Help: Overcoming the Trauma of Religion

[infinitefriend93]

I am so happy that I found this forum.

So, I am having a very serious identity crisis. I have accepted atheism quite a while
ago and this was further confirmed after reading more about it.
The major issue is that I am still having theistic (Islamic - which was forced down my throat during
childhood) thought sometimes disturbing my rational thought.
Sometimes this manifests in high anxiety and feeling 'traumatised' which is
worryingly affecting my life
I feel betrayed and it is like I am still 'in chains' emotionally to the religion of all my family and
community and I cannot exaggerate just how much happiness it has
taken out of my life. :(

- How do I permanently overcome these very real feelings?
- Where can I get support to stay strong and not fall back to irrational
religious mumbo-jumbo like 'Oh, I feel unwell today - it must be the Devil and
because I am an atheist' or 'I am now failing and all these curses are happening
to me because I have stopped communicating with my intolerant and forceful
parents'

I have been holding on to these feelings hoping that they would neutralise
with time but this is obviously not the right course of action
and I am very clearly in need of support and talking therapy
in order to get over this awful hijack to my mind and enjoy life as it is.

Thank you!

[AllPurposeAtheist]

The truth will set you free. They like that one without knowing it doesn't include ignorant goat herding mentalities.
stay strong and above all stay safe.

[StupidWiz]

Same here. I used to be a Muslim too and now I've discarded Islam from my life (though still faking it around some of my families), still, I'm having some kind of fear or prejudice if I want to eat bacon or pork, or drink alcohol cause they're Haram in Islam.

I also still think that dark magic, susuk, santet, tuyul, ghosts are real and exist. The fear that was planted since childhood made it very difficult to shake it off, you know? They've indoctrinated all those shits to me since I was little. Also, the environment kind of support that irrational fear as almost everyone have been indoctrinated and made to believe that they exist. If you don't believe in them, either you're arrogant, stupid or clinically insane (yes, even our psychologists here have been indoctrinated by Islam and Christianity through the systematic education system that requires students to study religion if they want to pass/graduate)

Anyway, OP, the least I can say to you is : you, we, have to have a strong will, resilient belief that all those shits are not real. Ignore what the society believe (if you're living in a theocracy like me) and stick to your own rational mind. Subscribe to all atheism/skeptics page on FB or blog to continually remind us that we. are. not. wrong. We're not the one who are insane.

Stay safe and question everything. :)

[SGOS]

Hi, I'm a former Christian, but it was still the same nonsense, and your story is familiar.  Yes, that stuff they teach you during the first 10 years of your life is hard to shake off.  You know in your rational mind that there is nothing in our world that can prove it's real, and that you have no reason to believe it.  At the same time, other explanations about how the world works, make so much more sense.  But still the ghosts of religion linger in the back of your mind causing a kind of low grade torment.  I have gotten rid of mine, but it took a long time.  It varies for everyone.

But reality isn't so bad that I need to invent nonsense to cope with it.  Reality is the same for everyone, including theists.  I don't need to take the edge off of reality with a fantasy.  I just accept it for what it is.

[stromboli]

Welcome. Masturbate furiously. It may not cure anything, but realize it is actually good for you and a direct affront to your religion. You'll thank me later.

[Mermaid]

It sounds like you have quite a bit of anxiety about this. You are being pretty hard on yourself. We all evolve over time, and you need to give yourself a break here and not judge yourself so harshly. It is what it is. Instead of putting a judgment on your thoughts as good or bad, stupid or smart, sane or crazy, why not just accept them for what they are? You will find your footing organically.

Oh, and what Stromboli said. :)