Me: *mentions something about gay*
My dad: in the old days they used to hang them from the trees.
Me: 👀
The single most frustrating thing about being ex cult, for me, is running into that brick wall when I’m talking to my parents. All our serious conversations have three steps:
1. My parents explain to me what clinical depression is and how it can be treated.
2. I show them my clinical diagnosis.
3. They fail to see how it applies to me. Why do I go to therapy? Why can’t I pray it away??
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1. My parents display a pretty good understanding of child development and what basic things a kid needs to grow healthily.
2. I point out how some of those basic things they just mentioned kids need obviously weren’t available for their kids, and that I and my siblings are currently dealing with the long term problems this causes.
3. They fail to see how that applies to me. Why am I bitter and trying to hurt them? And why can’t I pray it away??
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1. My parents acknowledge that there are abusive church groups. Even acknowledge specific traits that are abusive.
2. I point out how those specific traits were clearly a part of the group we were in, and explain that this is why I find it difficult to join them in their current church setting, which tbh displays a lot of similarities.
3. They fail to see how that applies to us. If I’m having an attitude problem about the past, why can’t I pray it away??
It’s the world’s suckiest merry-go-round and I JUST WANT TO GET OFF.
Some days, like today, my family sends me stuff like this: