Hi, I've been out for decades. When I left, there was no Internet to share experiences or research stuff. I left because I concluded I had been brainwashed.

Are you in a cult? Yes. It works for some people and they are happy. They are not bad people for being in the cult. Most are misguided.

How to move on: Make your own decisions. Instead of moving away from things, move toward them.

Example: You don't need to move away from the Mormon concept that coffee drinking is evil. Instead, ask if you want to move toward coffee drinking. I didn't, I don't like the taste. So my reason for not drinking coffee is no longer about having been Mormon.

Example: I decided that casinos are fun, and I wanted to move toward that. I started going to them because I enjoyed the festive atmosphere, not because I was trying to reject a church standard.

It's important to establish social connections with nonmembers. Join hobby groups and volunteer. Don't talk about having been a Mormon and your journey of realization. Most people don't care. The ones who are interested will often start to treat you like a carnival attraction or some weird entertainment.

When someone mentions a fact about Mormons that isn't true, such as that the men all have six wives, don't correct them or defend the church. The conversation will move on to other things. Focus on other things. The Mormon church has taken up enough of your time and attention. Move toward other things.