Moral Injury

Psychological and spiritual distress caused by actions or experiences that violate deeply held moral or ethical beliefs, often under religious pressure

• You enforced harmful rules on others under spiritual direction.

• You remained silent about abuse in the name of obedience.

• You participated in exclusionary practices and now feel deep regret.

Potential clinical implications (especially in high control settings)

• Persistent guilt, shame, and grief may arise from conflicted conscience.

• PTSD-like symptoms can include nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and numbness.

• A spiritual crisis may involve questioning core moral beliefs.