Anna Duggar - Merge

[lascuba]

This is probably true. They aren't allowed to drink but if it's prescribed by a doc they're all for it.

Not so fun fact: The state of Utah has the highest rate of antidepressants and sedatives in the country, for the same reason.

Wow, that is so interesting to me. Is this seen as a bad thing among mental health professionals? I know a lot a people self-medicate with alcohol and recreational drugs when they can't or won't access mental health care, so I'm guessing a good chunk of those numbers might be better off having a taboo on those things. I wonder if the increased rate of antidepressant and sedative use can be entirely explained by lack of alcohol use, or do the numbers not match up with states where alcohol use isn't an issue.

[Cleopatra7]

Wow, that is so interesting to me. Is this seen as a bad thing among mental health professionals? I know a lot a people self-medicate with alcohol and recreational drugs when they can't or won't access mental health care, so I'm guessing a good chunk of those numbers might be better off having a taboo on those things. I wonder if the increased rate of antidepressant and sedative use can be entirely explained by lack of alcohol use, or do the numbers not match up with states where alcohol use isn't an issue.

From what I understand, the high rates of antidepressant use in Utah is due to the stress of having to lead a "perfect Mormon life":

"In Mormon culture females are supposed accept a calling. They are to be constantly smiling over their family of five. They are supposed to take supper across the street to an ill neighbor and then put up with their husband when he comes home from work and smile about it the whole time. There is this sense that Mrs. Jones down street is doing the same thing, and there is this undercurrent of competition. To be a good mother and wife, women have to put on this mask of perfection. They can't show their tears, depression or agony," Canning said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNe ... id=4403731

[eh02]

Lisa Ling did a really interesting special on prescription pill abuse in Utah. I had no idea it was such a big problem there before watching it, but it doesn't surprise me, I guess. I grew up in a relatively affluent area and while most everyone smoked some weed or drank or maybe experimented once in a while with other drugs, the wealthy kids ended up being the ones who died from heroin overdoses - because they'd become addicted to prescription pills with all their disposable income and then eventually couldn't afford it anymore and moved on to heroin. Sad.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/02/living/li ... use-essay/

[nastyhobbitses]

Wow, that is so interesting to me. Is this seen as a bad thing among mental health professionals? I know a lot a people self-medicate with alcohol and recreational drugs when they can't or won't access mental health care, so I'm guessing a good chunk of those numbers might be better off having a taboo on those things. I wonder if the increased rate of antidepressant and sedative use can be entirely explained by lack of alcohol use, or do the numbers not match up with states where alcohol use isn't an issue.

I think it's not entirely because of a lack of alcohol - people may be more willing to go to a medical professional because Utah is a relatively wealthy state - though I think that Fundamentalist culture also means that people may develop depression and other psychiatric issues at a higher rate. A very restrictive lifestyle that calls for not showing very much emotion or putting on a "face" can definitely make people who could probably manage things better in a less restrictive life more likely to have things spiral out of control.

But I can definitely see Anna, Michelle, or other fundie moms getting a little help from Valium/Zoloft/Xanax/Prozac. And there's no shame in that. I take antidepressants to help me regulate my anxiety and depression, and it doesn't make me weak or bad. If they do indeed use those sorts of drugs to help with day-to-day life, I hope they don't abuse them, and I wish they'd be less afraid to show that things aren't perfect; it's OK to drop the Fundie Stepford Wife act and admit that sometimes you can't cope, or find it difficult to cope.

[Freefundies]

As Josh recently bought a home close to Jill's neighborhood maybe he is thinking that when things begin to hit that fan in a few years then moving home and having Jslaves to help will alleviate he problem for a bit. Only problem is that the Jslaves can only be stretched so far and they are realizing the only way to escape is to get married young and begin their own brood.

[clueliss]

Earlier in the thread there is a photo someone found and posted with Jana carrying Marcus and Jason following behind, presumably when Anna and the M's went to Ark for Jessa's wedding (or Jill's). At the time there was curiosity about the tiny violin looking case Jason carried.

This last weekend, I watched (I know, i have no life) a Duggar Studios (the howlers) video of Jason playing Mandolin and lip syncing to a Lawson Bates song. One or two other howlers and a couple of Bates boys are in the background.

Question - could the small case not be a small size violin for Mac, but perhaps a mandolin for Jason since he seems to be/have learned to play?

[gemma]

I'm glad to know they all have webpages. Being a parent, especially a SAHM, I think can be very challenging. It's true that she is isolated where she is. Perhaps, I'll drop her a note of encouragement on one of those webpages someone listed. Although tragedy in this situation is rare, I certainly wouldn't want to see someone stressed to that point.

[PennySycamore]

Earlier in the thread there is a photo someone found and posted with Jana carrying Marcus and Jason following behind, presumably when Anna and the M's went to Ark for Jessa's wedding (or Jill's). At the time there was curiosity about the tiny violin looking case Jason carried.

This last weekend, I watched (I know, i have no life) a Duggar Studios (the howlers) video of Jason playing Mandolin and lip syncing to a Lawson Bates song. One or two other howlers and a couple of Bates boys are in the background.

Question - could the small case not be a small size violin for Mac, but perhaps a mandolin for Jason since he seems to be/have learned to play?

I don't think mandolins look enough like violins to have similar looking cases. Mandolins have thicker necks and many of them have rounder bodies.

Mandolin

[ADoyle90815]

Lisa Ling did a really interesting special on prescription pill abuse in Utah. I had no idea it was such a big problem there before watching it, but it doesn't surprise me, I guess. I grew up in a relatively affluent area and while most everyone smoked some weed or drank or maybe experimented once in a while with other drugs, the wealthy kids ended up being the ones who died from heroin overdoses - because they'd become addicted to prescription pills with all their disposable income and then eventually couldn't afford it anymore and moved on to heroin. Sad.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/02/living/li ... use-essay/

I have a step brother I never met because he became addicted to prescription drugs after a car accident while living in Utah, and he later died from a heroin overdose because he moved on to heroin from the prescription drug. His sisters and half sister are still Mormon, but his brothers and dad have left the church.

[Jana814]

As Josh recently bought a home close to Jill's neighborhood maybe he is thinking that when things begin to hit that fan in a few years then moving home and having Jslaves to help will alleviate he problem for a bit. Only problem is that the Jslaves can only be stretched so far and they are realizing the only way to escape is to get married young and begin their own brood.

When did Josh buy a house in Jill's area?

[gemma]

When did Josh buy a house in Jill's area?

Couple of weeks ago

[Jana814]

Couple of weeks ago

Thanks so does this mean they r leaving DC?

[Eatingintheprayercloset]

Thanks so does this mean they r leaving DC?

Possibly or they can flip it. Better yet, maybe Josh can hand it to Ben so he can a pastor/house flipper! :clap:

[BlessaBlessa]

I'm saying something totally off-topic, sorry, but we just got rid of our cable. Does anyone know where you can watch 19 kids and Counting online? Its not on Hulu or Amazon :violin:

1st post!!

I'm watching it on YouTube. And, it's free.

[MalteseBaby]

Earlier in the thread there is a photo someone found and posted with Jana carrying Marcus and Jason following behind, presumably when Anna and the M's went to Ark for Jessa's wedding (or Jill's). At the time there was curiosity about the tiny violin looking case Jason carried.

This last weekend, I watched (I know, i have no life) a Duggar Studios (the howlers) video of Jason playing Mandolin and lip syncing to a Lawson Bates song. One or two other howlers and a couple of Bates boys are in the background.

Question - could the small case not be a small size violin for Mac, but perhaps a mandolin for Jason since he seems to be/have learned to play?

Yes, it could be a half-sized violin. My son was gifted with an antique heirloom quality half- sized violin when he started playing the instrument at age 4 and it was too large for him. I'm not sure if they are still being made, but much was made over his rather unusual and quite beautiful antique little violin.

[MalteseBaby]

I have to admit, on the topic of Anna, that I do not understand her at all. I understand her less than the blood Duggars.

I think her birth family didn't pay much attention to their children. Priscilla has some sort of developmental delays or speech problems or both.

Anna does NOT have even Duggar- level decision making skills, which is to say that her skills are bottom of the barrel, obviously.

Does she love Josh? I think so, but I can't know anyone's heart but my own.

Does she love her children? She seems to, but I think Mac has speech problems and I've yet to hear Marcus utter a sound, not even a vowel. Love means teaching, and I'm not sure she's teaching her children at all now.

Will she crack? If she tries to birth many more children with her low pain threshold and lack of understanding of how to work with her birth coaches and midwives, I think each birth will take a lot out of her because the woman just can't handle childbirth well at ALL. She needs to give birth in the hospital with an epidural, if any of the Duggars do.

I don't think she handles the fame and now the pressures of being a D.C. area well. All of her anti-abortion rants on social media ( which I do not read but know about from here) seem to be her attempts at fitting in somewhere.

Put her back in Arkansas in the woods and she will probably gain confidence and better coping skills.

I think she thought she was marrying a " strong man", but now knows she didn't.

These are just my impressions/ opinions. I don't like her or any of the other Duggars, I don't understand her at all, or the Keller family in general.

Many of these things were out of her control as a fundy child and then young adult entering a " courtship". But those days have passed, she has many responsibilities to her children, to her unborn to birth them competently, and to herself, to know what she can handle and what she can't, and to get help for the things which she does not deal with well.

I put her present and her future life on her shoulders.Each of us is responsible for how we deal with our life struggles as well as our life joys.

[clueliss]

I think that courtship, engagement, wedding, Jill got pregnant stuff set off baby envy in Anna. Her reaction to the pregnancy and gender reveal was 'oh I wish I were.' She may have been ready to slow down until the sisters-in-law started gearing up.

[Jana814]

I think that courtship, engagement, wedding, Jill got pregnant stuff set off baby envy in Anna. Her reaction to the pregnancy and gender reveal was 'oh I wish I were.' She may have been ready to slow down until the sisters-in-law started gearing up.

[halcionne]

Couple of weeks ago

Actually, he bought the house in January and it came to light in March. viewtopic.php?f=87&t=25242&p=897147p897147

There are pics somewhere in that thread that suggest the house needs some work before anyone can move in.

[Seven]

Anna just seems lost all the time. It seems that even people who dislike the Duggars have some sort of leg humper-ish feelings toward her because they feel so sorry for her, which I find annoying. Would you want people to like you because they feel sorry for you? How embarrassing for her!

I can't listen to her talk, especially when she keeps doing the wide eyed googly thing to make a point, and she keeps saying "aaand" "aaaannnndddd", because she doesn't know how to end a sentence or a thought. It's painful to listen to. If she had attended a real school she would have had speech class and would be able to sound intelligent on camera.

You can see her at her most vulnerable during her labors, and you can see how weak she really is. When she had Marcus in the birthing tub she was terrified he was going to drown because she had no clue how water birthing worked. When she was in the car in labor she just kept screaming stuff like "oh Joshua I love you" and screaming out for Jesus to help her. No, it's called help yourself, educate yourself and depend on yourself. She should have been educated about a water birth. This family has never had her best interests in mind during her labor and deliveries and she needs to take matters into her own hands to save herself and her children.

She now has a ton of money and yet Mackinzie needs speech therapy. The kids aren't well behaved either - much like their aunts and uncles, but they seem to get passes because their cute. I see kids who are being very spoiled and getting very entitled, I don't see cute. She never put down Mikey after she had Marcus and needed help with only 3 kids. Most mommy's I know with 2 or more kids don't need that kind of help.

Anna seems to think the clueless sweet thing is endearing but I just don't. She is co-dependant and weak, and totally bedazzled by the Duggars. Yes, she will break down very soon because she is laying the road for it with her sweetness, co-dependance on ignorant people, and her lack of ability to speak up with questions or demands for herself and her kids.

[gemma]

I have to admit, on the topic of Anna, that I do not understand her at all. I understand her less than the blood Duggars.

I think her birth family didn't pay much attention to their children. Priscilla has some sort of developmental delays or speech problems or both.

Anna does NOT have even Duggar- level decision making skills, which is to say that her skills are bottom of the barrel, obviously.

Does she love Josh? I think so, but I can't know anyone's heart but my own.

Does she love her children? She seems to, but I think Mac has speech problems and I've yet to hear Marcus utter a sound, not even a vowel. Love means teaching, and I'm not sure she's teaching her children at all now.

Will she crack? If she tries to birth many more children with her low pain threshold and lack of understanding of how to work with her birth coaches and midwives, I think each birth will take a lot out of her because the woman just can't handle childbirth well at ALL. She needs to give birth in the hospital with an epidural, if any of the Duggars do.

I don't think she handles the fame and now the pressures of being a D.C. area well. All of her anti-abortion rants on social media ( which I do not read but know about from here) seem to be her attempts at fitting in somewhere.

Put her back in Arkansas in the woods and she will probably gain confidence and better coping skills.

I think she thought she was marrying a " strong man", but now knows she didn't.

These are just my impressions/ opinions. I don't like her or any of the other Duggars, I don't understand her at all, or the Keller family in general.

Many of these things were out of her control as a fundy child and then young adult entering a " courtship". But those days have passed, she has many responsibilities to her children, to her unborn to birth them competently, and to herself, to know what she can handle and what she can't, and to get help for the things which she does not deal with well.

I put her present and her future life on her shoulders.Each of us is responsible for how we deal with our life struggles as well as our life joys.

What is wrong with Mac(ynzie's) and Priscilla's speech? What would make you say Anna had trouble handling childbirth? She was a trooper and will probably do the same over and over. If it were me, the plan would be in a hospital with instant epidural. Better yet, knock me out and let me know when it's over.

[lookinggoodforjesus]

I don't want to quote it because it's long, but to the above poster

you may have noticed that they often put subtitles when Mackynzie speaks. I know personally I have a lot of difficulty understanding her. There is nothing wrong with what she is saying, just how she speaks.

I'm not sure if that warrants speech therapy. IMO if she was surrounded by children her age level in a classroom environment, she would likely have no difficulties at all.

[lascuba]

I always thought Mac speaks very well for her age. She's, what...4?

As for Priscilla, speech-wise, I think she just does a lot of simpering baby talk, she doesn't necessarily have a speech impediment. I do, however, think there's something very wrong with her, intellectually. She just doesn't sound like a normal person.

[gemma]

I always thought Mac speaks very well for her age. She's, what...4?

As for Priscilla, speech-wise, I think she just does a lot of simpering baby talk, she doesn't necessarily have a speech impediment. I do, however, think there's something very wrong with her, intellectually. She just doesn't sound like a normal person.

I like Priscilla very much, but there is something different about her presentation. She is very child-like. I don't want to be critical of her, but she is different.

[goldfishgoddess]

I think Anna was in a dead-end life, and Josh came onto the scene and seemed like her knight in shining armor. She seems like a really patient soul, and able to be subservient to the obnoxious know -it -all Josh. If I recall, her vows were to obey that pork chop of a husband and leave the number of children up to God. She made her bed, now she's got to lie in it. So far, I think her life is the way she wants it to be, and it's better than what she had before.