Religious Trauma Syndrome: 3 Healing Strategies

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Religion and spirituality can promote positivity, connection, and a sense of structure. However, religious indoctrination can be dangerous, especially if it centers around negative beliefs and harmful messages. As a result, many people have experienced religious trauma.

Traumatic or stressful religious experiences can cause significant psychological distress. It can consume and affect all areas of your life, with various symptoms making everyday living difficult. If ignored, religious trauma syndrome may trigger other mental health disorders.

We bring you the guide to religious trauma syndrome (RTS), covering what it is, why it happens, and ways to heal from harmful religion.

Religious Trauma Symptoms

You will not find religious trauma syndrome listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, many people share common problems after experiencing trauma within a religious environment. This trauma can have lasting effects on emotional well-being.

Here are the symptoms of religious trauma to look out for:

• Low self-esteem
• Lack of self-worth
• Negative beliefs about yourself, others, and the world around you
• A sense of loneliness, isolation, and difficulty belonging
• Social awkwardness and difficulty building relationships
• Poor critical thinking ability
• Difficulties with independent thinking and decision-making
• Sexual difficulty and unhealthy sexual views
• Fear of eternal damnation
• Depression and anxiety
• Anger and grief symptoms
• Unfamiliarity with the secular world, including a lack of cultural and mainstream knowledge
• Trouble sleeping
• Flashbacks and nightmares

What Causes Religious Trauma?

Different experiences can contribute to religious trauma, and the specific cause can vary from person to person. It often results from the beliefs imposed in authoritarian religion and toxic theology. Trying to break away from a particular environment can trigger many emotions.

Growing up in strict religious institutions or faith communities with authority-enforced religious teachings can have an astronomical effect on a person’s mental wellness. Emotional manipulation through threats, shaming, and guilt-tripping tactics can instill long-term fear.

Returning to the secular world after a period of religious or spiritual abuse can pose a range of problems.

Do I Have Religious Trauma?

If you have grown up or spent time in a faith community or under the control of a religious leader, you could have religious trauma. One way to help determine if you have this condition is to look for signs, such as a lack of critical thinking, information gaps, shame, and self-hatred.

You can also look out for signs of PTSD, depression, and anxiety disorder. Ultimately, religious trauma is a complex condition with multiple symptoms. They may arise when you attempt to leave your religion or try to break free from a controlling environment.

If you think you might have religious trauma – seek help. Ignoring trauma and engaging in self-destructive behavior will not help you turn your life around. Psychological distress can worsen over time. Your mental health may deteriorate and progress into other disorders as a result.

How to Heal From Religious Trauma?

You might feel completely overwhelmed if you have experienced or are experiencing religious trauma. It might be difficult to open up to family members or other members of a religious group. The important thing to know is that you can heal from spiritual abuse.

Here are 3 things you can try to begin recovery:

#1 Do not be afraid of your feelings

Try not to hide from your feelings. Attempting to ignore or make excuses for traumatic experiences, such as child abuse, sexual assault, or any form of spiritual abuse, might work temporarily. However, blocking out your feelings will not benefit you long-term.

You might have grown up in an environment with independent thinking condemned. Your normal thinking might be damaged, and you might be unfamiliar with listening to your thoughts. It is essential for your well-being to take the time to explore your feelings and separate your own spiritual beliefs from those forced upon you in a religious context.

#2 Try cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of talking therapy that works to help you change how you think and behave. The idea is that by altering your behaviors and thought patterns, you can handle difficult situations more positively and thereby overcome your problems.

CBT commonly treats various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. You can attend therapy sessions, where an experienced therapist will help you break down your problems into smaller, manageable parts.

You can record your thoughts in the mood journal, partake in daily activities, and read educational content that centers around CBT techniques. You can also benefit from quick relief exercises should you experience a sudden anxiety, panic, or OCD attack at any time.

#3 Work on yourself

Work on yourself to come to terms with your trauma. You can analyze your teachings and determine what you believe to be true and what you are unsure of. Many religions teach values that you might not agree with yourself. You can begin working to uncover your values.

Many activities can help you work on yourself. You could try journaling, going for long runs, or meeting up with people from outside your faith community to help you gather your beliefs. Finding an alternative social network can help you find new perspectives on your experiences.

What Is the Best Therapy for Religious Trauma?

Seeking therapy for religious trauma can help you heal. A licensed therapist can provide you with coping strategies, support, and expert guidance to help you move forward with your life. Trauma of any sort is difficult to overcome, but professional help is an effective intervention.

You can discuss the best type of therapy for your needs with your doctor or mental health professional. Many therapists specialize in complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Among the most successful therapies to support survivors of religious trauma are as follows:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Somatic therapy

Conclusion

Many signs can indicate that you are suffering from religious trauma syndrome. You might have a diminished sense of self-worth and feel completely at odds with the world around you. Just know that you don’t have to suffer alone – support that promotes healing exists.

Try not to let your feelings fester, as this will only worsen your mental well-being. Talk to your doctor about finding the best trauma treatment.