Is believing in superstitions a mental disorder?

Forgive my lack of knowldge but IMO most mental disorders are caused from either a chemical inbalance , trama, abuse, or brain malfunction
superstion is what a person believes in
Angie

i'm learning an awful lot here, folks. stuff i've never thought about.

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Forgive my lack of knowldge but IMO most mental disorders are caused from either a chemical inbalance , trama, abuse, or brain malfunction
superstion is what a person believes in
Angie

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Psychosis is a mental disorder that includes delusions and loss of contact with reality. Wouldn't superstitious beliefs be classified therein?

hi there and welcome. i would only think that superstitious beliefs could only be defined as a disorder if it were to interfere with "day to day" living. ANYTHING that inteferes with day to day living, and prevents a person from living and doing as they could/would, can be deemed a disorder.

for example, dissociation is a common life experience. however, when it becomes great and often, it inteferes with life and is considered a disorder.

in the same right, if superstitious belief stopped you from living the life that you could without it and prevented you from doing what you need to, i would think it a disorder. if it doesn't intefere often, then not.

peace and safety,

kd

Wouldn't that be a huge generalization? Being psychotic means you do lose contact with reality; it's a mental illness.

Being superstitious is different because it's a belief, or practice that results from ignorance, or an unreasonable fear of the unknown or mysterious, morbid scrupulosity, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.
Superstitions are an abject attitude of mind toward nature, the supernatural, or towards God resulting from such. It is also considered an idolatrus religion.

i am very superstitious about certain things. when i started photographing rodeo, i was very fearful of being hurt in the arena.....i've never been hurt and i wear the same pair of khaki pants in every arena....crazy? maybe. lots of sports figures have similiar superstitions. i don't spend any time thinking about that and i know it hasn't made me crazier..it comforts me. i realize that this is a very trivial part of what this thread is about. but it means something to me.

yes fayerody, having superstitions doesn't make one (you) psychotic, does it!?! There is a big difference, imo

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It is also considered an idolatrus religion.

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So doesn't an idolatrous religion or belief interfere with "day to day" living and prevents a person from living and doing as they could/would? Can "it" be deemed a disorder?

i would say, in that case then, yes it could be. however, having said that...what does it really matter in the larger scheme of things? we all manage the best we can every day to make it to the next....disorder or no disorder.

i have a mental disorder. i don't think that should be the focus in life. i think the focus should be, "ok this is me. this is who i am. what do i do today with what i have?" to me, that's a big part of life.

peace,

kd

Can one differentiate between a disorder of thinking and a disorder in living? Like Kimmy implied, if there is a problem with living, shouldn't the emphasis be on correcting it, regardless of whether it is psychopathic or not?

So, if the president of the USA has a mental disorder that affects the world decisions he makes and his leadership ability, shouldn't he be treated and/or replaced? Was the president maybe placed into office mainly by psychotic people to support their psychosis?

Oddly enough, I voted for him...oh, well, I did say "mostly"...but, but, but I do not have any superstitious beliefs, IMHO.

thank you, sky, for helping me to state that. i'm not quite myself yet

yes, that's my point...disorder or not, the focus should be on making life be the best that it can be for ourselves and those we love! my beliefs help me to do just that. whatever we believe, as long as it helps us to be the best we can be in this world, is wonderful i think.

peace.

kd

wow, i was speaking generally. that's all.

kd

You like pushing the envelope, don't you? LOL first religion and now politics. Let me know when you wish to discuss something less volatile, ok?

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Is believing in superstitions a mental disorder?

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dictionary.com "superstition (noun) : an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear"

the word superstition is a label of dogmatism. whose right is it to determine which belief is irrational?

<font color="red">is "superstitions" the correct word for this thread's question?????????? </font>

HI all, what was it Stevie Wonder said?

Something like, "...when you believe in things that you don't understand, and you suffer....superstition ain't the way."

In my own opinion, Superstition and belief are always the same. We call superstition by the name of belief only to elevate its status to our selves when the superstition is our own. But there isn't a difference; both pertain to leaping from the rational to explain the unknown or unknowable. Both are the same fear based response to the mysterious.

Case in point: the flat earth society boasts a membership of thousands who profess a belief that the earth is flat, but does that "belief" in any way alter the actual shape of the earth?

sqrl.

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Is believing in superstitions a mental disorder?

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dictionary.com "superstition (noun) : an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear"

the word superstition is a label of dogmatism. whose right is it to determine which belief is irrational?

is "superstitions" the correct word for this thread's question??????????

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Superstition (dictionary) is also an irrational fear of the unknown or mysterious; belif that is not based on fact.

Irrational means illogical, senseless, lacking reason, absurd. Wouldn't one be designated as having a mental disorder if one is considered irrational?

Kurt

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In my own opinion, Superstition and belief are always the same.
sqrl.

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Belief can be an intellectual judgement when superstitions are eliminated.

Kurt

Certainly, belief in the sum of two plus two amounting to four, almost begs for a different word when compared to the belief that one is going to heaven or hell. One application describes the rational evaluation of facts and provability where the other has no factual basis, or provability. Is there really any confusion about that?

sqrl.

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...when compared to the belief that one is going to heaven or hell. One application describes the rational evaluation of facts and provability where the other has no factual basis, or provability.
sqrl.

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Rational spiritual belief does not necessitate having to believe in a religious heaven or hell. Evidence is proof, something that shows what is true. Truth and evidence is also established by testifying, bearing witness, attesting, declaring under oath that what is testified to, is actuality. In a court of law, as in civil action, evidence is presented and the validity of this evidence is assessed by a judge or jury who rule on it; their decision is accepted and it is determined that proof has been established by a preponderance of the evidence.

Throughout several millennia testimonial evidence has been presented of spiritual interactions; this interaction was interpreted accordingly, often by preconditioned superstitious minds; hence you have various religions. It is up to us to determine truth when superstitions are removed. Rational belief in spirituality predetermines a healthy mind.

Einstein said, “God, seems to be an "intelligence" or "superior reasoning power" which was behind the laws and harmonies of the universe", and "Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe—a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble."

Kurt

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i am very superstitious about certain things....it comforts me.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> If it comforts you, great...when superstitions turn into phobias, this is when they should be illiminated.

Kurt

KKawohl . . . i am so confused . . . what are you trying to say? ? ? . . . your first post in this thread started on "spiritual experiences" . . . are you saying spirituality is equal to supersitious belief???

you ask "is believing in superstitions a mental disorder" . . . do you think it is the same as asking "is being spiritual a mental disorder" ??????

I don't think dogmatism (closed-mindedness, or reluctance to accept new ideas) compares well to irrationality (process of not using clear thinking, without reason.)

Keeping it simple, take the process of walking under a ladder, and the idea that it's bad luck. It might not be quite as safe as going around. But holding to a superstitious viewpoint that bad things will happen to you later because of this act is irrational. The closed-mindedness is of the holder of the superstition, as scientific data can show out that no, walking under a ladder doesn't create bad luck for your life. The dogma of the one who is superstitious is irrational, not the person determining the fear.

As for the superstition and belief being the same? No, I don't see that either. Superstition encompasses a belief (irrational as it may be) but belief does not necessarily include superstition. Neither mutually exclusive nor encompassing.

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KKawohl . . . i am so confused . . . what are you trying to say? ? ? . . . your first post in this thread started on "spiritual experiences" . . . are you saying spirituality is equal to supersitious belief???

you ask "is believing in superstitions a mental disorder" . . . do you think it is the same as asking "is being spiritual a mental disorder" ??????

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Hi jennie, in post #158618 above I stated, "Rational belief in spirituality predetermines a healthy mind".

No, spirituality is not the same as superstition & being spiritual is not a mental disorder.

Kurt

you'll pull my very old khakis out of my dead fingers, beore i'll give them up. my safety is embraced by those pants.