Do you ever feel like you're constantly on alert, even when nothing's wrong? And have you ever had a hard time distinguishing between that feeling being anxiety, irrational fears, or too much caffeine? The truth is that it might be more than that; it. might be a coping mechanism rooted in childhood neglect.

When we analyze ours (or others) religious experiences, using "cult" to describe those experiences can make it more challenging for us (and others) to actually take a step back and view those experiences from a place of curiosity. Instead, we (and others) might be quick to become defensive or combative because in our minds, there's no way WE would ever be apart of a cult.