Enormous Feelings of Betrayal  

Feeling of Spiritual Rape of the Soul

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder¹

Trauma becomes crystallized a few days after a traumatic event, such as exiting an abusive, high demand group. Several of a cluster of symptoms can develop, including spontaneous crying, suicidal thoughts, emotional numbing, phobias, social withdrawal, flashbacks, amnesia, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, self-loathing, fear of going insane.

Anger or Rage

Toward the group and leader; toward oneself; suppression of anger in the group actually contributed to depression and a sense of helplessness.

Denial

Identity Confusion/Disorientation

The pre-cult personality--or real self--struggles with the in-cult personality2 that was imposed by the group. There can be difficulty integrating the cultic world with the outside world.

Dissociation (or Dissociative Identity Disorder)

Not being in touch with reality or those around them; inability to communicate.

Floating (a.k.a. trancing out)

Getting triggered into cult mode, flashbacks into the cult mind-set; thoughts of returning to the group, nostalgic feelings (part of dissociation). See Cognitive Focusing.

Panic and Anxiety Attacks  

Obsessive Thoughts

Depression

Psychosomatic Symptoms

Headache; stomach ache; backaches; fatigue; asthma; skin rashes; lethargy; sexuality problems.

Problems or Inability in Making Decisions

Because of the dependency fostered by the group.

Lack of Motivation

Inability to Concentrate

With short-term memory loss.

Fear

"What if I am wrong?" "What if harmful events actually do happen?" "I can't ever be happy outside the group." "What if I run into a present member?" Includes phobias and fear of going crazy.

Grief & Sense of Loss

Grieving loss of innocence, idealism, spirituality, self, pride; sense of purpose, meaning and belonging in life; support system; friends and family lost in the group; loss of time, goals and youth.

Guilt/Shame

For getting involved, for the people they recruited, things done while in the group; for leaving.

Lack of Trust

Of group situations; deep suspicions about others motives and attitudes.

Intense Loneliness

Strong and unique bonds were forged in the group.

Sense of Purposelessness & Disconnection

Missing the peak experiences of the group.

Sense of Isolation/Alienation

"No one can understand what I am going through."

Overly Critical of Oneself and Others  

Due to incorporating the harsh attitudes of the cult leader.

Seeing Everything in Black and White

Cults do not teach to look for the gray areas.

Problems Having Boundaries

Boundaries were violated time and again in the group until one lost sense of which boundaries were appropriate.

Feelings of Inferiority and Worthlessness

Cult leaders continually blame members.

Hypersensitive

To anger and rebuffs from others

Sleep Disorders

Including nightmares and insomnia.

Eating Disorders

Fear of Intimacy and Commitment

Problems with Career or Employment

Because of years in the group; lost job opportunities, etc.

Unable to Deal With Conflicts

Impatience with the Recovery Process

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: If you are struggling with any kind of destructive behavior; i. e., suicidal behavior or self-injury, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been found to be helpful. This kind of therapy helps survivors to use tools to control moods that can go out of control very rapidly. As one child survivor (who underwent DBT) told us: "When you feel powerless, you feel hopeless. Once you realize that you have the power to change things in your life, you will not feel you have to wait for people to be good to you. You have the power to choose a better option."

EMDR: A number of survivors who have suffered trauma say they have been helped with a new procedure called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). However, therapists trained in complex trauma-related conditions (including mind control trauma) have told us that if the survivor is dissociative, this therapy can cause a flooding of memories. Please discuss this, and any other questions, with a qualified therapist.  [offsite links]

Critical Incident Stress Information Sheets [offsite link in PDF format]
Brief sheets for those who have experienced a traumatic event or critical incident (that which causes unusually strong emotional reactions). Includes: "Signs and Signals of a Stress Reaction," "Things to Try" and "For Family Members and Friends."

Footnotes:

¹Involvement in mind manipulating groups can also cause "anxiety in re-socialization." Diagnosis depends on the individual symptoms that appear, not the severity of the experience. Competent counseling by someone who understands trauma and/or cultic abuse is recommended when the former member is having difficulty in recovering. See our Referrals.

² Refer to the book, Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change by Flo Conway & Jim Siegelman.

Recommended books:

Captive Hearts, Captive Minds (chapter 12 covers seeking professional counseling)

Trauma and Recovery

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by Johnson & VanVonderen

Recovering From Churches That Abuse by Ronald Enroth (Read the book online)

Booklist for more titles on recovery.

Back to Articles For Those Who Were Emotionally and Spiritually Abused

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