Abstract
Being shunned from a tight-knit religious community, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, may be a traumatic event. The accounts of twenty-one participants, qualitatively analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis, elucidate the extent to which religious shunning impacts an individual’s life. Two dominant themes emerged from the data: “losses due to shunning” and “rebuilding of self post-shunning.” This article will explore the impact that being shunned has on the participants’ lives, considering its psychological consequences and daily challenges. The article will then discuss the positive aspects which may characterise the experiences of those shunned from the Jehovah’s Witnesses community.
Volume 9.2, 2026
Volume 7, 2023
Summary- Families are hidden victims, facing substantial distress, anxiety, and depression when loved ones are under coercive control. – Stigma and self-neglect are strongly linked to poorer mental health, compounding isolation and hopelessness. – Patterns
Volume 6, 2023