Church attendance linked with reduced suicide risk, especially for Catholics, study says

LA Times ^ | Jun 29, 2016 | Melissa Healy

[Mrs. Don-o]

Against a grim backdrop of rising suicide rates among American women, new research has revealed a blinding shaft of light: One group of women — practicing Catholics — appears to have bucked the national trend toward despair and self-harm. Compared with women who never participated in religious services, women who attended any religious service once a week or more were five times less likely to commit suicide between 1996 and 2010, says a study published by JAMA Psychiatry. [snip] Among devout Catholic women — those in the pews more than once a week — suicides were a vanishing phenomenon. Among the 6,999 Catholic women who said they attended mass more than once a week, there was not a single suicide. The Catholic Church teaches that suicide is a mortal sin. It has long ...denied those who killed themselves a Catholic burial. [snip] Sigmund Freud, the father of psychiatry, denounced religious belief as the "universal obsessional neurosis of humanity." Much current research, however, has focused not only on the deep biological underpinnings of religiosity, but its potential benefits as well. "Religious convictions and practices can help people foster a sense of hope, even in the midst of major crises or adversities," said Kheriaty. "Religious faith can help people find a sense of meaning and purpose even in suffering," he added. "It's not our role to 'prescribe' religion… or proselytize to our patients," said Kheriaty. "It is safe to assume that religious conviction and faith must be genuine and sincere if they are to provide the mental and physical health benefits that several studies have suggested." But if patients are inclined to explore religion or spirituality, said Kheriaty, "doctors can encourage patients to explore such activities confident that religious practices will likely not harm, and may indeed, help, their patient's mental health.

[infool7]

Now you falsely accuse me too?

May the Peace of our Lord Christ Jesus descend on you and remain with you forever.

All Glory to God the Father,

In the Name of our Blessed Lord and Savior Christ Jesus,

Through the Grace,

Peace,

Mercy,

and Love of the

Holy Spirit.

Amen

7

[aMorePerfectUnion]

sure infool7! 😂

[Mr Rogers]

“Protestant women who worshiped weekly at church were far less likely to take their own lives than were women who seldom or never attended services. But these same Protestant women were still seven times more likely to die by their own hand than were their devout Catholic sisters.”

How many of those Protestant women went to mainline denominations that elevate social justice and reject the Gospel? There are still many Protestant denominations where a woman could attend church for years and never hear:

“Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” - Mark 1

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” - Acts 2

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” - Acts 16

“If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.” - Romans 10

“For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after he says:

‘This is the covenant I will make with them after those days’, the Lord says, ‘I will put my laws on their hearts
and write them on their minds, and I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts.’

Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.” - Hebrews 10

[Mrs. Don-o]

*No* shootings Catholic schools, as far as I know.

Thanks be to God.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Wonderful quote about Our Lord. Thank you for that.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Interesting point. Causality could go either way.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Faith, Hope and Love. You got it!

[Mrs. Don-o]

God bless. You are an instrument of the Lord’s peace.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I did not post this in the Religion Forum, because the recent posts about suicides in the general News Forum andI thought the general newsies would be interested in this.

[NorthMountain]

And when the stuff is hitting the fan all around you, and life seems suddenly very precarious indeed ...

Remember that there is One Lord, to whom those prayers may be addressed, who will hear you in your hour of distress.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I think it’s a good article. I can see why it is true.

[metmom]

Jesus is the only answer.

[metmom]

Too bad! They have never experienced the power of the confessional. It can be sometimes felt as a humbling task, true, and it is not always the easiest thing to do, but it really does work amazing wonders for the mind and the soul, doesn't it?

What about confessing to the person you wronged and asking them for forgiveness?

That is very healing and restorative for both parties and completely Scriptural, and it's a LOT harder to do it face to face with the one you offended than to hide anonymously in a confessional giving someone you don't know a laundry list of your sins.

[metmom]

Funny, my non-Catholic friends tell me "It isn't necessary to tell your sins to a priest.." yada yada yada.

Ir isn't and that yada, yada, yada you so sneer at is found in Scripture. We can confess right to God and HE promises to forgive us.

[metmom]

To best defend yourself from Satan and his demons you should put on the full armor of God, come home to the..

That's not the armor according to Ephesians 6 that the Holy spirit inspired.

The armor of God is not found in a church or creed.

[Ransomed]

If you are going more than once a week you probably also believe you have a weekly obligation to attend Mass, even if you are not fit to receive the Host. And if so you probably would probably also believe you have an obligation to go to confession as soon as possible. So maybe it is less likely for Catholic women to stop going long enough for black suicidal depression to take hold?

Freegards

[Old Yeller]

Funny, my non-Catholic friends tell me "It isn't necessary to tell your sins to a priest.." yada yada yada. Too bad! They have never experienced the power of the confessional. It can be sometimes felt as a humbling task, true, and it is not always the easiest thing to do, but it really does work amazing wonders for the mind and the soul, doesn't it?

When I was a Catholic, I never told the priest my real sins. Figured it was none of his business and it would have been too embarrassing.

[metmom]

That seems a lot like an unprovoked and unwarranted ad hominem personal attack, to me, a fellow FReeper and brother in Christ Jesus but I forgive you and hope you can find peace in all that troubles you.

That's not forgiveness.

You didn't forgive him when you blew him in to be spanked by the RM.

If you forgave him, you canceled the debt that you felt he owed against you and are not holding him accountable for it.

Forgiveness would have been overlooking the perceived insult and letting it roll off your back.

[metmom]

That seems a lot like an unprovoked and unwarranted ad hominem personal attack, to me, a fellow FReeper and brother in Christ Jesus but I forgive you and hope you can find peace in all that troubles you.

And honestly, you're provoked over THAT?

You need to chill more than a little bit.

[metmom]

“Protestant women who worshiped weekly at church were far less likely to take their own lives than were women who seldom or never attended services. But these same Protestant women were still seven times more likely to die by their own hand than were their devout Catholic sisters.”

They are comparing apples to oranges.

The state *Protestant women* which can mean just about anything and then compare them to *DEVOUT* Catholic women.

To make it a fair comparison, they need to either take DEVOUT Christian women, or just any old Catholic women.