Is Religious Trauma Even REAL?

The thing about religious harm is that it can have lasting effects even when we have left religion long ago. Because some of the messages from religion might have been drilled into our hearts and minds as very young children, it can be difficult to see its damage until later in life. You might wonder, "Why am I now having such a hard time? It's not like anything REALLY BAD happened to me at church."

Check out these effects of Religious Harm to see if you relate. 

Let us help you understand how religious harm works. We'd all agree that slicing your finger with a knife is damaging to your finger, Yes? But so is getting a paper cut in the same spot 1,000 times. Both leave a scar.  This analogy applies to religious trauma as well. When you've been fed harmful messages over and over, they have a lasting effect. Messages like:

That sounds like 1,000 paper cuts to us!

As you move through your religious recovery journey and become more aware of how these responses are showing up in your life, we want you to remember two things:

1. How normal of you! We expect these things to appear.
2. You are empowered now to take care of yourself. 

This is your invitation to nurture and comfort those places inside of your that have been wounded. You have the capacity to change those harmful messages. And one of the ways you can begin doing that is by getting better in tune with yourself when these responses show up (because they will!). Here are some ideas, though not limited to, to try when you are noticing one of the symptoms listed above:

What do you think? Has this been your experience as well?