Humanists: Groundbreaking study exposes hidden struggles of ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses in the UK
A groundbreaking study published in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion has shed light on the profound and long-lasting challenges faced by people leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses and ways in which targeted support can assist their recovery.
Conducted by a national group of academic researchers in collaboration with Faith to Faithless, the Humanists UK programme supporting people who leave high-control religions, the research involved in-depth interviews with 20 ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses in the UK. Participants described significant emotional, social, and practical struggles after leaving – often compounded by shunning, loss of identity, and a lack of understanding from professionals.
The study found:
• Many experience acute mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD, linked both to life inside the religion and to the process of leaving.
• Social isolation is common, with loss of family and friends leaving some feeling like ‘a little baby’ navigating the outside world for the first time.
• Professional help is often ineffective due to a lack of awareness about religious trauma.
• Recovery is possible – but requires specialist understanding, safe environments, and supportive relationships.
The authors emphasise that leaving a high-control religion is not a single event but ‘a complex, ongoing process of rebuilding identity and worldview.’ With the right support from trained mental health professionals, informed social services, and community networks, former members can ‘piece everything together again’ and go on to live fulfilling lives.
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