I’m very sorry. I was raised in a spiritually abusive Reformed Baptist and left the church about 5 years ago, throwing me into a spiral of depression and anxiety. Both are still a problem, although I’m learning to manage them while I’m being treated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Recently my therapist encouraged me to stop reading all the blogs and other sources of anxiety that send me off into my episodes. I think that they must be compulsive responses to abiding anxiety about my past. So, for me, I just don’t look at any of that shit anymore, and my mental health is getting better for it. For what it’s worth.
Thank you for sharing this. I experienced spiritual abuse an an Acts 29 cult church in St. Louis, Missouri. All of these words in this person’s email- the verbiage abusive people use to attempt to make you think that you are nothing without them and their religion- it’s all too familiar. We need more people like you that will use their platform to shed light on this abuse. Contact me if there’s anything I can do to help with this.
Colleen
PS- I think what was most horrifying was when the abuser called you an it. As though being gender non-conforming makes you less than human.
I’m very sorry. I was raised in a spiritually abusive Reformed Baptist and left the church about 5 years ago, throwing me into a spiral of depression and anxiety. Both are still a problem, although I’m learning to manage them while I’m being treated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Recently my therapist encouraged me to stop reading all the blogs and other sources of anxiety that send me off into my episodes. I think that they must be compulsive responses to abiding anxiety about my past. So, for me, I just don’t look at any of that shit anymore, and my mental health is getting better for it. For what it’s worth.
Keep pressing on!
Thank you for sharing this. I experienced spiritual abuse an an Acts 29 cult church in St. Louis, Missouri. All of these words in this person’s email- the verbiage abusive people use to attempt to make you think that you are nothing without them and their religion- it’s all too familiar. We need more people like you that will use their platform to shed light on this abuse. Contact me if there’s anything I can do to help with this.
Colleen
PS- I think what was most horrifying was when the abuser called you an it. As though being gender non-conforming makes you less than human.