Religious Trauma syndrome occurs when someone is indoctrinated and controlled through religious or spiritual ideologies. RTS falls under the constellation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Complex-PTSD. If you’re considering deconstruction, it can be helpful to work with someone who is familiar with fundamentalism, legalistic thinking, “purity culture,” etc. It can be extraordinarily difficult to extricate yourself from an abusive and oppressive lifestyle that’s woven into your family of origin, traditions, education, and greater community. Attempting to escape is frequently met with escalated efforts to control and coerce. You may be threatened, shunned, ostracized, and rejected by your entire support system; all you’ve ever known. Healing can be challenging without support and resources, in addition to the psychological, emotional, and mental trauma. You are not alone!

Examples of Religious/Spiritual Abuse:

  • Physical abuse through corporal punishment of children (spanking, beating, whipping, “rod of god”).
  • Domestic violence is common; women are controlled and commanded to be obedient, submissive and fulfill a role of servitude.
  • Restriction of resources (money, food, adequate rest, proper education, appropriate medical care).
  • Rampant sexual abuse, from withholding any sex education to shaming women’s sexuality, arranged marriages with an emphasis on virginity and an environment ripe for grooming, molestation, coercion, rape, victim-blaming, etc.
  • Sects or cults will isolate from “the secular world,” escape third-party oversight, regulation and legal intervention, systemically lacking protection for victims. 

Symptoms of RTS:

  • Lost sense of self/identity
  • Pervasive sense of disassociation
  • Lost sense of direction, not knowing what to do or where you belong.
  • Feeling confused, fearful, terrorized and abandoned.
  • Not knowing who to trust
  • Lack of independent living skills (socialization, education, job experience).
  • Feelings of shame, guilt, self-blame, sadness and grief.
  • Self-worth and self-esteem plummets, suicide ideation is common.
  • Nightmares, flashbacks, triggers, panic attacks
  • Depression and anxiety often co-occur
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