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Since the term was first coined several decades ago, it's been common to refer to the overwhelming and disruptive effects of religion as "religious trauma syndrome." But is religious trauma, in fact, a syndrome? We would argue no, it's not.
While "religious trauma syndrome" is commonly used, many clinicians and researchers are shying away from this description. Why? Because use of the term "syndrome" is an outdated label that can actually be more detrimental than helpful. When originally coined, this so-called "syndrome" was part of a larger cultural fascination with pathologizing everything without sufficient clinical or psychological justification. But religious trauma occurs on an individualized spectrum and does not consistently present with the same cluster of symptoms, as would be required in order to receive a "syndrome" diagnoses.
So What is Religious Trauma?
Religious trauma is trauma. Period.
Nothing more needs to be added.
On Sunday, November 8, 2020, the North American Committee on Religious Trauma Research (NACRTR) had come up with an official definition to help characterize the nature, scope, and meaning of "religious trauma." The official definition is as follows:
"Religious trauma results from an event, series of events, relationships, or circumstances within or connected to religious beliefs, practices, or structures that is experienced by an individual as overwhelming or disruptive and has lasting adverse effects on a person’s physical, mental, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being."
The label "syndrome" limits religious trauma by manufacturing arbitrary parameters on people’s lived experiences, thereby excluding them from treatment options or alienating them with feelings of being diseased and abnormal.
So, in other words, religious trauma originates from and manifests in numerous (often complex) ways that are characteristic of regular trauma. It is not a syndrome. It's trauma.
Help Expose Religious Trauma
The Global Center for Religious Research (GCRR) has established the world's first and most comprehensive psychiatric research group to study the causes, manifestations, and treatment options for those suffering from "religious trauma" (RT). GCRR has built a team of approximately 30 licensed psychiatrists, therapists, sociologists, university professors, religion scholars, and Ph.D. candidates from around the world, all who specialize in the field of trauma research.
Unfortunately, the academic study of religious trauma remains in its infancy when compared to other studies in mental health.
Sadly, this means that there is no actual empirical data to support what we have seen and experienced in the tens of thousands: that religious trauma exists and is a chronic problem within many religions. GCRR intends to correct this gap of knowledge by offering an interdisciplinary and scientific examination of the origins, impact, and treatment options of religious trauma.
You can read more about our study by clicking here. And if you'd like to support our research on religious trauma, just click the image below.
