Loss of Inner Authority

A diminished ability to trust one’s own thoughts, feelings, and decisions due to over-reliance on religious leaders or teachings

• You feel anxious making choices without spiritual approval.

• You second-guess your intuition, believing it's sinful or deceptive.

• You fear trusting yourself might lead to spiritual ruin.

Potential clinical implications (especially in high control settings)

• Severe indecisiveness may occur due to distrust in personal judgment.

• Dependence on external validation can impair self-confidence and autonomy.

• Recovering a sense of self may be difficult after leaving the belief system.