Why does atheism have a suicide problem?

[EarthScienceguy]

Depression is a serious problem with in the greater atheist community and far too often, that depression has led to suicide. This is something many of my fellow atheists often dont like to admit, but it is true. I know a lot of atheists, myself included, would all like to believe that atheists are happier people than religious believers and in many ways we are. But we also have to accept the reality that in some very important ways we are not.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/atheism- ... ec613b812b

[Difflugia]

If we assume that your unstated premise is actually true, then I suspect it's because atheists (by definition) have denied themselves a sort of permanent fantasy to help cope with the stress of reality.

Theism is kind of like a role-playing game, but you never make yourself stop playing, even when you have important work to do or decisions to make.

[SallyF]

I just read the same article.

There seems to be a gleeful inference in this OP that atheism causes suicidal tendencies.

The author ALSO said that Atheists are notorious for being contrarians, and, essentially, independently-minded loners.

The causality may actually run the other way.

None of which provides evidence that the gods and angels and talking animals that give us REASON to become Atheists are anything more than imaginary.

But I do grant that group huddles of any sort are likely to be of benefit to those with suicidal tendencies.

I suggest that god-free knitting circles have a lower suicide rate than loner atheists.

Praise the Needles.

[EarthScienceguy]

[Replying to post 2 by Difflugia]

If we assume that your unstated premise is actually true, then I suspect it's because atheists (by definition) have denied themselves a sort of permanent fantasy to help cope with the stress of reality.

My unstated premise is the depression that comes from the beliefs of atheism denies the atheist of the worship that every human being was designed to need.

Theism is kind of like a role-playing game, but you never make yourself stop playing, even when you have important work to do or decisions to make.

I have no idea at all what you are trying to communicate here.

[Tcg]

My unstated premise is the depression that comes from the beliefs of atheism denies the atheist of the worship that every human being was designed to need.

That's quite a leap and one not support by the article you posted a link to. It also fails to address this reality:

• Does religion protect against suicide?
  
  Religious participation is linked to lower suicide rates in many parts of the world, including the United States and Russia, but does not protect against the risk of suicide in sections of Europe and Asia, finds new research by a Michigan State University scholar.
  
  Michigan State University. "Does religion protect against suicide?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 June 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170628102328.htm>

If your universal claim concerning lack of worship causing depression were true, religious participation would protect against the risk of suicide world-wide, not just in some regions.


Tcg

[Menotu]

Depression is a serious problem with in the greater atheist community and far too often, that depression has led to suicide. This is something many of my fellow atheists often dont like to admit, but it is true. I know a lot of atheists, myself included, would all like to believe that atheists are happier people than religious believers and in many ways we are. But we also have to accept the reality that in some very important ways we are not.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/atheism- ... ec613b812b

I've seen more believers and agnostics commit suicide than atheists.
Maybe it's the pressure to be what they aren't?

[brunumb]

[Replying to post 4 by EarthScienceguy]

My unstated premise is the depression that comes from the beliefs of atheism denies the atheist of the worship that every human being was designed to need.

Your premise is false because we were not designed, we evolved.

[Bust Nak]

[Replying to post 1 by EarthScienceguy]

Smarter people are more prone to mental illness, a possible explanation is that we tend to be more goal-oriented which makes us correspondingly more prone to feeling depressed when things don't go our way. Another explanation is that the brains of intelligent people are more reactive to environmental stimulus which predispose us to certain psychological or physiological disorders involving elevated sensory and altered immune and inflammatory responses.

[EarthScienceguy]

[Replying to post 5 by Tcg]

Religious participation is linked to lower suicide rates in many parts of the world, including the United States and Russia, but does not protect against the risk of suicide in sections of Europe and Asia, finds new research by a Michigan State University scholar.

Michigan State University. "Does religion protect against suicide?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 June 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170628102328.htm>

If your universal claim concerning lack of worship causing depression were true, religious participation would protect against the risk of suicide world-wide, not just in some regions.

Thanks for the great article in support of my premise.

From the article you sighted:

Religious participation is linked to lower suicide rates in many parts of the world, including the United States and Russia, but does not protect against the risk of suicide in sections of Europe and Asia, finds new research by a Michigan State University scholar.

In Catholic-dominant Western and Southern Europe, residents appear to be placing less importance on God and religion and have less confidence in religious institutions. In East Asia, traditional faiths such as Buddhism and Confucianism focus on individual spirituality rather than collective spirituality, which entails social support and moral guidance.

"Secularization and the individual pursuit of spirituality are two important factors that weaken the strength of local religious communities, and this reduces the protective nature of religious participation against suicide," said MSU sociologist Ning Hsieh, whose findings are published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 5 by Tcg]

Religious participation is linked to lower suicide rates in many parts of the world, including the United States and Russia, but does not protect against the risk of suicide in sections of Europe and Asia, finds new research by a Michigan State University scholar.

Michigan State University. "Does religion protect against suicide?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 June 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170628102328.htm>

If your universal claim concerning lack of worship causing depression were true, religious participation would protect against the risk of suicide world-wide, not just in some regions.

Thanks for the great article in support of my premise.

From the article you sighted:

Religious participation is linked to lower suicide rates in many parts of the world, including the United States and Russia, but does not protect against the risk of suicide in sections of Europe and Asia, finds new research by a Michigan State University scholar.

In Catholic-dominant Western and Southern Europe, residents appear to be placing less importance on God and religion and have less confidence in religious institutions. In East Asia, traditional faiths such as Buddhism and Confucianism focus on individual spirituality rather than collective spirituality, which entails social support and moral guidance.

"Secularization and the individual pursuit of spirituality are two important factors that weaken the strength of local religious communities, and this reduces the protective nature of religious participation against suicide," said MSU sociologist Ning Hsieh, whose findings are published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Your premise is this, "My unstated premise is the depression that comes from the beliefs of atheism denies the atheist of the worship that every human being was designed to need."

Just as with the article your referenced, nothing here supports your premise.