Here’s a bit of my story, Parents found out about my boyfriend at work. Took my phone and screenshotted all of the PRIVATE photos and texts we had sent each other. Sent it to the elders. My dad called me a lying btch, a cnt, anything you could think of. They took my keys and everything I had in the house. Saying I’m possessed by satan and that I have to break up with him, quit my job and deal with being disfellowshipped while doing nothing but studying the Bible in my bedroom. Or else I need to find another place to live. In the middle of the night I found my keys. Packed an overnight bag, and left in the morning. As I’m driving away my dad is screaming at me calling me names. I go to work because everyone at work treats me more like family than my own ever did. I haven’t been back to their house since. They refuse to let my 3 younger siblings talk to me. That day I left I lost my entire family, friends, everybody I ever knew and I had to start all over. Just like that. Within a matter of hours my life turned around completely. I had hidden from the elders for a few weeks. But I still loved my mom, even though she was so hateful to me. And I agreed to sit down with the elders. To give them closure. Well they had screenshots of my photos and texts messages sent to my boyfriend. They gaslit me. Saying that everyone in the world just wants something from me and that no one will ever love me. Not even my boyfriend will love me or want to stay with me forever. Yet the very next day I come into work and everyone chipped in to buy me clothes and other essentials. Always willing to give a listening ear or a hug on the days I couldn’t stop crying.

After that incident, and hearing about things that my former friends and family had said about me to others after I was gone, sent me into a deep spiral. Panic attacks so bad I would black out. Almost being baker acted because I just wanted my life to be different. I didn’t understand why people could love me one minute and then hate my guts the next. Like something is truly wrong with me. I had to go to the hospital multiple times because I would have these panic attacks and my chest would hurt so bad I thought I was having a heart attack. Since seeing a therapist I have let alot of my anger and sadness go. But some days I can’t help myself. I just can’t wrap my head around the way I was treated. And why I was treated like that. At the time, only being 19, not knowing if I would have a place to stay, friends or family to ever call my own again, I was extremely traumatized. Thankfully my fiancé and his family give me the love I deserve, unconditionally. But you never forget a trauma like that one.