Prophecies are Dangerous Things: Mental Health Implications of Prophetic Disconfirmation

There has been little work conducted by mental health professionals pertaining to the mental health implications of prophetic disconfirmation. A number of case studies are presented of individuals who become distressed in the context of millennial/apocalyptic prophecies, in some instances resulting in suicide. Triggers may include disillusionment at the failure of the millennium to arrive or to the fear that the individual is not one of the elect who will survive the apocalypse. The implications for mental health professionals are discussed.

Keywords: Prophecy, disconfirmation, mental, health, dangerous.