News Religious Trauma Syndrome

[City Slicker]

Since being on the forum I have read posts from people sharing their trauma as a result of religious practices. I am passing this along as it mentions trauma that results in these experiences and the link to PTSD.

http://valerietarico.com/2013/03/26/religious-trauma-syndrome-is-it-real/

 

[Deleted member 12723]

`This is so true. I fit with the symptoms. When I personally went through it I was alone and I am no longer alone anymore. It happens far more that people can believe. Thank you for sharing this very much.

 

[shimmerz]

If you are good and kind then god will take care of you. You will be blessed in heaven and on earth.

Clearly I am bad as it is obvious that this life I am living is not one of 'tidings of comfort and joy'.

I suppose I should have said that extra Hail Mary after confession instead of being bored and skipping it. As always, if god isn't taking care of me it is my fault. Such an incredible tool for creating shame and guilt and inordinate amounts of responsibility, this religion thing.

 

[LuckyDuck]

My braincase was shook by a cult stranglehold.

 

[anthony]

I don't think these people accurately describe the trauma, to be honest. The young girl, whilst turning to God for help, is what failed her... her trauma was bulimia (possible death) followed by a suicide attempt from depression (near death), both of which (death in various forms) are what qualify for PTSD.

So does a person get PTSD from religious trauma OR near death trauma, preceded by believing God would fix everything?

Personally, I opt for the more accurate aspect that the death aspects are what caused PTSD, not religion.

 

[Elizabeth Sharp]

Wow, you have no idea what toxic religious enviroments are like, need to study up on that... How is Islamic fundamentalism different from Christian fundamentalist or Catholic priests who rape or molest in the name of god, calling it "god's will" or his "authority" ... a believer submits thier "free will" to a "higher unquestionable authority" and he plays god with thier life. And they struggle in regious circles often caught in abuse and 20-20 binds. Tell me thats not tramatic.

 

[Fadeaway]

I think religious trauma stands on it's own outside of PTSD and comes with it's own set of symptoms. That isn't to say that some aspects of religious abuse can't create PTSD. Sexual abuse, assault, being on the receiving end of an exorcism and exposure to certain Biblical things in young children depending on how it is present. Also Bible based parenting can be very abusive.

It can make someone who does receive non religious trauma much worse. "if you had been praying regularly and had real faith, then you never would have been in that accident...blah blah blah this was a warning for you to repent blah blah blah...

 

[EveHarrington]

Wow, you have no idea what toxic religious enviroments are like, need to study up on that... How is Islamic fu...

Rape and abuse, in and of themselves, qualify for a PTSD diagnosis. Religious aspect not required.

 

[Friday]

I have to agree, it seems like the article writers don't have a very good grasp of what trauma is... Worse that by scooping everyone up in RTS... It's moving backwards.

Meaning, yes, the environment is absolutely going to affect people... But whether they have PTSD from abuse, or Phobias from abuse, or an Anxiety disorder from abuse, or an EatingDisorder from the abuse, or <insert every other possible result from trauma; either causing or making a pre-existing condition worse> ... Trying to lump everyone under the same umbrella of religion (or any other background theme)? Isn't actually going after their specific issue.

Of course there are going to be common themes. Whether your trauma was via your parents, your religion, your war, your school, your spouse, your drive... The background matters. The common themes will be there. Regardless of what your specific diagnosis is. Ignoring the specifics to focus on the general? Just seems dangerously backwards. If you have an eating disorder, you HAVE to focus on the eating disorder AND what feeds into it (religion, parenting, war, what have you)... Not just focus on the religion (which, ironically, is exactly how the article's subject first attempted to deal with her eating disorder -to massive failure). If you have PTSD? You have to focus on the PTSD... Aaaaand what feeds into it. Etc so forth and so on. Each disorder and it's context. It's like, just because 50 coins all have the same reverse side? Doesn't mean they all have the same front. Or the same value. The reverse side of the coin may be religion, or betrayal, or parenting, or motor vehicles, or war... But the side with the denomination/diagnosis... GAD, MDD, PTSD, BPD, etc. (pick your acronym) matters far beyond the background thematics.

So the article is a weird read for me, as it's essentially a circular argument: here's what person A did which didn't work & here's why, so what THIS is, is doing the exact same thing! :O_o: Beg pardon? Wait, what???

 

[Fadeaway]

So the article is a weird read for me, as it's essentially a circular argument

When I first read this article a few months back, I sobbed and sobbed. Much like I found understanding and validation here, I found validation for something else that negatively impacted my life. It makes sense to me, and and it fills in some of the blanks for me that PTSD doesn't cover. It is different that PTSD. It is about how your mind was trained to think. This article also focuses on certain types of groups and not all beliefs, Christian or other, follow these extreme doctrines.

At the very least, it makes you more vulnerable to abuse.

 

[IamFree]

I am not anti religion or spirituality but I am anti people trying to change me and telling me I am wrong and sinful for not believing there way is the best way. I would not say I have been traumatised but I have been very angry and upset with some of my experiences around organised religions recently. I ended a relationship with a friend when I finally realised this person was never going to accept me completely until I had become a born again Christian I was always going to be a lost cause until then. it no way to have a relationship I decided. What I hate is that she would feel free to criticise anyone elses beleifs but could take no criticism of her own.

I started practicing yoga which you need to be careful with as some claim is not a religion but some branches of yoga is certainly a religion. I was practicing a certain style which had a system of worshipping human gurus treating them as demigods chosen by divine providence. Basicly a kind of papacy...These gods were recently involved in a massive sex scandal and I am like hey wait a minute have I been worshipping criminals all this time...I now practice pilates which is a more secular approach to mind / body / spirit exercise.

 

[EveHarrington]

I am not anti religion or spirituality but I am anti people trying to change me and telling me I am wro...

Why would you worship another human? It sounds like your radar was down if it didn't become a concern until you found out these people were involved in a sex scandal.