Recovery from Mormonism

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-204_162-10009880.html?tag=pageAnd the winner is...

Isn't it interesting that Utah, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming rank right up at the top and these states have high percentages of Mormons, I know, because I live in the thick of it near Rexburg ID. Now, why is it that God's one true church, the one with the plan of happiness, the one with all the keys of the priesthood and 'families can be together forever', seems to bring about unending depression? (She says in her best Dana Carvey's 'Church Lady' impression: "I don't know... maybe SATAN?")

More likely, it's their non-Mo neighbors who have to put up with them!; )
but three neighboring states are also in the top 10.Wyoming has a lot of isolation, and young transient males working in the energy industry (coal, oil, gas), so that is their excuse.Nevada has abuse by gambling addicts, lots of transients, prostution, alcohol. Vice Central. That's a good excuse for having above average suicidal ideation.Idaho - fairly isolated, but other than that, I see no particular reason for feeling suicidal in ID except that they are infected with a goodly number of Mos. Montana, ALaska and the Dakotas are all more sparsely populated than ID, and they aren't on the list.National average was 4%ID, at #4, was 6.0%NV, at #2, was 6.5%UT, at #1, was 6.8%. That is 70% above the national average (6.8/4). For any state to beat Nevada amazes me.Six of the top ten states were between 4.5% and 5.1%, so the top 4, and particularly the top 1 (Utah) really stand out from the pack.Somebody posted the other day asking if LDS Inc gets any credit for making Provo such a safe place to live?Perhaps, but then it should get credit for this too. Looks like in Utah, you are most likely to be murdered by yourself. WTF. (I don't know if that is actually statistically true, but the state does have a low homicide rate and a high suicide rate.)
For NV, it is mainly gambling that causes suicides - drugs too. Housing problems may be making it rise in recent yrs. I don't think it is as much about Mormons here.

All of these statistics that come up from time to time ARE significant. The picture of Utah and heavily populated Mormon states show that there are serious problems. A coorelation with the Mormon church and it's teachings and influence would be completely reasonable to make.
For Idaho it is having potatoes force fed you at every meal and the long cold dark winters. Oh, and in some areas (like eastern Idaho) the church is even stronger than in Utah. Every January to February I want to slit my writs. The combination is unbearable.

You nailed Idaho, Marcionite. I live in the Idaho Falls area and the amount of LDS people here is overwhelming. Every single Sunday, when we go out and actually enjoy our "day of rest" (lol), it is as though the town is under attack by pod people or zombies. How in the hell does a town this small, sustain dozens of LDS church buildings?! It is sick!

I was a student in a country that has a very high suicide rate, so I studied this first-hand, and also read up on the subject. Some of the factors are:1. Socialism.The average citizen had no hope of ever owning their own house or land. Housing often came with their job. I won't go into Socialism, but we all know the similarities with Mormonism.2. Long winters3. Overcast weather, less sunlight.Utah is considered one of the sunniest states in the US. It is also not very far north. (More people in Utah complain of SAD than they do in Seattle.)3. Alcohol (Cause or effect?) Alaska should be No 1.I don't think mass depression has anything to do with climate, or ugly scenery, isolation, boredom, etc.Perhaps it is genetics?Maybe poverty? (Wasn't Orem, at one time, one of the most impoverished areas in the Nation?)High birth rate?Not! The Mormon religion plays a huge role in Utah's depression.I can personally testify that Mormonism depressed me, and the moment I left the cult, the depression lifted.

"1. Socialism.The average citizen had no hope of ever owning their own house or land. Housing often came with their job. I won't go into Socialism, but we all know the similarities with Mormonism."What? Socialism takes measures against economic inequality, not for them. You are literally saying that turn of the century factory conditions are superior to those now, when clearly they are not. The laws for workers and home owners were hard-fought by socialists so that more economic equality came to be. The 40-hour work week, workers compensation, laws against predatory lending, etc were all socialist actions. Try reading The Jungle, by upton sinclair sometime. Then there are places that are extremely socialistic in their policy but far outrank the USA in terms of happiness, like Denmark and Sweden, for instance. Are you thinking of communism? Socialism and communism are not the same thing.

and Utah is FULL of them. On visits to UT (and I've lived there as well) there is so much pressure on people to conform and be perfect. I have myriads of young TBM neices and nephews and am shocked to see how perfectionistic they are in their everyday lives. I can't even phathom how a young mother of 3 (all under 4 years of age) manages to keep her house and kids, as well as herself in such perfect condition. I mean, no self-respecting 6 month old in UT would be caught without a hair bow and perfectly coordinated outfit! I have a (formerly) TBM neice who converted to Catholicism after marrying a Catholic. When I look at her photos of her and her kids you can actually see the difference between her and her TBM cousins. Her kids are clean and well taken care of but they are not all 'done up' like the rest of the family. This may seem trite but it is all so indicative of other things in the daily lives of TBMs.Bizarre
I never had suicidal thoughts until I moved to Utah some twenty odd years ago. It was in Utah where I realized that according to ChurchCo's own tenets and teachings, that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be good enough to merit The Big Guy's acceptance. Once I left the fold and shook off the cloak of shame the Church had forced upon me, the suicidal thoughts ceased...I experienced a freedom of thought that I enjoy to this day. And yes, I still live in Utah.

Could it be that the Mormon brain has been so thoroughly indoctrinated as to what heaven is like even at the lowest realms that they have no will to live in this plain of existence any more. Or they have subconsciously given up on ever being perfect enough to ever make it to the Big C kingdom, so there is nothing else to live for.

The cognitive dissonance is unresolvable if you keep the Mormon worldview, because it simply does not match up with reality. Your family won't let you dump the world view without huge social repercussions.If the choices are live with massive cognitive dissonance, or lose your family and friends, to some people suicide can at least sound like a workable, if desparate solution to an insoluble problem.Other solutions are to "Turn It Off" (see Book of Mormon soundtrack) or decide to dump the worldview and see which relationships you can salvage. Most of us here have chosen that last option.

This has always troubled me and I have come to the conclusion that the Church sets so many standards and expectations. Not just the Church, but people in power positions (the upper crust) extend these standards. Not to mention the pressure of embarrassing our family, friends, neighbors. So many rules that we become separated from Jesus and his grace and mercy. There is so much preasure to be obedient and acceptable in the Church and I think a lot of people feel unworthy and feel like they will never measure up and inherit the CK. Some leaders tell us if we do this then this will happen to us. I have read many threads in this forum about how leaders have made people feel unworthy. Some have left, some became inactive and some resigned. Some find relief and comfort on this site specifically design to comfort and help recovering mormons. Some end their lives because they have not found access to recovery methods.Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2011 11:23AM by iamagodu.
This board also helps those who were never LDS living in Utah, I spent my first 3yrs hear trying to figure out what was wrong with me. You also saved my family from converting, I just wish we could find a church, play group or something so they could make some good friends