Understanding Religious Trauma

Religious Trauma:

While there is no clearly defined universal definition (yet), this term generally refers to psychological damage resulting from religious messages, beliefs and experiences.

(Stone 2013)

Religious Abuse:

Typically used interchangeably with the term ‘spiritual abuse’, this refers to mental, physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse that occurs in a religious or spiritual context, often resulting in trauma.

(Swindle, Cashwell, & Tangen, 2024)

What causes religious trauma?

The American Psychological Association (2018) defines trauma as:

“Any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behaviour, and other aspects of functioning”

In 2011, American psychologist Marlene Winell coined the term ‘religious trauma syndrome’. Though religious trauma isn’t an official diagnosis, it is still widely recognised by clinicians as a valid and genuine form of trauma experienced by many people.

Causes of religious trauma may include (but are not limited to):

  • Religious abuse (eg. mental, emotional, physical or sexual abuse carried out in a religious context and/or justified using religion)

  • Harmful doctrines that invoke fear, guilt and shame (eg. the fear of hell and divine punishment, believing your sexuality is sinful)

  • Manipulation or coercion (eg. limits to personal freedom and movement, being forced to wear hijab/fast/pray, forced marriage)

  • High-control environments (eg. authoritarian, fundamentalist norms)

What does religious trauma look like?

Religious trauma can affect your life in many ways. While it presents differently for each person, it often resembles other types of complex trauma.

Religious trauma can look like (but is not limited to):

  • Anxiety and panic attacks

  • Depression and hopelessness

  • Intense feelings of guilt and shame

  • Feeling confused about your identity and sense of self

  • Intrusive thoughts and fear (eg. “what if I was wrong and I’m going to hell?”)

  • Flashbacks and nightmares

  • Disassociation (feeling disconnected from reality and your sense of self)

  • Relationship issues