Has your struggle improved since you left?

YES, TREMENDOUSLY!! I've always noticed that the more devout you are, the more trials you face. Since leaving, my quality of life has improved so much. Life gets better when you live for your life and not for your death.

proudxmo

Before I can answer this question, I need to define what "struggle" means to me. I would define my struggle as struggling to know if I'm worthy enough or good enough. I would define my struggle as struggling to know what will happen in the next life if a loved one chooses a different path than me. I would define my struggle as struggling to have an answer for every question presented to me from the outside or within myself.

My "struggle" has improved because of what I've been able to accept for myself. I accept myself for who I am and no longer gauge my worthiness against those around me. I accept that I don't know what will happen after I die, and that gives me a greater appreciation for what I have now (such as the time that I have with my family now). I accept that I don't need to understand everything in order move forward in life and love those around me.

I still have moments wherein I desire to know more and self-improve; however, I no longer consider those moments to be moments of "struggle". I consider them to be moments of growth simply for the sake of growth.

curtishartley

To be honest it really hasn’t been much of a struggle. The biggest struggle is making sure I keep my personal biases don’t color my search for truth.

ashmonster2000

Definitely, yes. I no longer feel like I have to uphold an image, and I no longer feel mentally torn apart.

autumn-phelps

My struggle has improved drastically. In fact I would not longer call it a struggle. I have began to dabble in philosophy which pretty much cleared up any doubts that I still had about my decision. I’ve discovered that, by using philosophy alone, any religious claim can be argued back into ambiguity where it belongs. I am the happiest I have ever been and it’s only getting better.

spendiggity144

After I disclosed my faith transition, my struggle grew immensely more difficult as I sorted out all the difficult emotions that brought. It also meant confronting my rape trauma, which because of religious shame, went untreated for nearly three decades. It took about a year to feel stabilized and another year to settle into the new normal. It feels like each year is just getting better and better.

bethlundgreen

I’m at peace. The constant depression I felt trying to confirm and be perfect by Mormon standards is gone and I can actually function day to day. I’ve never thought I’d be at peace and happy in life and it’s not perfect, I still have bad days, but I don’t feel like a broken vessel anymore. 

steffie7

Yes and no. I hated myself a lot more back when I was mormon. I had many self-esteem issues thanks to my feelings of inadequacy when it came to spiritual matters. I've come to terms with the church's affect on my formative years, and consider myself to be "post-mormon" now. I've learned to love myself, but the lack of a mormon "tribe" to be there and help out, combined with a rather small family has made an already lonely life harder, but I wouldn't take it back for anything.

bwilliams8492

Yes, I have so much more peace and happiness and I can read about the church or the scriptures without constant cognitive dissonance.

Anonymous

My struggle with depression and anxiety is so much more manageable now that I'm no longer a member.

kf7heh

The church has always made me feel extremely anxious and paranoid, but now that I've realized it's a scam, I've began to recover from these feelings. The church taught me to suppress who I am, but now I'm learning to really love myself. So yes, leaving the church has greatly improved my struggle.

alex

I no longer feel stressed by the shame and expectations. I have more to spend with people I love and topics I have interest in. My body feels better and I am immensely at peace. 

The hardest part is disappointing family and feeling misunderstood.  

livsters

So much! I found that my mental, social, and physical health all dramatically improved as soon as I made the decision to leave. I still have challenges, life doesn't just stop, but none of them are as catastrophic appearing or progress halting as when challenges would confront me while I was a mormon. My family is not supportive of this decision however, and we are still trying to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with this new dynamic.

thealanwolf