I have sometimes underlined or made bold text to highlight parts of definitions specific to my experience.

Abuse

1. noun; the improper usage or treatment of a thing. (Wikipedia)¹

2. verb; generally: physically, sexually, or mentally injuring a person. (LII Cornell University legal definition)²

Brain-pattern (also brain-path or thought-pattern; see definition of thought):

Theoretically, in my own words: a series of nerve impulses which fire in a consistent sequence; which occur once (probably in childhood) and are then repeated. Eventually they become so second-nature they are habitual. They show up as a repeated thought or belief about the self, others, or external circumstances. Examples:

1. A child is repeatedly exposed to a critical caregiver or a critical environment or critical concept. They hear repeatedly “You are bad.” They hear it so often a specific firing neuron sequence or group of sequences gets repeated over and over. The sequence becomes a belief about themselves: “I am bad.” This belief becomes a subconscious automatic mental reaction to perceived mistakes or imperfections and is carried into adulthood.

2. A child is consistently given age-appropriate responsibilities or tasks with the resources to accomplish them or learn how to do them. They are repeatedly told “You can do this.” A neuron-path sequence is established and reinforced over time with repeated practice of this concept. The sequence becomes a subconscious belief: “Given the necessary tools, I can figure things out and accomplish goals on my own.” This belief becomes habitual and second-nature and is carried into adulthood.

Childhood development

1. The sequence of physical, language, thought, and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood.³

2. My personal belief: The Creator designed how all living things grow. He designed the orderly, systematic way humans grow up. He provided time for children to learn and grow and planned they would have adult parents and caregivers to aid them and teach them and protect them as they were growing. He planned for so much more than we realize, from the smallest details to the biggest ones.

Closed High-Demand Group

Categorizing the culture I grew up in is extremely difficult for me. I don't feel the general understanding of the word “cult” accurately describes the structure of that particular group. “Cult-ish” is more accurate, I feel, but I much more strongly prefer Closed, High-Demand Group. In Leona Furnari's paper (the 2^nd listed definition), I have found the most accurate and comprehensive descriptions of the organization I was raised in. Nowhere else have I been able to come across as much applicable info in one place. In both these listings I include only the most applicable definitions and characteristics which most closely described my specific CHDG experience.

1. Make Sure Ministries, Inc.⁴

   1. Highly structured lifestyle.

   2. Isolated from outsiders.

   3. Intense proselytizers who give an appearance of being angels of light

   4. Opposing views are not tolerated. Doubting or questioning organizational “truth” is considered evil, demonic, and prideful.

   5. Organizational works and absolute obedience is exhausting and never totally attainable. Members never feel they have done enough.

   6. Members demonstrate a false or temporary joy underplayed with fear that is not easily detected by outsiders.

   7. Their truth is truth, the only truth! Never question it!

2. Furnari, Leona (2005)⁵

   1. Tobias & Lalich, 1994, p 13: Members are expected to be excessively zealous and unquestioning in their commitment to the identity and leadership of the group. ^5a

   2. Singer & Lalich (1995): Authoritarian power structure. ^5b

   3. Lifton (1961) ^5c

      1. Milieu control – the control of communication within an environment; this creates unhealthy boundaries

      2. The demand for purity – absolute separation of good and evil within self and environment

      3. Sacred science – the group's teaching is portrayed as Ultimate Truth that cannot be questioned.

      4. Loading of the language – use of terms or jargon that have group-specific meaning.

      5. Doctrine over person – denial of self and self-perception.

      6. Dispensing of existence – anyone not in the group or not embracing the “truth” is insignificant, not “saved” or “unconscious”; the outside world and members who leave are rejected.

Complex-Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

1. Effects that develop in response to prolonged, repeated experience of trauma in a context in which the individual has little or no chance of escape. Note: the motivations behind the abuse are not always malicious! It can be well-intentioned.⁶

2. Most often seen in those whose trauma occurred in childhood. “Because the brain is still developing... severe trauma interrupts the entire course of their psychologic and neurologic development.”⁷

3. Symptoms (BeautyAfterBruises.org)⁷

   1. difficulty feeling/controlling emotions

   2. emotional flashbacks: reliving the emotions of the childhood trauma in reaction to present-day situations (fear, anger, anxiety, feeling abandoned and alone, feeling completely abandoned and alone, feeling small like a helpless child again) without any sound- or image-memory of a specific traumatic event or individual abuser (a purported difference between this and PTSD symptoms)

4. Symptoms (Out Of The Storm website)⁸

   1. Shared with PTSD

      1. Re-experiencing past trauma in the present (flashbacks, nightmares)

      2. Avoidance of traumatic triggers (thoughts, feelings, people, places, things)

      3. Persistent sense of threat (hypervigilance, heightened startle response)

   2. Unique to Complex-PTSD

      1. Affective dysregulation (shame, fear, anger/rage, grief; hypoarousal-numbing...)

      2. Negative self-concept (highly critical of self; feeling defective/inferior/worthless; perfectionism)

      3. Disturbed relationships (attachment disorder, social anxiety, desire to isolate, feeling different than others, mistrust, fear of vulnerability or intimacy)

Complex trauma

1. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network⁹

   1. Children's exposure to multiple traumatic events.

   2. The wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure.

   3. Usually occur early in life.

   4. Can disrupt many aspects of the child's development and the formation of a sense of self.

2. Blue Knot Foundation, National Centre of Excellence for Complex Trauma¹⁰

   1. Usually occurs between people.

   2. Involves “being or feeling” trapped.

   3. Is often... ongoing, and/or repeated.

   4. Often has more severe, persistent, and cumulative impacts.

   5. Involves challenges with shame, trust, self-esteem, identity, and regulating emotions.

   6. Has different coping strategies.

   7. Affects emotional and physical health, wellbeing, relationships, and daily functioning.

Emotional flashback

1. The Mighty: Emotions first experienced during childhood trauma in the past are triggered by something occurring in the present and RE-experienced.¹¹

2. “[S]udden and often prolonged regressions... to the frightening circumstances of childhood... typically experienced as intense and confusing episodes of fear and/or despair - or as sorrowful and/or enraged reactions to this fear and despair. Emotional flashbacks are especially painful because the inner critic typically overlays them with toxic shame.” (Pete Walker, MA, MFT)¹²

3. Just emotions are relived; there is no visual or auditory aspect associated with the flashback. ^11,12,13

Groupthink

1. mode of thinking in which individual members of small cohesive groups tend to accept a viewpoint or conclusion that represents a perceived group consensus, whether or not the group members believe it to be valid, correct, or optimal. Groupthink reduces the efficiency of collective problem solving within such groups.¹⁴

2. The eight symptoms of groupthink include an illusion of invulnerability or of the inability to be wrong, the collective rationalization of the group’s decisions, an unquestioned belief in the morality of the group and its choices, stereotyping of the relevant opponents or out-group members, and the presence of “mindguards” who act as barriers to alternative or negative information, as well as self-censorship and an illusion of unanimity. Decision making affected by groupthink neglects possible alternatives and focuses on a narrow number of goals, ignoring the risks involved in a particular decision. It fails to seek out alternative information and is biased in its consideration of that which is available. Once rejected, alternatives are forgotten, and little attention is paid to contingency plans in case the preferred solution fails.¹⁴

Inner Critic

1. An inner voice that judges, criticizes, or demeans a person whether or not the self-criticism is objectively justified.¹⁵

2. A thought pattern learned in childhood from exposure to a critical environment.¹⁶

Outer Critic

The same thought patterns of criticism of the inner critic projected outward to others, resulting in intimacy and/or relationship avoidance and other-criticism.¹⁷ Others are seen to be flawed, untrustworthy, dangerous.¹⁸

Perfectionism

1. Merriam-Webster online dictionary¹⁹

• noun; a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable

2. GoodTherapy blog²⁰

• the need to be or appear to be perfect; manifested by difficulty being happy for others who are successful, focusing on the end product rather than the process of learning, comparing oneself unrealistically to to others, spending an extraordinarily long time on a relatively small task.

3. Bible definitions

• Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect^H8535 and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

  - Strong's Concordance²¹, H8535 tawm; complete; usually (morally) pious; specifically gentle, dear: - coupled together, perfect, plain, undefiled, upright.

• Psalm 18:30 As for God, his way is perfect^H8549: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

  - Strong's Concordance²⁰: H8549 taw-meem': entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth: - without blemish, complete, full, perfect, sincerely (-ity), sound, without spot, undefiled, upright (-ly), whole.

• 2 Samuel 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect;^H8549 the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

• 2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.^H8549

• Matthew 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect,^G5046 even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

  - Strong's Concordance²⁰: G5046 tel'-i-os; complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness: - of full age, man, perfect.

• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect,^G739 throughly furnished unto all good works.

  - Strong's Concordance²⁰: G739 ar'-tee-os; fresh, that is, (by implication) complete: - perfect.

Spiritual abuse

References

1. Wikipedia contributors. “Abuse.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Abuse&oldid=1032589716 (accessed July 17, 2021)

2. Wex collaborators. “Abuse.” Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute Wex online dictionary. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/abuse (accessed July 17, 2021).

3. Kid Sense contributors. “What is Child Development?” Kid Sense Child Development website, Adelaide, South Australia. https://childdevelopment.com.au/areas-of-concern/what-is-child-development/. (accessed June 10, 2021)

4. Make Sure Ministries contributors. “What Is a High Demand Authoritarian Religious Group?” Make Sure Ministries, Inc. website. (accessed June 2021)

5. Furnari, Leona. “Born or Raised in Closed, High-Demand Groups: Developmental Considerations.” Spiritual Abuse Resources. E-News Vol. 4, No. 3 (2005). https://spiritualabuseresources.com/articles/born-or-raised-in-closed-high-demand-groups-developmental-considerations. (accessed June 10, 2021)

   1. Tobias, M. L., & Lalich, J. (1994) Captive hearts captive minds: Freedom and recovery from cults and abusive relationships. Alameda, CA: Hunter House, Inc.

   2. Singer, M.T., & Lalich, J. (1995). Cults in our midst: The hidden menace in our everyday lives. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

   3. Lifton, R.J. (1961). Thought reform and the psychology of totalism. New York: W.W. Norton.

6. Wikipedia contributors. “Complex post-traumatic stress disorder.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Complex_post-traumatic_stress_disorder&oldid=1026478566 (accessed July 17, 2021)

7. Beauty After Bruises contributors. “What is C-PTSD?” Beauty After Bruises blog, https://www.beautyafterbruises.org/what-is-cptsd#. (accessed July 17, 2021)

8. Out of the Storm contributors. “Symptoms.” Out Of The Storm free & anonymous website for adults suffering from Complex PTSD. https://www.outofthestorm.website/symptoms (accessed July 17, 2021)

9. National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). Complex trauma. https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/complex-trauma. (accessed June 10, 2021)

10. Blue Knot Foundation contributors. “What is Complex Trauma?” Blue Knot Foundation online blog, National Center of Excellence for Complex Trauma, New South Wales, Australia. https://www.blueknot.org/au/Resources/Information/Understanding-abuse-and-trauma/What-is-complex-trauma. (accessed June 10, 2021)

11. https://themighty.com/2019/02/what-is-an-emotional-flashback-complex-ptsd/ (accessed August 5, 2021)

12. Walker, Pete. “Emotional Flashback Management in Treatment of Complex PTSD.” Pete Walker's website. http://pete-walker.com/pdf/emotionalFlashbackManagement.pdf (accessed August 5, 2021)

13. Bunn, Tom. “Is What You Are Feeling a Flashback?” PsychologyToday.com. Posted August 15, 2014. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquer-fear-flying/201408/is-what-you-are-feeling-flashback (accessed August 5, 2021)

14. Schmidt, A.. "Groupthink." Encyclopedia Britannica, Invalid Date. https://www.britannica.com/science/groupthink. (accessed August 13, 2021)
    

15. GoodTherapy, LLS contributors. “Inner Critic.” GoodTherapy.org blog. Last updated August 10, 2015. https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychopedia/inner-critic. (accessed July 31, 2021)

16. Walker, Pete. “Emotional Neglect and Complex PTSD.” (Page 3, paragraph 1) Pete Walker's website. http://www.pete-walker.com/pdf/emotionalNeglectComplexPTSD.pdf. (accessed July 2021)

17. Walker, Pete. “Shrinking the Outer Critic in Complex PTSD.” (Page 1, paragraph 3) Pete Walker's website. http://www.pete-walker.com/pdf/ShrinkingOuterCritic.pdf. (accessed July 2021)

18. Davis, Shirley. “The Outer Critic, Self-Parenting and the Thirteen Steps of Healing.” July 16, 2019. CPTSD Foundation for Post-Traumatic Healing and Complex Trauma Research. https://cptsdfounation.org./2019/07/16/the-outer-critic-self-parenting-and-the-thirteen-steps-of-healing/. (accessed July 2021)

19. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v, “perfectionism,” accessed July 27, 2021, https://www.merriam0webster.com/dictionary/perfectionism.

20. GoodTherapy LLS contributors. “Perfectionism.” GoodTherapy.org blog. Last updated November 5, 2019. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/perfectionism#What%20Is%20Perfectionism?. (accessed July 27, 2021

21. Strong, James (Derivative Work by Rick Meyers). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance. Published 1890, public domain. Entries for Strong's numbers "H8535", "H8549", "G5046", & "G739".  Referenced in e-Sword, version 12.1.0. https://www.eliyah.com/lexicon.html.