“Religious Trauma Syndrome” (RTS)

An Image of An Ancient Roman Torture Device (This was used to torture and execute, most likely, millions of people throughout the Middle East and Europe for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Its use was popular during the Bronze Age, particularly for Rome). Today, this is the image of a peaceful religion, celebrating a loving god. Go figure.

I found this article on “Religious Trauma Syndrome” (RTS) by Valerie Tarico on 21 September 2023.  It is located at : www.alternet.org/… . 

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Now, I suffer from no such thing, as much as I am aware of.  My mother stopped our church going by the time I reached 12.  From then until about 18 or 19, I considered myself an agnostic.  At that time, and somewhat a little before during my tween years briefly, I went to other churches in lieu of the Nazarene (a particularly pernicious brand of Christianity laden with sermons on hellfire and brimstone — at least my church was back then).  I investigated other denominations, briefly.  Again, in my young adult years, I investigated other denominations, and other religions.  After years of education in the sciences, I decided I was no longer an agnostic, but an atheist (not just an atheist — but what I term a strong atheist, no belief in fairies, demons, angels, kobolds, orcs, &c.).

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Now, as for the article, I think RTS is a very real thing.  So much so, that I think it probably belongs in the DSM-V.  I had not heard of this before, or the author or one of her subjects, a psychologist who specializes in treating this.  It is my understanding the psychologist originated the field of investigation.  Good for her.  I think a lot of people could benefit from this article.  I think the field of psychology should begin giving this realm of research a lot of attention.  I think a very great number of people could benefit from religion recovery therapy.