paranoid personality disorders

[The Grand Nudger]

There's a simpler explanation for possession, lol.

[zip_ster]

This has all been very helpful, although admitting I was drawn to a religion that fit my own screwed up mind basically sucks. LOL

[BethK]

Basic personality features, including official bone fide personality disorders, are set in the person's personality in early childhood. I don't know, but you probably could instill paranoid personality disorder by subjecting a young child to the hellfire-and-brimstone stuff... and other disorders can be caused by very early, inappropriate sexual references and teachings. For instance LOTS of fundies teach their young children (especially boys) that their butt is an "output only device" and not to allow, or allow yourself to put (their) 'weenie' in a butt. Yes, I was taken aback when a fundie child first told me that in front of his parents. (sigh)

Anyway, I don't think that an adult or even an older child can have paranoid personality disorder instilled in them through any sort of preaching or teaching or illustration. I'd believe that Christianity and similar religions tend to attract and keep people who already have paranoid personality disorder - especially since fear is the main emotion paranoia operates from, they'll be attracted to something offering to "protect" them from unseeable fears.

In the case of more vivid descriptions or images of various torments of Hell, or Satan, or demons, it could, it seems, possibly cause Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Hmmmm. It seems that lots of Christians react to the ideas of Satan or witchcraft or homosexuality in nearly the same way that a war veteran reacts to the sound of gunfire or a rape victim reacts to places or smells or situations that remind that person of their rape.

Now, in many (but far from all) cases of paranoid schizophrenia, part of the whole complex is for the person to be deluded into really believing that they are God, been specially called by God, have God talking to them frequently, or the reverse that they are evil, the Devil, God hates them, they will do evil things.... blah blah blah. Certainly, these people are far better off staying away from churches, and converting to atheism may be good for their mental health. I say "may" because their paranoid schizophrenia and other paranoia can manifest in other ways. It's no "better" from a mental health perspective to believe that you are a paper clip than it is to believe you are Jesus Christ. So, there would be the same amount of magical thinking, it's just that most of the more unusual types of magical thinking lack mainstream social support, whereas believing you had a vision of God gives you a lot of social support - more and less in some places.

I do have to question how much of the delusion in paranoid schizophrenia is or is not understood at some level by the patient in light of social norms. Many people in the US, Mexico, South America, or western Europe believe they are Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, or some permeation of that. Many people in India believe they are Shiva or Vishnu or Kali... and what makes it worse is that some people worship them! Others in Asia and other places think they're the Buddha. But, in Muslim countries, or countries with a sizable Muslim population NO ONE says or believes they are the Prophet Mohammed or Allah! That would be a death penalty offense in such places! Likewise, this whole scenario is rare in countries where religion or particular religions are illegal.

Admiring those exhibiting traits of paranoid personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia has bad effects on mental health all around... not just in places where the worship people who say they're incarnations of some god or other places where people venerate and worship as saints people who've had God speak or appear to them.

I doubt that you'll find any reliable source making any sort of negative correlation between Christianity and Mental Health because many universities are connected with a church. But, there are many countries throughout the world. Generally, there would be an agenda on either side of someone correlating religion and mental health.

Interestingly though, "religiosity" (being overly religious) is a symptom of several disorders. What is "overly" religious? It's just in the eye of the beholder/clinician.

Beth

That brings me to the questions I have.
Should people with personality disorders and more serious mental health issues be encouraged to stay away from some churches, or from Christianity?

Are mental health statistics better for Atheists? In other words specifically; do Atheists report less paranoid personality disorders?

Would converting to atheism help to alleviate some of these symptoms, that can be found in the three sholarly links above? for example less fear of damnation, less violent imagery, less magical thinking, etc

Is there any legitimate source (APA, etc) that links Christianity to mental health problems?

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Zip_ster,

Yeah, I know what you mean. I too was drawn to a religion that fit my own screwed-up mind, as were many other people. Several of them, in fact, over a period of decades.

The problem is confounded by the religion screws up the people's minds when they are very young, and encourages the adults in (your) life to finish screwing you up in specific ways, and you remain "faithful" to the religion of your upbringing.

Beth

The way to stop that problem is to realize it for a problem NOW, and stop it NOW, and don't propagate it to others.

This has all been very helpful, although admitting I was drawn to a religion that fit my own screwed up mind basically sucks. LOL