hi, i saw your post about your family member. im so sorry you’re going through this right now. i don’t have experience with helping a family member get out, but i was raised in a very radical religious group and began the process of leaving this past year. here a few resources that helped me through that process:
(disclaimer that the language here is geared toward cults but its just an umbrella that covers any high control / radical group, religious or otherwise)
- a little bit culty podcast: they interview people who’ve been in high control / radical groups + discuss what drew them in, why they stayed, and why they left. it’s really great for understanding the mindset of what someone is going through, why they might alienate you, and what they’re struggling with. they’re early episodes especially are very information / resource heavy
- alittlebitculty.com/resources -> links to a lot of resources (articles, videos, interviews, books) that are focused toward people who are looking to leave, but could be really helpful for you in understanding what’s going on. i especially recommend looking into janja lalich’s and steve hassen’s websites, as they’re certified professionals in their fields and have each done a lot of work with helping people deradicalize their loved ones.
there isn’t an easy answer of course, and ultimately, it’s up to your loved one to decide what they want to do. but it’s so important that you’re trying to support them. from personal experience (+ a lot of research) i can tell you that it’s so common for people to pull away from family with different belief systems. just being there to still listen and love and keep the door open to them is going to be one of the most significant things you can do. abandoning a belief system like this is hard bc there’s so much shame involved in realizing you were wrong, so it means everything to have someone who will still love you and accept you.
im wishing you so much luck and strength in this journey.
Thank you so so much for this, my darling 🌷 you have no idea how much this means to me.
I will have a look at these now and I hope I can work out how to approach the subject with them.
Thank you for your kind words, I also agree that having a lot of support and listening is better than just being defensive or just ignoring (which I suspect some other family members are doing, not out of evil but just ignorance on how to deal with it because we are all concerned).
I also hope your journey is getting easier and you find yourself in a healthier environment 🌷














