I never found that to be the case but maybe I live in different circles - I have always found religious people to be more uptight and careful.

I think that more religious people would be less inclined to admit they were depressed or seek appropriate help. It would go against everything they were taught.

I find this highly doubtful. What I do know is that, especially in the Happy Clapper churches people put on this fake facade that all is dandy and say " isn't god great" To define yourself as depressed would be admitting to a lack of faith so you aren't going to admit that to the person taking the survey. I would also suggest that those with mental health problems might turn to the church in hope of healing. When this doesn't happen, they may become more depressed. And Don Baker has a rather biased view because he has no idea of the unity and joy and purpose that being a humanist has on the human psyche.

We live in reality.

I have to question your basic premise, where is your data or is it just you that feels that way?

Could it be that depressives often have a more realistic/less idealized view of the world around them. Perhaps this is because depression removes the cosy acceptance that many non-depressives are able to enjoy or, conversely, because seeing the world as it is, bereft of illusion, prompts a depressed stae of mind.

I am a pretty happy bunny, 70 years old and and have never had a god - Life is great the only thing that spoils it for me is people who want to hurt me - because they themselves are hurting.

While I would have thought (and rightly so) that atheists, over all, would be less depressed, I could certainly point to having to deal with the (theist) idiots of the world as being a major depressant for the average atheist. ... but apparently, we rise above.

Because we live in a world where we see daily religions causing mass destruction.

I’m open to the possibility that skeptics could be more susceptible to depression. Maybe gullibility and closed mindedness could help to cloak some negative aspects of reality.

Well, not-nikki, it's because we are more likely to seek help for it and be open about it. Christianity has put a taboo on mental health, and they think "we'll if not praying hard enough hasn't fixed it, then you are Satan" so they stamp it down and put a lid on it

There is nothing about reality that requires it to be comforting. I'm reminded of the quote from George Bernard Shaw... "The fact that a believer is happier than a skeptic is no more to the point than the fact that a drunken man is happier than a sober one."

At times I get slightly depressed because I am not young anymore. That has nothing to do with beliefs or the lack of

I’ve got chronic depression, not from atheism, but from chemical imbalance. If anything, I think I find more meaning in my life by NOT being religious/believer.

I am absolutely convinced that religious "true believers" are more mentally unsettled, ergo more prone to depression. Ergo, the question has an underlying false assertion.

Because they know there's no Disneyland waiting for them and the blindfold of delusion has been removed meaning they see life without rose tinted glasses.

Because of Christian comfort versus Atheist's facing cold hard facts sometimes the truth is a little grim, so being human one is bound to fall foul of depression from time to time.

If that is true, and I am skeptical, it is probably because we are so isolated. Hopefully this is changing with the times.