![]() ![]() Postdeconversion adaptation – a) the long-term mental health issues, b) delayed development, c) cultural adjustment in the secular world.Deconversion – the acute period of stress while leaving a religion.Predeconversion trauma – the harm done by religious beliefs and practices during the time a person is religious or in a religious context.There appear to be stages of religious harm: severe corporal punishment, isolation) that create the damage. hellfire, original sin) and practices (e.g. More often it is an accumulation of exposure to teachings (e.g. RELIGIOUS TRAUMA MOVIEReligious harm or Toxic Religious Experience is rarely a single event, although many sufferers may focus on singular horrifying events such as watching a movie about the End Times. Self-help strategies and group support can also be effective with appropriate materials and guidance. Helping-professionals can provide needed information and support for recovery tasks. Because a belief system can be deeply entrenched and partly unconscious, the mere passage of time does not necessarily produce healing and personal growth. Leaving one’s religion is a huge life transition, requiring a lot of adjustment and adaptation. This is a huge, multidimensional task since religion can seem to define all of reality, but help is available. Related to all of these issues is the fact that authoritarian religions teach two basic and powerfully toxic messages: “You are not okay” and “You are not safe.” Recovery from religious harm involves healing from these deep assumptions, often indoctrinated from birth, and reconstructing a whole new worldview. Like other trauma, religious trauma can produce anxiety in the form of “emotional flashbacks,” which can look like panic attacks, among other responses. Many people leaving religion have had enough Toxic Religious Experience (TRE) to produce symptoms of complex PTSD, which is “trauma” in the more clinical sense. Relational – problems with family and friends due to religion, loss of social support systemĭevelopmental – delayed areas of human development due to religious isolation and conformity, including critical thinking, decision-making, identity formation, emotional regulation, healthy sexuality, social skills, creativity, self-efficacy, and meaning in lifeĬultural – “fish-out-of-water” experience in the world Mental/Emotional – anxiety, depression, grief, anger, lack of purpose, cognitive issues, negative self-regard The types of problems or symptoms of Religious Trauma Syndrome can be categorized in the following areas: While some people are able to walk away and most report feelings of relief and liberation, many people are deeply damaged and can carry scars for decades. There is a range of harm done by religion, (despite the positive contributions of healthy religion) and various levels of suffering and coping, depending on individual differences. Recovering from religious harm is multi-faceted and a relatively new field of study. ![]() RTS is a result of 1) toxic teachings and practices within the religion and 2) the trauma of leaving the religion. You may have heard of Religious Trauma Syndrome (RTS), which is comparable to post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, but specifically induced by Toxic Religious Experiences. ![]() Chances are you are here because of a concern about religious harm, recovering from an authoritarian religion, or suffering from religious trauma. ![]()
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