they either don't know about my background or they don't understand it, so they really don't understand me - because my background as a JW was such an important (and long) part of my life and it has shaped me and I will never be rid of its effects entirely.... and it's quite lonely having this background and no-one you mix with on a daily basis really understands you.
Yeah I can relate to that. I've managed to stay in touch with four old JW friends who got out at roughly the same time as I did, and they're pure gold! To still have somebody in my life who has my history and can look backwards with me has been great. Still, a couple of years down the track and when we get together we barely bring up the JW thing at all, so much else has happened in our lives since that it's almost a waste of time to go over the old ground.
I've found that after a little while on this site talking about the stuff that got to me and listening to other's stories, I'm nearly all talked out about it. I was so happy to realise that it doesn't go on forever; even though it was the complete story of my life up until a couple of years ago, there is a finite amount of things to say about it and eventually that's done and I really could move on.
My new friends are fascinated by the story but as you say, I couldn't tell it too often for fear of sounding and becoming bitter and obsessed with it. I got all my 'purging' done right here. Stick around!