Psychosis - another reason to be anti-theist

[watchamadoodle]

Yeah, totally agree, this is a big issue. If someone says they're hearing voices, you get them some help. If they say they're hearing some religious bullshit, you have to pretend like that's OK, or even a good thing.

It's easy to see how it can mask real mental illness.

That's a good point. If friends and family are religious, then they are less likely to help that person get psychiatric help. They might first try prayer, faith healers, and so forth. Many Christians consider psychiatrists to be anti-Christian, so they prefer to go to unlicensed Christian counselors.

I also think religions plant the seeds of fear and superstition that lay dormant until psychosis makes them grow. I hate when I see Christians discussing Luciferian conspiracies, demons, etc. I suppose there are all kinds of delusions that a psychotic person might develop, but let's not seed all our minds with fear-mongering nonsense.

Here is an interesting article discussing the problems of religion and psychosis:

But do religious beliefs help or hinder those with delusions?
...
She found that religious nature of their delusions did help some patients to cope. For some, who believed they were being persecuted demons, belief in their god or guardian angel gave them comfort and strength to deal with their condition.
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For one patient, who believed he was being controlled by supernatural entities, turning to his priest helped them to understand that his delusion was an illness.
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However for most patients (55%, in fact), the religious component of their delusions actually made their condition more serious.
...
Patients with delusions – and especially those with religious delusions – tended also to be more religious than those. And this is where their real problems begin.
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These patients also are more likely to find that their religion brings them into conflict with psychiatrists and others who are trying to provide mental health support. In fact, one in four of them have come to believe that their religion does not allow them to take antipsychotic medication.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/epiphenom/2...gious.html