. We don't do our kids any favors by overprotecting them. They need to learn to make their own decisions. When a 17 year old tells me that he can't watch a PG13 movie until his parents watch it first, I sense trouble ahead. When I hear a parent say that he will grow up while on his mission, I sense trouble ahead. The hardest part of being a parent is watching your kids struggle, even when you know it is for their future good.

I apologize if I have offended anyone.

Depression In Mormonism

Tazz, not sure if I fully understand your point. Are you saying depression in Mormonism is because parents do not know how to deal with their own kids? The points you make about how parents sometimes train their kids is a valid one, nevertheless I would not be so quick to either labeled it as a "young parents" approach (personally I see this problem in many households regardless of the age of the parents) neither link it to depression in the Church.

It would be interesting if you could explain the link you see about what you said about kids and depression in the Church. Thanks.

Depression Mormonism

I think that depression in Utah is due to several different things that are related to the gospel. There are a lot of different things that:
1: Are Commanded to do/not to do, like not to smoke, marry in the temple; do your Home/Visiting teaching done each month; chart your ancestry back to Adam; go to the temple; go to church, and fulfill your calling(s); be fruitful and multiply;
2: Are not 'Official" commandments but most "Utah" Mormons feel that are expected to do-
Go to every Church related meeting and activity, like Scouts, Enrichment (for women); Church dinners, etc.
I could go on but my point is that there are three main sub-categories of commandments:
Personal Spirituality: Be baptized, get the Priesthood, get married and raise a family, go to church and temple, etc.
Group Spirituality: Go to church and temple, get married and raise a family, do your ancestry, etc.
Temporal: Get a job, get married and raise a family, etc.
If you noticed, there are a few commandments that are in more than one area, like get married and raise a family, I did this because you need to do it Personally, as a group, with your spouse, and ideally, as a Ward, and it is both a Spiritual, and a Temporal Commandment.
Now here is where the depression comes in. How are you to keep all these commandments, and do them well? For an example, if you have a job that forces you to work long hours, and still go to the temple on a regular basis, do your ancestry, magnify your callings, be a good spouse, and every other commandment?
There is, sad to say, some people that have an elite type of an attitude; for an example, a rich person in the church will sometimes look down at a poor man because the rich man assumes that since he goes to the temple, does his Home-Teaching, pays his Tithing, and is getting rewarded with success, then the poor man is not as good of a member as he is.

Depression Mormonism Mormon Doctrine Studies

The above is one of the few takes on Mormon life reality that are very similar to my own thoughts and that I have not read in a long time. I would dare say that this is not unique to Utah, but at least (as far as I know) it does not end in suicide in other places probably because there isn't as much pressure, especially social pressure since Mormonism isn't as concentrated in other areas.