A family friend has been out on his mission about 4 months... - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

non sequitur · 03-08-2008, 09:57 PM

I heard today that he was coming home -- I was quickly assured, though, that it was for medical reasons and was "honorable". It turns out he is suffering from depression. Is this becoming an epidemic? When I was a missionary we didn't have that out, and my mission was pretty depressing. I don't think anyone goes through a two year mission without being depressed every now and again. I thought today's kids were all supposed to be valiant warriors in the pre-existence. How come they're so soft now?

Archaea · 03-08-2008, 10:19 PM

It does seem strange that so many young people can be diagnosed to be clinically depressed. In our day, that diagnosis was uncommon, but it seems almost commonplace.

My service occurred in a country where one taught almost no investigators, experienced virtually no baptisms, and walked around in cold, wet weather all day long. Yes, there were depressing days, but you toughed that aspect out. Kids today can be a bit wimpy.

NorCal Cat · 03-12-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archaea

It does seem strange that so many young people can be diagnosed to be clinically depressed. In our day, that diagnosis was uncommon, but it seems almost commonplace.

My service occurred in a country where one taught almost no investigators, experienced virtually no baptisms, and walked around in cold, wet weather all day long. Yes, there were depressing days, but you toughed that aspect out. Kids today can be a bit wimpy.

A bit wimpy?! That's the understatement of the century. I'd say they're a bunch of pussies.

minn_stat · 03-12-2008, 12:38 PM

I'd summarize what I'm reading here as
1) depression is real in missionaries, and
2) it is sometimes "mis-diagnosed" to cover up general whimpiness.

I agree with this sentiment. I think a whole bunch of the "new mental health diseases" (ADHD, depression, autism, sexual and gambling addiction, to name a few) are to some degree created by the mental health experts to give themselves more clients and hence more money. To a large degree, it seems that today, kids are raised with a serious disconnect with the reality that life is a struggle, and parents think it is their duty to protect their kids from any misfortune or hard edges. P.J. O'Rourke refers to this as the "whiffle life" in his book "Parliament of Whores". (Which is very entertaining political satire, BTW). And these parents love their kids, so don't EVER accuse them of not being good parents. Their kid has <name your disease>, that is the problem.

This does not, however, invalidate that there really is something wrong in some, maybe even a majority, of these cases. And since I rarely have enough information to make an informed judgment of a particular case, I tend to assume that the above applies sometimes in a general sense, but in individual cases, I try to assume <name your disease> is real.

BYU71 · 03-12-2008, 07:28 PM

If they were living all the mission rules and were praying sincerely, they would have no problems with depression. If you do what the leaders tell you, all will be well.

MikeWaters · 03-12-2008, 07:29 PM

I am gratified to learn that the stigma of mentall illness is now less than the stigma of coming home early.

That's progress for acceptance of mental illness.

RC Vikings · 03-12-2008, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU71

If they were living all the mission rules and were praying sincerely, they would have no problems with depression. If you do what the leaders tell you, all will be well.

Can you be single and still be a mission president? You make it so simple to understand that I think you would do a great job.

il Padrino Ute · 03-12-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC Vikings

Can you be single and still be a mission president? You make it so simple to understand that I think you would do a great job.

No. Who would use the Spirit to tell the Elders to keep their apartments clean?

MikeWaters · 03-12-2008, 08:02 PM

They don't allow people who say they will give a person a hot dog and then don't do so, to be mission presidents.

Indy Coug · 03-12-2008, 08:03 PM

They don't let single men be MPs for the simple reason that the church strongly believes there should be as many reasons as possible for its membership to piss and moan about something.

03-08-2008, 09:57 PM	#1
non sequitur Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,964	A family friend has been out on his mission about 4 months... I heard today that he was coming home -- I was quickly assured, though, that it was for medical reasons and was "honorable". It turns out he is suffering from depression. Is this becoming an epidemic? When I was a missionary we didn't have that out, and my mission was pretty depressing. I don't think anyone goes through a two year mission without being depressed every now and again. I thought today's kids were all supposed to be valiant warriors in the pre-existence. How come they're so soft now? __________________ ...You've been under attack for days, there's a soldier down, he's wounded, gangrene's setting in, 'Who's used all the penicillin?' 'Oh, Mark Paxson sir, he's got knob rot off of some tart.'" - Gareth Keenan

03-08-2008, 10:19 PM	#2
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	It does seem strange that so many young people can be diagnosed to be clinically depressed. In our day, that diagnosis was uncommon, but it seems almost commonplace. My service occurred in a country where one taught almost no investigators, experienced virtually no baptisms, and walked around in cold, wet weather all day long. Yes, there were depressing days, but you toughed that aspect out. Kids today can be a bit wimpy. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

03-12-2008, 12:38 PM	#4
minn_stat Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 283	I'd summarize what I'm reading here as 1) depression is real in missionaries, and 2) it is sometimes "mis-diagnosed" to cover up general whimpiness. I agree with this sentiment. I think a whole bunch of the "new mental health diseases" (ADHD, depression, autism, sexual and gambling addiction, to name a few) are to some degree created by the mental health experts to give themselves more clients and hence more money. To a large degree, it seems that today, kids are raised with a serious disconnect with the reality that life is a struggle, and parents think it is their duty to protect their kids from any misfortune or hard edges. P.J. O'Rourke refers to this as the "whiffle life" in his book "Parliament of Whores". (Which is very entertaining political satire, BTW). And these parents love their kids, so don't EVER accuse them of not being good parents. Their kid has <name your disease>, that is the problem. This does not, however, invalidate that there really is something wrong in some, maybe even a majority, of these cases. And since I rarely have enough information to make an informed judgment of a particular case, I tend to assume that the above applies sometimes in a general sense, but in individual cases, I try to assume <name your disease> is real.

03-12-2008, 07:28 PM	#5
BYU71 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 5,084	If they were living all the mission rules and were praying sincerely, they would have no problems with depression. If you do what the leaders tell you, all will be well.

03-12-2008, 07:29 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I am gratified to learn that the stigma of mentall illness is now less than the stigma of coming home early. That's progress for acceptance of mental illness.

03-12-2008, 08:02 PM	#9
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	They don't allow people who say they will give a person a hot dog and then don't do so, to be mission presidents.

03-12-2008, 08:03 PM	#10
Indy Coug Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Between Iraq and a hard place Posts: 7,569	They don't let single men be MPs for the simple reason that the church strongly believes there should be as many reasons as possible for its membership to piss and moan about something.