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For some odd reason, I've always thought atheists were more physically fit than most of society. After a quick search, I found an abstract from the National Institutes of Health that addresses the notion.
Religious non-affiliates did not differ overall from affiliates in terms of physical health outcomes (although atheists and agnostics did have better health on some individual measures including BMI, number of chronic conditions, and physical limitations), but had worse positive psychological functioning characteristics, social support relationships, and health behaviors. On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference. If current trends in the religious composition of the population continue, these results have implications for its future healthcare needs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26743877/
For some odd reason, I've always thought atheists were more physically fit than most of society. After a quick search, I found an abstract from the National Institutes of Health that addresses the notion.
Religious non-affiliates did not differ overall from affiliates in terms of physical health outcomes (although atheists and agnostics did have better health on some individual measures including BMI, number of chronic conditions, and physical limitations), but had worse positive psychological functioning characteristics, social support relationships, and health behaviors. On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference. If current trends in the religious composition of the population continue, these results have implications for its future healthcare needs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26743877/
I don't agree about the implications, because you're assuming cause when it is more likely to be association, and extrapolating forward from there.
Atheists are a social minority and there is a social cost to becoming one, for most of us. In my case it happened to be relatively minimal because I did not experience appreciable shunning from my family and my religious community was not what you would call all that socially supportive to begin with, so no great loss. Plus I am an introvert anyway so I don't need the constant stimulation and social lubrication that an extrovert requires. My social needs are quire modest.
But many people lack the social support they require and even pay an overt price for being an atheist, even one that is no firebrand but simply doesn't conform. Our society values conformity to generally accepted norms and is suspicious of outliers. It is no wonder that many atheists have some issues as a result. Even the range of professional help one might obtain is limited by atheism, as some therapists are either overtly or subtly possessed of religious ideation and assumptions.
Also, some unbelievers were so ill-served by their particular brand of theism that they were significantly harmed by it, and those harms can linger. For example, someone psychologically vulnerable to hellthreat / fire-and-brimstone style teachings can have existing OCD or anxiety issues greatly exacerbated, or even caused, by such teachings.
In this environment, people who do make the decision to openly self-identify as atheist (assuming they can bring themselves to that place, and don't style themselves as spiritual-but-not-religious, agnostic or some other euphemism) are also going to tend to be of a certain personality and proclivity. Atheists are not as diverse as they would be in a society where there were large percentages or a majority of same. We tend to be introverted, heady, and distinctly not "joiners" because those characteristics make our survival easier. In a more accommodating world I would expect our demographics and our mental health to be more roughly similar to anyone else.
So to me it's a galloping assumption that atheism leads, or tends to lead, to poor mental and emotional health when in fact it may be the crappy and unloving attitudes of many theists, and/or a particular set of life circumstances that lead a person to question their faith, that is the actual cause. You are ignoring that mental and emotional health issues are caused by a lot of mundane things, and assuming that, for atheists, those causes aren't in play even before they become atheists, much less after.
One must always be very careful in reading studies to question whether the study proves an association or a cause.
I don't agree about the implications, because you're assuming cause when it is more likely to be association, and extrapolating forward from there.
Atheists are a social minority and there is a social cost to becoming one, for most of us. In my case it happened to be relatively minimal because I did not experience appreciable shunning from my family and my religious community was not what you would call all that socially supportive to begin with, so no great loss. Plus I am an introvert anyway so I don't need the constant stimulation and social lubrication that an extrovert requires. My social needs are quire modest.
But many people lack the social support they require and even pay an overt price for being an atheist, even one that is no firebrand but simply doesn't conform. Our society values conformity to generally accepted norms and is suspicious of outliers. It is no wonder that many atheists have some issues as a result. Even the range of professional help one might obtain is limited by atheism, as some therapists are either overtly or subtly possessed of religious ideation and assumptions.
In this environment, people who do make the decision to openly self-identify as atheist (assuming they can bring themselves to that place, and don't style themselves as spiritual-but-not-religious, agnostic or some other euphemism) are also going to tend to be of a certain personality and proclivity. Atheists are not as diverse as they would be in a society where there were large percentages or a majority of same. We tend to be introverted, heady, and distinctly not "joiners" because those characteristics make our survival easier. In a more accommodating world I would expect our demographics and our mental health to be more roughly similar to anyone else.
So to me it's a galloping assumption that atheism leads, or tends to lead, to poor mental and emotional health when in fact it may be the crappy and unloving attitudes of many theists, and/or a particular set of life circumstances that lead a person to question their faith, that is the actual cause. You are ignoring that mental and emotional health issues are caused by a lot of mundane things, and assuming that, for atheists, those causes aren't in play even before they become atheists, much less after.
One must always be very careful in reading studies to question whether the study proves an association or a cause.
There is no need to try to personify the article, it is peer-reviewed accepted science.
For some odd reason, I've always thought atheists were more physically fit than most of society. After a quick search, I found an abstract from the National Institutes of Health that addresses the notion.
Religious non-affiliates did not differ overall from affiliates in terms of physical health outcomes (although atheists and agnostics did have better health on some individual measures including BMI, number of chronic conditions, and physical limitations), but had worse positive psychological functioning characteristics, social support relationships, and health behaviors. On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference. If current trends in the religious composition of the population continue, these results have implications for its future healthcare needs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26743877/
Quote:
If current trends in the religious composition of the population continue, these results have implications for its future healthcare needs.
Treatment for mental health has reached a crisis point. Often when tragedies occur, such as school shootings, church burnings, and the case of the man who killed his mother and cremated her body in the front yard, these people need help they are often unable to get due to lack of mental health facilities and professionals. While their race if often cited, rarely is their religious affliation or lack of it is cited. I dont know how often therapy is conducted to account for religious belief.
For some odd reason, I've always thought atheists were more physically fit than most of society. After a quick search, I found an abstract from the National Institutes of Health that addresses the notion.
Religious non-affiliates did not differ overall from affiliates in terms of physical health outcomes (although atheists and agnostics did have better health on some individual measures including BMI, number of chronic conditions, and physical limitations), but had worse positive psychological functioning characteristics, social support relationships, and health behaviors. On dimensions related to psychological well-being, atheists and agnostics tended to have worse outcomes than either those with religious affiliation or those with no religious preference. If current trends in the religious composition of the population continue, these results have implications for its future healthcare needs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26743877/
What has this got to do with the thread title?
It's completely different subject matter. Maybe start your own thread on it?
Mod Note: New thread created for this conversation.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 10-23-2022 at 07:15 PM..
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