I have seen people who were happy in and out of the organization. A lot depends on what is going on in your life at the time. People who leave are often stressed out at first by all the negative feedback by jw relatives and aquaintances. Whose fault is that? Maybe they should consider why it is that they need to demonize these people?
Being bitter and angry is not a good place to be at emotionally. But it is an emotion we feel when we are mistreated by others. Eventually, we need to move on though. I think most who leave the jws do move on, but it takes time. And if your family is held captive by the jws, it is harder to accomplish because it is always being thrust into your face.
I hate the word apostate because of what the jws have made it to mean. Many of them are apostates by their own definition, having left the church they grew up in for the jws. Yet they will never refer to themselves as apostates. It reminds me of the charge of sedition against Jesus by the Jews. By their rules Jesus was also an apostate.
I applaud you for being able to sit through the book study. I think it would be very difficult for me.