Hi All, I'm a long time lurker, ready to join in and add my two cents worth now and then! I was in the religion for 25 years, out now for 8, along with my husband, daughter, and son! I would have to say pretty much the whole time I was in I didnt want to be, pretty much "dreaded" all aspects of it, meetings, service, assemblies, and TALKS, I hated talks, man o man would i be grouchy the whole week I had a scheduled talk.
We didnt have much family in, but lots of friends and many JW employees, pretty much lost all that, down to just one JW employee left(thats a good thing). We have never been DF"d, I feel because they probably knew my husband would do whatever in his power to file a Lawsuit. The elders never once tried to contact me, not quite sure why,probably because I was very verbal, not very submissive and did threaten a time or two that I would be contacting authorities if they did not "handle" the child abuse thats goes on in most halls( you know, the poor little kid screaming in the bathroom, comes out a few minutes later with a red hand mark across face)! Also threatened that if they said my sons name in a 'local needs" part about defiant teenagers(he was only 13) that I would be contacting my attorney, anyway were all out, all of us have some level of PTS, but my son has fared the worst, yep I really screwed him up, raising him in that religion, biggest regret of my life, but I can see him starting to come along a bit and working hard with him to learn good coping skills for his severe depression etc., Thank- You all for all the good information and for being here for me(even if you didnt realize it)! Looking forward to joining in, BBS