Just say it!
Date: August 25, 2010 03:57AM
For me there is practically nobody that seems able or willing to relate to cult experiences out in the real world, although who knows, that may change I suppose. I've just never had that anyway, for whatever it's worth.
But even just sharing experiences and/or emotional reactions to cult-life can be a huge benefit. From what I've seen even typing a few words on a computer screen and getting some kind of intelligent, reasonable, kind, or even pointedly insightful response from another human being can be a great start to a healthier view of traumatic experiences, or even perhaps the traumatic experience of having neurons starting to function in an atmosphere that is not oppressive and controlling.
More than once I've heard people share that even though they've been reading an online message board for a long time, once they started to share and exchange with folks they were surprised at the emotional intensity even a brief exchange could bring up. Venting, ranting, mourning, and even cussing are things that I have seen from folks who started posting on a cult message board. And for the most part once the brief intense periods were over they were thankful that they started exchanging thoughts and feelings with other cult survivors.
But I enjoy hearing how people have been helped by therapy. For me that represents a good change in attitude because my former cult promoted a culture of prejudice against all types of therapy and the practitioners thereof. (Now it's obvious that was a cruel and self-serving ploy on their part.)