It is initially overwhelming to unpack the years of indoctrination and work out which beliefs have led to what cognitive and behavioural impacts in us. The Matrix of Impacts splits out the main types of impacts according to the five main categories of beliefs and practices as identified in the JW Cycle of Control. While there is some overlap in terms of the negative impacts caused by each category (ie. lack of trust in yourself is the result of both ‘Reliance’ and ‘Compliance and Culture’), the Matrix of Impacts provides a useful framework to help us understand how we may have been affected by our JW experience.

1. Fear based teachings can result in anxiety, hypervigilance, inability to relax, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) type issues.

2. Identity suppression techniques used by the organisation result in you not knowing yourself or having any identity of your own outside of being a JW. A lack of personal identity underpins and exacerbates many of the other detrimental impacts of being a JW.

3. Reliance on the organisation leads to low self-worth and low self-esteem, and a subsequent inability to trust yourself to make good decisions. It can also lead to a lack of personal boundaries and people pleasing.

4. The JW system of compliance and culture leads to learned helplessness and internalisation of conditional love as normal. It discourages critical thinking, and can also cause former members to lack empathy for themselves and others.

5. Loss of the JW system of rewards (everything you live your life for as a JW) can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair after leaving. After being involved in a ‘life and death struggle’ for the ‘battle of Universal Sovereignty’, everything else can seem a bit pointless.

This matrix lists the element of control, provides examples of the types of beliefs and practices for each, identifies the purpose these types of teachings serve the organisation, and in the final column, lists examples of types of cognitive and behavioural impacts which may likely result.

JW Matrix of Impacts: