Instant community, hidden control

Community in TSCC initially felt impossible to replace. When I moved into a new ward, everyone welcomed me, I got a good calling, and members invited me over for dinner—it felt amazing because I had instant connections and trust. But after the initial rush, things didn’t progress naturally: relationships stayed surface-level unless I fit into cliques, expectations piled up, and belonging depended on participation, obedience, and sacrifice. What seemed like a close-knit community was actually high-demand and controlling. Then one day, they turned on me.

Looking back, it reminds me a lot of a relationship I had with a psychopath.