How Jehovah’s Witness Teachings Can Damage Brain Development in Children

Introduction

In my decades of work with helping those born into high control groups, the effects are usually quite devastating. Despite the conditions in which young people are raised, I have also seen remarkable courage and resiliency to overcome their childhood trauma, especially if they can receive proper support and counseling. I have blogged before about the trauma caused by corporal punishment. The Watchtower encourages its members to use physical discipline and it causes grave harm. There are also serious emotional and psychological abuses. I also blogged about a twenty-seven-year-old who left her child motherless because she followed the Watchtower indoctrination and refused a blood transfusion. She was trained to believe if she chose to live by accepting medical intervention, that she would betray Jehovah and her entire family and friends in the group would shun and disfellowship her. In my opinion, her indoctrination since birth and the social pressure by her husband and other members interfered with her natural instinct to live and mother her child.