Although raised religious, I was pretty much a closet atheist from a fairly young age - young enough that the weight of the world hadn't crushed me yet, anyway.

That said, as an atheist my entire adult life, I have suffered from depression but not out of anything related to religious guilt. On the other hand, I do personally know at least two people (a couple) who are very religious and both have pretty severe depression. From conversations with them, I have no doubt that much of it stems from the pressures of conforming to strict Catholic rules on what you can/can't or should/shouldn't do. And rather than bend the rules in order to possibly make their lives better, they simply pray to God to help them cope. You can imagine how well that goes.

Hmmm. I think life is life, plain and simple, but I sort of feel like living in the real world has made me stronger because I can deal with the harder aspects of life without the need of fairy tales and a belief someone is going to come and rescue me. When I somewhat believed, I felt more let down by a thing I thought should have been caring about me because I kept seeing all this messed up stuff happening to people. If it makes since, I actually found more comfort as an unbeliever because then I accepted that horrible things just happens in life sometime without any reason, instead of me just waiting for this sky daddy to rescue so many people in need.

Only dictators I'll handle are the royal family (to a point) because of Australias still technically being under a monarchy government. I can't sing in churches, I can't yell stuff I don't believe. I'll tell my family my lack of religious belief eventually. When I was religious I was often upset. Other than the stress of sidestepping religion atheism has given me more curiosity than ever and a weird sense of identifying with myself. Other than meeting people usually much older than me and talking to them which I enjoy religion never gave me much comfort. I wasn't fearful or anything I've been to churches all over Australia (parents did shows) and noticed the behaviour of the different denominations which was mildly entertaining but sometimes also sad...
It is much easier being non-religious than religious. I'm still stressed but for unrelated reasons.

I have always been an atheist, and have suffered Major Depression Disorder since the age of 7. I see no reason to believe that atheism reduces depression.

I feel less guilty I can tell you that.

I definitely experienced a drop in depression and anxiety levels upon leaving religion. It has, however, fluctuated since then for various reasons, some related to being atheist and some not.

I have nothing to compare it to. I've been an atheist all my life.

For me, within the first half hour of gaining the full understanding the god was imaginary, an adult lifetime of anxiety simply disappeared. That was 7 years ago, and I still have my full bottles of med on my closet shelf.

Just the other day I had a drunk dude walk in front on my car and I had to fully apply the brakes. No anxiety. No sweating. No excessive heart beating.

I have never been happier.

I feel that thinking your gawd must have foresaken you, because just look at this mess, must be pretty disheartening. Plus you are going to be punished for not being more perfect both right now & forever.......ugh!

I feel that thinking your gawd must have foresaken you, because just look at this mess, must be pretty disheartening. Plus you are going to be punished for not being more perfect both right now & forever.......ugh!

I don't believe they are even related. How one truly trust their OWN stated of mind, is the key,
IF one accepts excessive guilt as their guide , then they should not be depressed, we only accept what we select to accept

As a Fully Accredited, Qualified and practising Psychologist, Child and Young Adult Psychological Counsellor and also working with adults of all ages, I can honestly and openly state categorically that of the many hundreds of clients I have worked with over 30 plus years that I've been Counselling, 9 out of every 10 of my Theist/Religious Clients have plainly had and shown severe/extreme symptoms/sign of BOTH Depression and Anxiety whereas less 3 out every 10 Non-believing Clients have shown any of those symptoms/signs.
Others in my field have also found very much similar ratios and have documented them as have I BUT they too have found themselves to be the target of much derision, etc, from the 'circle' of fellow Psychologist who are adherent Religious Believers.
When it comes to the children/youths from Religious backgrounds in particular I have found, as also have innumerable fellow Psychologists btw, they suffer far more from Depressions/Anxieties than do the children from Non-Religious backgrounds and families and the Non-religious background children are not plagued by the one thing that is, in my opinion, epidemic among the Religious Children, that being an Ingrained Fear/Dread/Terror of punishment from their parents/peers and god IF they even listen to/try to comprehend. absorb ANYTHING at all that is not a part of nor relates to entirely the Tenets/Dogmas, etc, of the Belief System/s that they have force fed from the earliest parts of their lives.
Ergo, it is my Educated opinion that religion and religious up-bringing does have a very negate effect and harmful impact on the developing minds and personas of young children and young adults and this urgently needs to be addressed for the sake of future generations.

So sorry!

Less guilt because sin isn't real. less fear bacause hell isn't real. more freedom to explore alternative ideas so my brain isn't stagnating in stasis.