Yes I grew up in a cult/sect that led to me having PTSD. I agree with what Cashew said, each "victim" has a different story so it is hard to generalize. I found this quote. The book can be found in Google.
"Spirituality and Psychiatry" by Chris Cook
Chapter 13, Pathological Spirituality, p. 267-269
Post-cult psychopathology
"Leaving a cult-style group is often a traumatic experience. The way individuals leave may have an impact on their recovery process. They may walk away, be expelled (Singer, 2003), leave by means of an intervention by an ethical ‘cult exit-counsellor’ (Giambalvo, 1995) or leave when their parents leave the cult (Kendall, 2006)...."
And...
"The term‘cult pseudo-identity’ describes the phenomenon where a person’s identity has been distorted or altered, and as a result a different persona emerged. It is well acknowledged that certain types of childhood trauma can be psychodynamically understood as contributing to a resulting clinical picture of dissociative identity disorder or other conditions along the same spectrum, such as fugue, amnesia or somnambulism. Not so well studied, however, is how particular forms of environmental stress in adults can disrupt the normally integrative function of identity. A pseudo- identity can be generated by particular types of external stress in a person who may have previously been quite free of any signs or symptoms of personality malfunction (West & Martin, 1996; Jenkinson, 2008). There can be an abrupt switching back and forth between behaviours characteristic of the two identities, with the new personality primarily reflecting the new situational forces and requirements. Lalich (2004) suggests that the pre-cult personality fades into the background, whereas the cult persona emerges and becomes stronger:
This is not schizophrenia, not the eruption of a split personality, as might be described in the psychology literature. Rather, the cult member undergoes the development of a personality that stands for, and with, the newly adopted world view and its practices. Total and unquestioning commitment requires a new self [Lalich, 2004: p. 19].
And..
Treatment
Psychiatric and psychotherapeutic help is unlikely to be of benefit to former members unless the full history and context of their cult involvement is known and understood (Martin, 1993; Singer, 2003). Psychiatric care will be dictated by the nature of the illness, the pre-morbid personality and the patient’s remaining available strengths.
Specialist counselling with first-generation cult members needs to focus on:
•discerning between cult-induced psychopathology and inherent mental illness; attention to what the individual has been taught in the group will be necessary;
•education aimed at empowering the ex-cult member to understand their cult experience and undo indoctrinated teachings, beliefs and practices that compromise their autonomy;
•addressing cult-related issues before any childhood or family of origin issues;
•disarming shame (cults often use shame as a control mechanism (Lalich & Tobias, 2006) and ex-members can feel a sense of shame at having been involved);
•attending to post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder; •reconnecting with the pre-cult personality and moving away from the cult pseudo-identity (which may include changing appearance, reconnecting with creativity and learning to trust family, friends and new people) (Jenkinson, 2008);
•integrating the experience and moving on (see Langone, 1993; Martin,
1993; Hassan, 2000; Singer, 2003; Lalich & Tobias, 2006).
John Clarke, from Harvard Medical School, in 1979 testified before a special committee of the Vermont State Senate investigating ‘the effects of some religious cults on the health and welfare of their converts’. In his statement he cited the known health hazards, both physical and psychological, and concluded:
The fact of a personality shift in my opinion is established. That this is a phenomenon basically unfamiliar to the mental health profession I am certain of. The fact that our ordinary methods of treatment don’t work is also clear, as are the frightening hazards to the process of personal growth and mental health [Conway & Siegelman, 2005: p. 78]."
I know it is a lot of babble. But it really helped me to read, because most doctors don't know how to proceed and there is a lot of confusion in terms of diagnosis and treatment. And I just really appreciated reading it as a confirmation if everything I have been going through.
I have been doing Schematic Therapy and this helped me also to understand the different modes or selves that work within me which is through the sect experiences even stronger, like mentioned above. I have the part of me that left my ex husband and the sect and knows it was the right thing to do and the part that is scared and somehow stills wants to to back to feel protected, and the other part that is horrified if the idea. It is a conflict of identity that really influences my daily life. But through understanding the different parts it easier to deal with them, give them love and attention from the healthy adult part of me that knows what to do.
I am a second generation cult survivor though so this can be different for first generation survivor. This is also explained in the article but I didn't want to post the whole thing because I thought it would be too much.
I hope that helps. I think there is so much more to be said on the subject and there ought to be a whole section meant for this. Maybe a good suggestion?
