• Having lost religion, Milennials and Zoomers turn to astrology (god help us all)
    99 replies, posted
No. Not as a general "rule", they really won't. If your belief is causing, or is part of your problem, they will notice that, and they will not tell you to double down on your faith even if it makes you feel better. I'm really not sure you understand what "Therapy", or "therapists" do.
Especially if these beliefs don't contradict established science. Like, I was the one who posted this article. I have a serious issue with psueodoscience of any kind. I don't care who is advocating for it. But the existence of god can not be objectively proven or disproven by the scientific method. Perhaps one day, maybe... but not currently. So let people have their faith in the meantime, and don't demean them for it as long as they're decent people.
I'm not saying if it's causing it; I'm saying if you have depression and find comfort in faith.
But there's plenty of times where things you find comfort in, are part of the structure causing you to suffer or harm yourself mentally or physically. I'm NOT saying therapists will tell you to turn away from Religion or any faith. What they will most certainly NOT do is push you further into belief structures that are unfounded on things. A good therapist will not put you into a place where they will tell you to dig deeper into a delusion just because it makes you feel good. I've been through therapist after therapist, I've been around the "mental health" block a long time, and I've never had someone help me by letting me go further into a personal comforting belief that had no solid reasoning as a background.
Of course a therapist won't support you relying on a delusion that's causing you harm or that makes you avoid actually fixing a problem; again, that's not what I'm talking about. And remember, you aren't the only one who's been around the mental health block. I can assure you that I am well aware of what
Indeed. The most important less my evangelical parents taught me may have been influenced by their Christian faith, but it was a universally good lesson. They taught me not to give up. They told me again and again, no matter how many times I thought my life was over and I would never amount to anything. And, I eventually came to realize they were right. Life hasn't exactly gone the way I'd hope it would, but I'm happier than I've ever been in large part because I took my parents' lesson to heart. That's why I continue to be an optimist, even though some would say this is irrational. Because I'm of no help to myself or society if I cry doom and gloom and give into my natural pessimistic tendencies. In fact, if it wasn't for my parents, I would probably have killed myself a long time ago.
If you are "leaning on" (your words) a delusion to get through the hard times in life, you are substituting therapy with delusion. Astrology will not show you how to handle difficulties in life in a mentally healthy way. Therapy can.
I really wish we could take back ratings, this is a much more valid point. I do believe religion is largely unnecessary and can lead to some very negative consequences such as the denouncement of science, genital mutilation, discrimination and war to name a few, but if it helps people without harming others or hampering our progress as a society, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.
You can refresh the page and rate it something else.
All the valuable therapists I've ever had have made me analyze and think about the core of beliefs that are comforting to me, because just because something is comforting doesn't mean it's healthy. For me, it's always been a discussion to get to the bottom to, not a wide spread concept of accepting comfort. Comfort is not really a great thing outside of certain contexts.
Stress-eaters find "comfort" in their food, but they still have a problem. The comfort is enabling unhealthy lifestyles and mentalities. It is a suppression tactic; it can't result in a resolution or progress. (I'm agreeing with you and adding on to it, not disagreeing)
Psst: you can take back ratings, as long as its not a coin or a diamond. Reload the page, and you'll have the option to change your rating on any post. I literally just did that a minute ago.
And, once again, I am not suggesting these things in place of actually dealing with the problems, simply stating that for some individuals, structures of faith offer them a measure of additional comfort for those things that are not in their control; belief in an afterlife, or karma, or that things tend toward good, or that praying in a certain way after they have done what they can can improve the odds of success are not harmful. To reiterate; I am not suggesting that faith is a good replacement for action or that any therapist would recommend replacing one with the other. Another note; I don't personally have faith. I'm speaking from the perspective I've gained from being around people that do have it and how it has affected them.
I think my earlier post where I said they should consider therapy came across as if I was saying they need therapy because they believe in astrology. I was trying to say that if you are "leaning on" or needing to find comfort in something like astrology, you definitely need therapy, because the issues you're struggling with are clearly serious enough that you would benefit greatly from actual professional help in resolving or handling these issues.
I get the idea of searching comfort in people or belief, but I think the end does not justify the means here. Watching from outside makes it hard to differenciate someone doing it "for fun" as an activity with friends from someone genuinely delusional. And from the perspective from the guy practicing it only has to repeat the same line to every client and let the apophenia take care of the rest. Does some people go into a place expecting to be lied and on top of that give money for it? I can expect comparations with your examples but if the bad side of religion is the comparation to explain the "less harmful" part, at the end sounds like it is reduced to a 'pick your poison' moment rather than comfort. Is it because of the comforting lies? Taking advantage in your vulnerable moments for profit sounds like a predatory practice masked under mysticism and a false sense of professionalism regardless of your intentions.
Well I agree that for individual Students nihilism can have a positive outcome as you say. However on a societal level I don’t think it should be encouraged because most people can’t handle living like that in reality.
I don't really think any belief system should be encouraged for that matter, it should be entirely up to the individual to decide what's best for them.
A lot of people do though, most people have no idea how to keep their negative emotions in check at all and let them make them make horrible decisions.
I mean it’s pretty much impossible not to encourage a belief system. At some level everyone tells other people what is right and what is wrong. It’s pretty much impossible to raise kids without instilling right and wrong.
I'm more talking about religion or belief systems which may take the place of religion like nihilism, I should have been more clear. My parents, despite being somewhat religious themselves, didn't really promote any one particular religion to me as I was growing up, I've always respected that and wish more parents would do the same.
Yeah I agree. My family are atheists at their core but are very interested in learning about different faiths from a historical and literary perspective. So we read Christian stories, Greek myths, Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, everything when we were young.
Sorry for the mild bump, but how is astrology a comfort in the first place? You're basically surrendering your entire individual agency to an external, abstract authority which neither you nor any physical entity has any influence over. That personally sounds like anything but comforting. And more so, by believing nothing you do matters, you become vulnerable to manipulation and control.
Probably a comfort in not having the feel of responsibility for one's own actions would be my guess.
So kinda like a religion for some people?
Probably not as dogmatic as that. Like plenty have already said in this thread, no one is aware of a "hardcore believer" of astrology in which their entire life revolves around it. It's more like a comforting thing to consider when stressed out, more like.
So a less stressful religion without having to feel the guilt of going against the will of a God?
Well if you're looking for something cosmic that controls you so you don't have to worry about responsibility of yourself, I doubt the entire concept of "against the will of god" is even a factor
https://files.facepunch.com/forum/upload/1717/ac804253-d241-4d67-8109-3d704fb23c5d/DzaT2c5W0AAk3PQ.jpg
Spirituality has been shown to be beneficial to ones mental health? The Mental Health Benefits of Religion & Spirituality | NAMI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2755140/ Hell theres actually some evidence that a lack of spirituality is detrimental to ones mental health. Like all you're doing is shaming people for having a coping mechanism you dislike, which is pretty much one of the most assholish things you can do.
My mom believes in astrology. It's fucking insane. "Son, don't go to work today because it says so in your star charter" WTF mom this is not the elder scrolls ffs
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