"Religious Trauma Syndrome is the condition experienced by people who are struggling with leaving an authoritarian, dogmatic religion and coping with the damage of indoctrination. They may be going through the shattering of a personally meaningful faith and/or breaking away from a controlling community and lifestyle. RTS is a function of both the chronic abuses of harmful religion and the impact of severing one’s connection with one’s faith. It can be compared to a combination of PTSD and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)."
Religious Trauma Syndrome
It's weird to think of myself as experiencing any kind of trauma like that, since when I think of PTSD I think of physical, sexual, or emotional trauma. What trauma is there in going to church and reading the bible?
But then I think about the fact that my life has not developed in a normal way by any means. Things such as self confidence, knowledge in basic concepts, critical thinking skills, and knowing the way the greater world works have all suffered due to my religious upbringing. I've had to spend many years working on myself to try deconstructing and repairing a lot of the damage this control (both from myself and from my community) has done to me, and the work is still not over yet. Parts of it will probably stick with me until the day I die.
Now, keep in mind that I don't believe all religions or religious practices are harmful. Many folks are able to experience their religious lifestyles in healthy and happy ways.
With all that said, I wanted to discuss RTS in general. Have you ever experienced this? Is it even a valid or legitimate form of trauma? Maybe you have some stories you'd like to share. Tell me your thoughts!
Religious Trauma Syndrome
It's weird to think of myself as experiencing any kind of trauma like that, since when I think of PTSD I think of physical, sexual, or emotional trauma. What trauma is there in going to church and reading the bible?
But then I think about the fact that my life has not developed in a normal way by any means. Things such as self confidence, knowledge in basic concepts, critical thinking skills, and knowing the way the greater world works have all suffered due to my religious upbringing. I've had to spend many years working on myself to try deconstructing and repairing a lot of the damage this control (both from myself and from my community) has done to me, and the work is still not over yet. Parts of it will probably stick with me until the day I die.
Now, keep in mind that I don't believe all religions or religious practices are harmful. Many folks are able to experience their religious lifestyles in healthy and happy ways.
With all that said, I wanted to discuss RTS in general. Have you ever experienced this? Is it even a valid or legitimate form of trauma? Maybe you have some stories you'd like to share. Tell me your thoughts!
