I've been lurking on the forum for over a year now. I'm not an ex JW but have some weird connections to the group none the less.
I was raised in the Worldwide Church of God. A lot in common with JWs. No Holidays, no birthdays, no voting, or military service. Medical care and higher "worldly" education were frowned upon and there was constantly the impending end of the world. We were a little different in that we kept the 7th day sabbath, old testament holy days and had one man at the top, Herbert Armstrong. Eventually the organization went bust and I exited and started rebuilding my spiritual life on my terms.
My Mom was the joiner, not my stepdad. Oddly enough, her family went in for religious extremes. One of her brothers took his family into JWs and one of sisters joined with the Mormons. You can imagine what family get togethers were like
I guess the reason I'm finally commenting is simply because of lonelieness. There are so few people who can understand what its like to be involved in an abusive religious group or the struggle it involves to build a life on radically changed expectations and worldviews.
While I wasn't in the Watchtower, I do identify with a lot of the feelings and circumstances of those who left or in the process of leaving.