ABSTRACT
The struggles of people who leave cultic groups are complex and lasting, even though their relief at being free is powerful. Leaving a cult is probably one of the most difficult things a person can do; leaving is almost always traumatic and painful, and takes people a few tries before they finally escape. Most cults threaten defectors with the loss of everything they care about, and warn them that leaving will expose them to danger, misery, or even satanic possession and death. When someone leaves a cult, especially a very restrictive one, the sense of alienation and loss can be overwhelming. Children of cults, for the most part, are not allowed to experience the outside world. When they leave, they often struggle to figure out how to survive, or even how to function on a daily or hourly basis. Leaving their restrictive or abusive groups is necessary; yet landing in the outside world brings countless challenges, both good and bad.
