Anyone else depressed?

[anjulibai]

I've had a general feeling of anxiety and depression the last several days. I wasn't sure of the source, but I quickly realized it's all about this sickening news. I feel guilty for having wanted the Duggars to fall for so long - this is just not how I wanted it. I feel strange about knowing anything about them - for the first time, I'm genuinely ashamed that I made those spreadsheets. I feel powerless thinking about what the Duggar girls have gone through, having watched them for so long and not knowing what they've truly been through. I just feel sick and anxious about it all.

 

Anyone else feeling this way?

[ofMatthew]

I know what you mean. I've been feeling down and unable to sleep the last few days. I have that yucky sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I knew the Duggars weren't perfect, or even all that great... I feel deceived anyway and somewhat dirty because it feels like I was in on this lie.

[GeoBQn]

I was surprised by how exhausted and emotionally drained I felt at the end of the day on Thursday, when the news first broke. Since then, I've been a bit on edge waiting for TLC to officially cancel the show. I'm not sure what it is about hearing a bad news story that makes you anticipate something bigger, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

[IrishCarrie]

Me too.... :(

For some reason, I'm kind of obsessing on Jana and I could cry anytime I think of her. She's so beautiful and so sad, and had all those trips to JTTH - it's all adding up now and its AWFUL.

(I know it's awful for all of them, but for some reason she's the one that's hitting me hardest.)

So yes, I'm depressed too. Would be way worse without FJ though :wink-kitty:

[Luvchild]

I am depressed and really feel like I'm going through stages of grief- I wanted the Duggars to fall only by one of them getting to go to a real college, or one coming out gay, or one doing a big "F U" to their parents- never did I imagine this and I feel so bad for the kids

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

Me too.... :(

For some reason, I'm kind of obsessing on Jana and I could cry anytime I think of her. She's so beautiful and so sad, and had all those trips to JTTH - it's all adding up now and its AWFUL.

(I know it's awful for all of them, but for some reason she's the one that's hitting me hardest.)

So yes, I'm depressed too. Would be way worse without FJ though :wink-kitty:

Newbie here, but I have always wondered why Jana was so seemingly reluctant to court, I keep wondering if she isn't staying home to protect her younger sisters? In many ways she is their mother, she spends more time with them than their mom seems to. It is so sad, she seems like the sweetest, kindest, compassionate person you could ever meet.

[MisUndrstd]

I too have felt an overwhelming sadness about this. I did not want the Duggars' to fall like this and take all their children down with them. I admit I did find JB pretty pervy and creepy and I felt as though Michelle set women back 100 years. I never liked Josh because of his arrogance and always needing to be the center of attention. But I did like Anna, she's sweet and all of the other kids. When the older girls' were more in the spotlight I thought it was a good thing, that they were good role models for young girls, rather than the Kardashian sisters. No, I did not want them to go down like this and I believe that is why no one really believed "Alice's" comments because no one wanted this to be true. I wanted the Duggars' to go down in a different way, like seeing a child (or children) leave the fundie lifestyle, I wanted to see their kids all demand careers that JB did not design for them, I wanted a mass exodus like a "Breaking Duggar" situation to happen. But this... this is horrific, I did not want this.

[tropaka]

Like the DPIAR and Gotthard fiascos, I so wanted these assholes promoting patriarchy to fail, but not in the way they have - by sexually victimizing young people and covering it up. Calling Josh (JB and Michelle, Gothard, Phillips etc) into account needs to be done, but this has got to be pretty terrible for the victims, some of whom may have managed to put the abuse behind them/find some way forward and, in the case of the Duggar women, whose financial futures are probably at risk. I truly hope that DHS at least mandated some real counselling at the time they (finally) discovered the abuse.

[Cleopatra7]

I've been feeling anxious and depressed since the news broke as well. Since I was already pre-disposed to be anxious and depressed, I assumed that it was just more of the same, but the increase coincides with the release of the In Touch article, so it's obviously not the same old same old. What depresses me the most is how so many people are defending Josh. What happened is horrific enough, and I feel like this is only the tip of the iceberg, but I'm shocked that so many people want 19KAC back on the air or think that what Josh did was "just a mistake." I would have thought that child molestation was the one thing that everyone could agree is beyond the pale, but I guess I was wrong. This has further convinced me that fundagelical Christianity is an evil farce with no moral authority or compassion. It's more important for fundagelicals to look "wholesome" than to actually be wholesome. :evil: :disgust:

[Clementine]

Like the DPIAR and Gotthard fiascos, I so wanted these assholes promoting patriarchy to fail, but not in the way they have - by sexually victimizing young people and covering it up. Calling Josh (JB and Michelle, Gothard, Phillips etc) into account needs to be done, but this has got to be pretty terrible for the victims, some of whom may have managed to put the abuse behind them/find some way forward and, in the case of the Duggar women, whose financial futures are probably at risk. I truly hope that DHS at least mandated some real counselling at the time they (finally) discovered the abuse.

^^This!

Just like when Doug was exposed I have spent too much time in front of the screen trying to read everything and my emotions have shifted between feeling horrible for the people that were abused to sadness that so many will be affected in a negative way to glee for the hypocrates who have finally been exposed. I think I should take a break from the Josh affair for a few days.

[ShadowyOne]

I'm definitely incredibly sad, and somewhat anxious as well (woke up this morning from a nightmare about my daughter being molested, ugh). Everyone has stated very eloquently how we all wished for them to topple, but never at the expense of the innocent victims, so also kind of weirdly guilty, as well.

[1st wiccan fundie]

I've had a pretty significant response inwardly about the support that the Duggars and Josh are receiving. I left a comment on the family blog site, run by their cronies. It was epic too. Of course it wasn't allowed to be posted, big shocker. But when I went back to check and saw hundreds of comments about how Josh is the victim in this, praising them, ugh....I can't even list it all, you guys know what sick shit in support of them is being uttered by their fundie, freak friends and others....well I was so discouraged. Such a display of the worst of humanity imo. I no longer see this as a way for these people to make progress. This is doing nothing but solidifing their concepts of victim shaming,cover ups, protecting predators and giving them proof that they need to stay together and away from mainstream society. Not much good will come of this and I feel upset about it. The hypocrisy on so many factors is worse than ever. And as a Wiccan who has been discriminated for my religion it is so insulting that some of them are finding this situation with Josh /Duggars to be an act of religious discrimination. So yes I do relate to your emotions in a sense. I have had a significant effect on my emotions and psyche because of the goings on.

I'll add for what it's worth that Mecury is in Retrograde and that is influencing and effecting people and circumstances as well. Just my own beliefs that astrological events do impact us whether we know or not but I digress.

[ILoveJellybeans]

I feel just so sad for them, I cant stop thinking about it. I just really hope that Josh's victims (including the one we do not know) are okay right now, and are coping the best they can with it being suddenly so public. I wish I could help them, but obviously there is nothing I can do to make them feel better.

Its a strange feeling really, like when you've followed someone's whole life on TV from them being little kids and become invested in their lives. We have watched them grow up, sympathised with the hand they've been dealt in life, followed their relationships, seen their weddings and watched Jill give birth. Pretty much every part of their life is public, we know so much about them. It does make you start to care for them-we all genuinely wish them the best in life...and then something this awful comes out :( Nobody really saw it coming, we all dismissed the rumours as just rumours. I see such an outpouring of empathy and sympathy for the Jslaves, we all wanted them to be happy in life, and wanted them to be safe, and we always wished for something more than their culture would give them. I think we are all just in shock about it all, and feel sad for these five women and what horrors they experienced. Their family's shitty responses to it are not helping either, as they don't seem to have gotten the help or protection they needed, they were failed, and let down.

[Walking Cat Bed]

It's understandable -- like several people have said, wanting the Duggar empire to crumble is one thing, but having it crumble because of molestation is hard. Even if you're not personally connected, it's a gut punch.

A friend of mine is a social worker, and when I mentioned that reading up on fundies is a hobby (and an area of academic interest), she suggested that I make sure to balance that with positive things. For example, this weekend, I made sure to watch a few funny movies (like Wayne's World) and find gifs of surprised cats. Between the real-life tragedy and reading Othello and King Lear (summer Shakespeare class, fun), I need to add some silliness so I don't get bogged down.

[anjulibai]

Well, I feel reassured that I'm not the only one. Thanks everyone. I just wish I could do something for the victims here.

[ILoveJellybeans]

It's understandable -- like several people have said, wanting the Duggar empire to crumble is one thing, but having it crumble because of molestation is hard. Even if you're not personally connected, it's a gut punch.

A friend of mine is a social worker, and when I mentioned that reading up on fundies is a hobby (and an area of academic interest), she suggested that I make sure to balance that with positive things. For example, this weekend, I made sure to watch a few funny movies (like Wayne's World) and find gifs of surprised cats. Between the real-life tragedy and reading Othello and King Lear (summer Shakespeare class, fun), I need to add some silliness so I don't get bogged down.

That's a good idea. Maybe someone should make a thread of kitten pictures, good news and positivity.

[SassyPants]

I was sad.

Now I am angry.

Angry that the people who were/are supposed to protect their children, did not. Controlling is not protecting.

Why 2 people who have no real interest in children chose to have an army of them- despicable.

Control and manipulation does not= protection and love.

[eri]

That's a good idea. Maybe someone should make a thread of kitten pictures, good news and positivity.

I always assumed there was a silliness thread, because forums usually have one. Maybe there is a really old one someone could dig up? If not, one would be nice.

LOL Duggars is similar but appears to be Duggar-and fundie-specific memes which can be depressing in their own way, you know? Despite the hilariousness, I mean.

[nst]

I was sad.

Now I am angry.

Angry that the people who were/are supposed to protect their children, did not. Controlling is not protecting.

Why 2 people who have no real interest in children chose to have an army of them- despicable.

Control and manipulation does not= protection and love.

I am still sad

and I agree with this

[DIRTYPILLOWS]

It has made me extremely sad for the girls to the point where I would love to have them come live with me. I feel ashamed that I ever watched that show and even liked it. I feel bad that I judged Jessa for her lack of emotions when she has been through so very much. I am scared for the younger kids left at home. It brought back so much pain for me, pain that I saw my sisters go through because of rape. I actually dreamed that it didn't happen and when I woke up I was in a daze and then realized it was true and I felt so sad. I am angry and want to rescue these children but I feel helpless at the same time and I have never been one to be helpless. With the Seewalds saying what they said I want to scream. I want to fight for these girls in anyway I can. I have watched them grow and I am pissed off at Josh, the ''parents'', and TLC. I feel that they sold an image that was untruthful and I hate a liar.

[Dandruff]

I'm sad too. This situation seems like a classic "watch out what you wish for". Eleven years of fluff and now, finally, reality. I didn't want it to be this bad. I don't like most of what these folks stand for...but there are so many young victims.

[SPHASH]

I've been down myself over this news. As a Christian I've seen people become more secular not because of God but because of the self righteous hypocrites like the Duggars, Phillips, etc. People like to blame the liberal media cuz people are no longer Christian but in reality its the Patriarchy movement that is it's own worst enemy. Yesterday in church I actually prayed for the Duggars. During silent prayer I pray over things in my life or world events but yesterday was the first time I prayed for a celebrity.

[Closed Womb]

I am not, at all, disposed to depression and I have been very down over this (there's a lot going on in my personal life, too, which may be intertwined.) There's just so much glee from folks that want to see the Josh/JB/Michelle destroyed without much acknowledgement of what this had done to the victims.

Now, 3 of the sisters are forever in the public consciousness as someone who was sexually molested (unless someone comes forth, there will always be some question as to which one, Jill or Jana, escaped abuse, or memories of it, but the other three are known.) Even if someone has good intentions (ie, something like offering counseling) this is how they will be known and likely how people will interact with them, as victims (and possibly survivors.) Maybe the girls will like that people will come up to them and offer support, or commiserate with them, but maybe they don't want that. Maybe they don't want to be publicly acknowledged as victims, especially if they are on the marriage mart.

But, to me, another choice has been taken out of the Duggar Daughters' hands, and it bums me out.

(Just a note, I stopped reading the Josh threads when I started contributing and nothing good came of it and I haven't read any leghumper comments on other sites, so I am still bothered even though I stopped following this days ago.)

eta: proper grammar

[apandaaries]

Yes, bummed here as well. Triggering news, and shocking, despite knowing the rumors for years. I realized Thursday that I was craving weird comfort foods, and finally connected it to this news. Had some major stuff happen at home, too, so that contributed as well.

BUT I've decided to rotate my computer time with garden time. Tomatoes and peppers always make me feel better, and then I'm too dirty to be near the computer. :lol:

[Toothfairy]

I'm suppose to be happy right now. My daughter is graduating and going to prom but I just can't feel happy. I see shit like this every day. I deal with kids who were abused and seeing them suffer is heartbreaking. I feel for the Duggar girls. It's so sad they had to keep this inside and feel like it's their fault. All While their brother gets away with it. And for their parents to just swept it under the rug while they suffer is disgusting. I feel angry, sad, upset all at once.