I just wanted to take a minute to encourage any that are leaving that the world outside isn't as scary as it was made out to be. My wife and I officially DA'd at the beginning of last September. I've battled social anxiety, depression, etc. for years and it magically all went away, well not 100% as new situations are intimidating for everyone, but they aren't paralyzing anymore. I was the guy that wouldn't even go into a new restaurant because I didn't know how it was laid out, what they had, etc.
My wife and I have been to our first Thanksgivings at other family's homes with lots of strangers. Just last night we went to our first ever cocktail party with people we didn't really know. I could go on, but you know what, people are NICE! They aren't the evil douchebags that you were always told that they were. I can't begin to describe how much happier we both are since we left, and that includes losing our families. We get to be ourselves, and we get to associate with people that are from all types of cultures and morals and it's okay. We get to be us, and they get to be them. What a novel concept! Almost like we let everyone exercise free will. It is truly a magical thing.
So just know that life gets better. It really does. We've only been out from September to now, the end of February, and life is actually fun and we have people now that actually care about us. Not that fake-azz crapola that Jehovah's Witnesses said was love and care that disappears with the wind, but people actually invite us places and ask about how we're doing and genuinely care. We could disappear for years from our congregations without a peep. Nobody really cared. Dub love is as deep as your score on their performance evaluation called a time slip or meeting attendance and participation. It's all for show, and it all falls apart if you fail to perform.
Be open and honest with people in your life outside of the organization. Tell them what you're going through, what you're going toward, and be vulnerable. We were completely open with the people we clean houses for and they've been our biggest allies through all of this. They are our new friends and family, and we've branched out from there. Find those lost Witnesses that disappeared years ago and reach out to them. We've been reacquainted with several people that left years ago and made friends there again. People are generally good, and if you're leaving something like a cult then you have one of the more interesting stories that anyone could share. People love hearing about it and find it interesting, and they will become your cheerleaders as you escape something that is so destructive. They want to see you succeed. Open vulnerability begets open vulnerability. We've learned more about others around us as we've been open, and it builds real relationships, not surface level ones like the JWs.
I just wanted to share. I hope that it helps someone out there who is afraid. We were open before leaving and saw that we had people there for us on the outside. In a short time we have more friends than we ever did in the Borg despite years and years of trying there. Peace and love to everyone going through this mess. It does get better, and we're living proof in a matter of months.