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The original was posted on /r/exmormon by /u/fignewtons63 on 2025-07-17 03:45:00+00:00.

i love my dad and step mom, they are great parents. they raised me in the church with my many siblings in salt lake city, utah. the only thing that really bugs me about them is their obsession with possession. they are the ‘visions of glory’ type of mormons. any time any one of their kids acts in a way they don’t want them to act (things like basic sibling arguing, being moody, crying) they say things like “they’re being attacked” and they “cast the adversary out”

i left the church a few years ago after i graduated high school. they are still great parents, and seemed to have respected my decision on the surface, but they’ll sneak in a few remarks here and there about how great the church is, how much jesus has saved them, etc.

now, about what happened today. i was talking with my therapist (a real deep session today) and while i don’t want to get too much into it, my therapist is now speculating that i have some level of schizophrenia. she’s not super sure yet, it’s just a theory to explain certain things like voices in my head, etc.

it was a lot to process, as mental disorders like schizophrenia, are stigmatized quite a bit, at least in my family, my high school, and my city.

my parents could see that i was visibly concerned, and asked what i was thinking about. i told them what my therapist had said, and my dad immediately jumped to, “it sounds like an evil spirit trying to gain control over your body or tempt you to do satan’s bidding.” and my step mom agreed.

i was a little taken aback. they haven’t talked this straight forward about religion since before i left. i was also quite hurt by this. if my therapist was correct, and i do have schizophrenia, then my dad just invalidated it entirely. in his mind, it’s not my mental state at all, and it shouldn’t be treated, but instead, should be “cast out” through prayer and faith.

this isn’t the first time this has happened either. i have struggled with bipolar disorder all my life, having many episodes of depression. often times my parents would say something along the lines of “satan is just trying to get to you” or “you’re just under attack” or whatever.

i’ve talked to my tbm brother and his wife about this a few times and it bothers them too. our parents of course invalidate their feelings and diagnosis as well.

i just wanted to get that off my chest. i’m not really looking for advice, i’m just hoping this’ll reach anyone else who’s experienced/experiencing a similar thing. maybe we can give each other the validation we never got