In some cultures like the United States, there
is the persistent stereotype that atheists
are angry people.
Though this attitude has changed over the
last couple decades, many have also found
confirmation of this bias in the seemingly
antagonistic behaviors of the New Atheists
- Richard Dawkins and the late Christopher
Hitchens in particular.
According to popular religious media like
the 2014 film God's Not Dead, atheists are
angry because they are miserable and they
have chosen to blame their misery on God.
On the other hand, there may be important
implications for the nonbelieving in how their
outlook affects their health and well-being.
It has often been remarked upon that the lack
of a social support group among atheists,
similar to that encountered in many religious
communities, can be a significant disadvantage
to personal well-being.
A few recent studies can help to shed some
light on issues such as these.
One 2016 study, published in the Journal of
Religion and Health, collected data from over
3000 participants in the US, looking at a
number of factors related to health and well-being.
80% of the participants identified with some
religious affiliation, while 11% listed no
preference, 6.3% described themselves as agnostic,
and 2.8% identified as atheist.
In terms of health, the study considered things
like subjective health, body mass index,
chronic conditions, present symptoms of disease,
and limitations on activities of daily living.
 
To quote from the study, the religiously affiliated
were found to have "significantly higher mean
BMI, more mean ADL limitations, and reported
suffering from more chronic conditions than
atheists or agnostics.
They also reported more symptoms of disease
than those with no religious preference."
Interestingly, those that listed as no religious
preference were closer to the affiliated on
BMI and ADL than they were to the other unaffiliated.
However, atheists and agnostics did not fare
so well on health behaviors also measured
in the research.
Smoking and alcohol consumption were significantly
higher for them than for the religiously affiliated,
with those of no preference making up the
middle ground.
Yet no significant difference was observed
in illicit drug use, nor was there much variation
in exercise among atheists, agnostics, and
the religious.
In addition to all this, it's worth noting
that the median age of atheists and agnostics
in the study is nearly a decade younger than
it is for the religiously affiliated.
A similar trend was found favoring well-being
in the religiously affiliated and those of
no preference, who reported higher mean happiness
and self-esteem, as well as lower anxiety.
In contrast, atheists had lower death anxiety
than these groups, and fared about equally
to them on life satisfaction.
Here it's also important to note that the
very same study provides evidence of lower
emotional support (given and received) among
atheists and agnostics than among the religiously
affiliated and those with no preference.
Atheists and agnostics reported higher loneliness,
too.
Another study, published just a few months
ago online in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality,
might give us more to consider in terms of
well-being.
David Speed and Karen Hwang used data from
over 1700 respondents in the US to evaluate
the relationship between self-rated health
and happiness along with certain religious
measures and other variables.
They also divided up respondents into four
categories: Atheistic-Nones for those who
do not believe in gods and identified themselves
as not religiously affiliated, Atheistic-Somes
for those who don't believe but are affiliated,
Theistic-Nones for those who do believe and
aren't affiliated, and Theistic-Somes for
those who do believe and say they do have
religious affiliation.
Responses were then distinguished as Theist,
Atheist, Some, and None.
Framed in this way, the study actually found
more theists than atheists answered that they
are "Not too happy," while more atheists described
themselves as "Pretty happy."
Only at the point of "Very happy" did theists
beat out atheists on happiness.
What's of further interest is comparing the
figures between the Theist and Some categories
and the Atheist and None categories.
Their closeness is striking.
The paper's authors say this suggests that
the relationship between religion and spirituality
and well-being is due more to *how* one self-identifies
than to whether or not one is religious.
This last point serves to draw attention again
to the critical role that social support plays
in personal well-being.
A third study we'll look at used a sample
of 451 participants from Taiwan, made up of
10% Christians, 20% Buddhists, 25% Taoists,
and 43% atheists.
Consistent with the minority status of Christianity
in Taiwan, Christian respondents reported
the lowest subjective well-being, followed
by atheists and Taoists, with Buddhists reporting
the highest.
There is substantial literature available
linking stigmatization and discrimination
with indicators of psychological distress,
such as anxiety, depression, substance use,
etc.
Melanie Brewster and her colleagues make note
of this in the publication of their Measure
of Atheist Discrimination Experiences, or MADE,
which seems to be the first instrument of
its kind.
They have developed MADE with the assistance
of over a thousand atheist respondents, in
collaboration with sociologists who have studied
atheism, and through convergent validity with
another accepted measure of stigmatization.
Not only does this lend further credence to
the problem of lacking social support, but
it may prove to be a particularly useful tool
in assisting counselors that work with nonbelievers.
From all of this, it should be abundantly
clear that there is no evidence to demonstrate
a connection between atheism and poor health.
On the contrary, atheists are doing quite
well overall.
Of course, that's not to say everything is
perfect, either.
Before I wrap up this video, then, I'd like
to speak to agnostics and to my fellow atheists.
We talk a lot in atheist circles about what
atheism is not, and the broader implications
these debates and concepts may or may not
have to them.
But this shouldn't make us wrongly feel like
we're an island, like we're too rational to
have normal human emotional conflicts, or
that it's somehow betraying some coveted status
of Stalwart Atheist to share with someone
else the worries, frustrations, and doubts
we experience as atheists.
So many religious figures and religious teachings
have done great psychological harm over the
centuries because they've taught people to
stifle their instincts and keep their questions
and problems to themselves, or otherwise surrender
them to a god that doesn't seem to be listening,
either.
If you've felt isolated, ostracized, stigmatized,
anxious, or depressed, please consider seeking
out therapy.
I know some of us don't like even the idea
of going to counseling, but nothing else can
really substitute for it.
In one of my previous podcast episodes that's
available to listen to at any time, I spoke
with Gayle Jordan, who's the Executive Director
of Recovering from Religion.
In that interview, we discuss some of the
numerous resources their organization provides
for people who have left religion, or have
just experienced doubts, and struggle to move
on.
There are people out there who would love
to listen and love to offer their help in
any way they can.
Thank you for watching.
If you enjoyed this video, please give it
a thumbs up and subscribe, or share it with
others online.
For more content like this, you can check
out GodlessHaven.com, as well as our Facebook
and Twitter pages.
Anything you can do to support us is always
much appreciated, even if only helping to
spread the word.
We also have a link to donate at the top corner
of our website.
Until next time.
