“It Stole My Youth” – Ex Jehovah’s Witness Member Speaks on Finding Freedom After Leaving

• A former Jehovah’s Witness has gone viral after sharing how leaving the faith helped her reclaim her happiness.
• She claimed the religion and an abusive upbringing made her feel trapped, sparking mixed reactions online.

A Caucasian woman who left the Jehovah’s Witness faith has taken to social media to share how the decision transformed her life.

The woman, identified on TikTok as @charlotte, disclosed that her time as a Jehovah’s Witness made her feel disconnected and cost her what she described as her youth. She said she never truly felt a sense of belonging within the faith.

According to her, growing up with an abusive father who was also an elder intensified her desire to escape, leaving her feeling trapped and unable to pursue her dreams or live authentically.

In her now-viral TikTok video, she explained that leaving the faith ultimately led her to personal freedom and genuine happiness.

Part of her post read:

“Even when I was smiling, I never felt like I belonged. I always felt it wasn’t ‘the truth,’ but I didn’t know how to escape. Having an abusive elder father made it worse. All I wanted was to feel normal. I wasn’t allowed to be myself or follow any of my dreams.”

Her post has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some users questioning the trend of ex-members speaking out, while others defended the faith or reacted humorously to her claims.