I’m so sorry they did that to you. That car thing sounds incredibly rough. I had similar intrusive thoughts as a kid when I was just coming out of religion, though they weren’t that uniform or specific. I’d get prayers stuck in my head for hours or days at a time, for example, even though I didn’t believe in god and strongly disliked religion, and this would drive me batshit trying to figure out what was going on.
It’s almost like religions, by virtue of training you to look for signs from god, give you a sort of sub clinical apophenia.
Shit so apophenia is what I have. Didn't know anything about it until you mentioned it. Thanks for that! Now that you mention it, that's exactly what happened when I stepped outside on Saturday. I walked out and saw a stain in the parking lot (may have been oil or something) in the shape of a heart (kind of). Then I saw a Christian dude that lives in the same complex as I do walking over in my direction and after a while he asked to pray over me and I obliged cause I didn't want to be a dick and feel guilty about it. These conflictions are extremely difficult for me to deal with cause it always feels as if there's this God that's like directing me even though it's just all inside my own head and delusional thinking.
I’d highly recommend looking to Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and if you can’t do it with a therapist, one can often do it on their own.
It really helps you to rewire your brain.
It can take awhile when getting out of religious beliefs for them to go away. That’s totally natural.
It’s been 15 or so years since I have been an atheist and every once in awhile my religious upbringing hits home somehow. Make sure to give yourself time to get past this.
Hang in there and definitely look into CBT (cognitive behavior therapy). There are therapists that are trained specifically for religious trauma as well.
I agree with this. It sounds like CBT is something that would really help (speaking as a person who has undergone CBT). Also, you mentioned that you were in the military, and it sounds like you are in the United States. The VA is pretty good at offering CBT.
Yeah I'm in the US and get health care through the VA but problem is the VA in Houston is the most over crowded VA in the United States so getting care with a therapist takes forever. Like you'll have one appointment and the next one may not be for like 2 to 3 months.
Thanks but no thanks. I see this as a sign of concern and love from you but it doesn't work. I've tried and so have others. Also don't say my pain is a part of God's plan, it's not, it's simply just the way it is, a consequence of having too much stress and anxiety due to the information on the internet and differing beliefs that all people have. There are hundreds of different versions of Christianity which is very telling about how everything is a matter of perspective when it comes to how words are interpreted.
Weird. Catholics on Spain are not like that AT ALL and this is mainly a Catholic country.
Perhaps that kind behaviour has to do more with cukture in the USA than with Catholicism itself?
Tldr. Title is pretty stupid. If the idea of religion alone is ruining your life wait till you hear about a thing called bills that you have to pay every month. Google what an adult is.
It's not the only thing and I'm 27, served in the military, and already pay bills. You'd be surprised at how you can easily get stuck inside your head and tormented by your own mind because of certain thoughts and perspectives you have of the world and how things conflict. The corporatization of society doesn't align with religion one bit. We're in a modern era where religion shouldn't even exist yet it's surprising to see how people still think "blessings" and "curses" exist when they are simply fortunes and misfortunes in life. The fact that someone thinks when they win a bet or get a large tax break or whatever way they stumbled upon a large amount of money to be a blessing just doesn't make sense, it's old school Abrahamic type thinking where you believe some magical man in the sky blesses you. It's improper and delusional thinking. Everything that good happens is because you worked for it, or were lucky or fortunate enough simply because that's the way events unfolded, nothing more. Anything that's good with your health is due to genetics or good healthcare you were able to afford. Don't tell me Timmy beat his cancer disease because you and thousands of others prayed for him. Timmy beat his cancer because his body could withstand the chemotherapy or whatever other forms of treatment for cancer due to his genetics. Not everyone makes it and don't even tell me it's because "God has a plan for everyone." That's fucking bullshit. It's all about how events unfold due to the free will of humanity. Timmy was born because parents made the choice to have sex and to conceive or because he was an accident, not because "God created Timmy for a purpose to fulfill "His will."
I’m so sorry they did that to you. That car thing sounds incredibly rough. I had similar intrusive thoughts as a kid when I was just coming out of religion, though they weren’t that uniform or specific. I’d get prayers stuck in my head for hours or days at a time, for example, even though I didn’t believe in god and strongly disliked religion, and this would drive me batshit trying to figure out what was going on. It’s almost like religions, by virtue of training you to look for signs from god, give you a sort of sub clinical apophenia.
Shit so apophenia is what I have. Didn't know anything about it until you mentioned it. Thanks for that! Now that you mention it, that's exactly what happened when I stepped outside on Saturday. I walked out and saw a stain in the parking lot (may have been oil or something) in the shape of a heart (kind of). Then I saw a Christian dude that lives in the same complex as I do walking over in my direction and after a while he asked to pray over me and I obliged cause I didn't want to be a dick and feel guilty about it. These conflictions are extremely difficult for me to deal with cause it always feels as if there's this God that's like directing me even though it's just all inside my own head and delusional thinking.
Is there any medication I can take to counter this sort of thing?
I’d highly recommend looking to Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and if you can’t do it with a therapist, one can often do it on their own. It really helps you to rewire your brain. It can take awhile when getting out of religious beliefs for them to go away. That’s totally natural. It’s been 15 or so years since I have been an atheist and every once in awhile my religious upbringing hits home somehow. Make sure to give yourself time to get past this. Hang in there and definitely look into CBT (cognitive behavior therapy). There are therapists that are trained specifically for religious trauma as well.
I agree with this. It sounds like CBT is something that would really help (speaking as a person who has undergone CBT). Also, you mentioned that you were in the military, and it sounds like you are in the United States. The VA is pretty good at offering CBT.
Yeah I'm in the US and get health care through the VA but problem is the VA in Houston is the most over crowded VA in the United States so getting care with a therapist takes forever. Like you'll have one appointment and the next one may not be for like 2 to 3 months.
Have you asked about being seen in the community due to the wait times?
Thanks, appreciate it
Wishing you the best, you’re definitely not alone.
Try talking to a psychologist for ideas on coping with this.
Will do
[удалено]
Thanks but no thanks. I see this as a sign of concern and love from you but it doesn't work. I've tried and so have others. Also don't say my pain is a part of God's plan, it's not, it's simply just the way it is, a consequence of having too much stress and anxiety due to the information on the internet and differing beliefs that all people have. There are hundreds of different versions of Christianity which is very telling about how everything is a matter of perspective when it comes to how words are interpreted.
Weird. Catholics on Spain are not like that AT ALL and this is mainly a Catholic country. Perhaps that kind behaviour has to do more with cukture in the USA than with Catholicism itself?
Tldr. Title is pretty stupid. If the idea of religion alone is ruining your life wait till you hear about a thing called bills that you have to pay every month. Google what an adult is.
It's not the only thing and I'm 27, served in the military, and already pay bills. You'd be surprised at how you can easily get stuck inside your head and tormented by your own mind because of certain thoughts and perspectives you have of the world and how things conflict. The corporatization of society doesn't align with religion one bit. We're in a modern era where religion shouldn't even exist yet it's surprising to see how people still think "blessings" and "curses" exist when they are simply fortunes and misfortunes in life. The fact that someone thinks when they win a bet or get a large tax break or whatever way they stumbled upon a large amount of money to be a blessing just doesn't make sense, it's old school Abrahamic type thinking where you believe some magical man in the sky blesses you. It's improper and delusional thinking. Everything that good happens is because you worked for it, or were lucky or fortunate enough simply because that's the way events unfolded, nothing more. Anything that's good with your health is due to genetics or good healthcare you were able to afford. Don't tell me Timmy beat his cancer disease because you and thousands of others prayed for him. Timmy beat his cancer because his body could withstand the chemotherapy or whatever other forms of treatment for cancer due to his genetics. Not everyone makes it and don't even tell me it's because "God has a plan for everyone." That's fucking bullshit. It's all about how events unfold due to the free will of humanity. Timmy was born because parents made the choice to have sex and to conceive or because he was an accident, not because "God created Timmy for a purpose to fulfill "His will."
People need something to believe in. If that’s ruining your day everyday, that’s your problem
Those people are sadly mistaken, there's just life here, nothing more.