A Conversation with Blair Brodie (Ex-JW and suicide attempt survivor) 

I myself almost attempted to commit suicide cause I felt I had no out and my family just never really helped. But now I'm just working to just be strong and powerful and not let things get to me. I know I'll make it out soon and I'll be having my own life some day and I have great internet friends to talk to. I'm happy Blair is going great and she just makes me wanna try harder and harder. Thank you so much for interviewing her. She's powerful

Great interview! My story parallels yours in many ways. I was born/raised as a witness, baptized at a young age (11), married at 18, ministerial servant at 20, disfellowshipped at 20, attempted suicide at 23. JWs are unlike most religions. They don't preach everyone is saved. They preach to follow their rules or face eternal death. When you're baptized, you're immediately entered into a heightened level of accountability with their rules/beliefs. Break the rules and be shunned by everyone you've known and loved your entire life. I got to my breaking point one day and attempted suicide. I had long believed I had no chance for "everlasting life" for my sins throughout my youth. I had no one to turn to since I was disfellowshipped. A "worldly" coworker found me in my car at a place I went to often for respite. He took me to the hospital and helped me through my recovery. One of the psychologist I dealt with in my recovery made a comment when I discussed my religious upbringing, "ah, I get it now." In his experience, I was not the first ex-JW he had encountered that went through the emotions that led to my suicide attempt. I did not fully recover mentally/emotionally until I finally made the decision to leave the "organization" for good. I had to start my life over, without my old friends, without my family, and without dwelling on the thought of losing them. Why are there thousands of posts and videos from ex-JWs? I think it's obvious. We have experienced a feeling of loss and abandonment that very few could ever understand. Life goes on and wounds heal over time. Of the regrets I live with, leaving the "organization" is not one of them.

What a lovely and courageous young woman! Blaire--I too was raised a jw and I went to college when I was 32 and had two small children. I would encourage you to do the same if you can. I understand the anger about missed opportunities and what could I have been?? I went through that too. The only thing I can say about that is that when I was in college I would sit there and look around and think I am in college!! And I would be struck with such wonder I was actually there. Had I been allowed to go at the normal age I don't know if I would have had that appreciation (?). That's all the positivity I can muster on that subject. :)

First Rate interview,John,and a very articulate lady.What a joy to see Hope,Sincerity and Positivity with a promise of mending bridges with her estranged parents..Loved it. Thank you for posting this gem. Kind Regards,Arnold.

When I joined the "Pioneer School" we were told that "only pioneers" really understand Jesus "command" to preach.. and if we came off the list we were just like the rest of the world..talk about pressure! My mental problems are all due to that religion! I have the documentation to prove it folks.. trust me .. get out of that religion. The Circuit overseer brother that said that to us was Sam Wiggar.. I remember it as if it was yesterday..and when I came of the list from burn out and a mild form of malaria I committed spiritual suicide from feeling of sheer guilt and panic.. I went off the deep end I cant get into it here. But if you can openly and publicly shun a person you are supposed to love you are sick. My husband felt so much shame for me he asked for a divorce and I begged him to let me make it up to him..I was so depressed I could not see straight and had stomach problems up to yazoo..my health was so bad I went to a doctor and he told me I was being poisoned.. my husband was trying to kill me.. he was a brother. GET OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE!

Interview at convention are rehearsed, unnatural and scripted. Your interview is awesome, natural and heartfelt. Thanks.

dealing with perfection almost led me to suicide years after fading out

I understand you so well. I growed up as JW and at 17 years old found myself in a severe depression and attempted suicide. An elder came to the hospital telling me that I wss actually lucky for not dying because if I had died Jehovah would not forgive me and I would not be ressuscitaded because I had comitted a crime. Not surprising, I never came to the religion.

Leaving is never easy. The social ties and all that comes with it is truly heart wrenching.

Thank you John & Blair; so pleased that both of you have come through the trauma imposed on you as young people growing up within a controlling religion.

Talking about kicking you when your down. Yes shunning, we do this for your own good. The only real adults in any kingdom hall are the children. Great interviews, keep up the good work.

It was good to hear Blair's story. Glad that she's doing well!

It's disgusting that the elders didn't even wait for time to pass and for her to be in a better state to talk to her. They took it to the extreme to guilt trip her and make her feel ashamed during the middle of what had happened. Something I want to also bring up for anyone specially JWs who are lurking to this video who are in a abusive situation is that even though JWs aren't allowed to get a divorce for domestic violence or divorce their partner because they are an addict they are allowed to seperate. I know of a sister who was my Bible study teacher who was married to someone who was a brother at that time who would be an alcoholic and would put hands on her. She let the elders know and everyone know about it. She even called the cops on him, moved out and got a restraining order against him. She waited a year or so and eventually word got around to her that he hooked up with this non JW women and she got the elders involved brought these people who knew about it involved and she was able to file for divorce. Now she got lucky because the people who threw him under the bus was his own family but the point I'm trying to get across here is that as hard emotionally and psycologically it is to leave. You need to put any negative feelings on the side and do what you need to do. If you are awaken get a divorce and leave the organization if you still believe in JWs then stay in the organization if your not ready BUT MOVE out. Another thing too is as I was leaving I got caught being in a place where I shouldn't have been. However the person that saw me in this place knew that if she went around gossiping running my already broken reputation which at that point I didn't care, I would bring hell and open Pandora's box on all of them on the things I have seen. So "If I go down your going down with me is a good mentality to have." Specially when dealing with people who are related to the elders. Anyway always be ready to get the whole congregation involved, the elders involved, the circuit overseer involved and everyone and their mom involved if you have to. If someone is trying to make you look bad make them look bad to and spill the tea cause at that point you have nothing to lose. So anyone going through this process mark my words.

I was DF and reinstated. When I watched this video it just reminded me how unfair, awful, and disgusting disfellowshipping is. I used to try and defend it when I was still POMI as a DF person. It’s crazy.

Wow her story is exactly my story!!!!From begining to end. My sympathies, you are not alone.

I am very happy Blair is still with us, her story is like so many others in this epidemic of desperation to leave an evil religion. Why the Tower has deliberately set up a system to keep people who cannot stomach this unbelievable BS they call doctrine, inside, is singularly evil.

"Stresshure." I like that one! :)

i was born & brought up as a jw. I am sumone with hi functioning autism,and therefore am a vulnerable adult(as I was also wen a child), I have led a life of heavy drug abuse and been in & out of prison as I fully believed armagedon was just about to happen,so I thouvht screw it. I have, in part of my indoctrination, thrown my life away,have & still do obsess about suicde,and my eldest sister did kill herself and I put this down to the way the jw org' creates impossible ideals to live by & upto."imitate jesus" they say,well let me say, im not jesus,im steve wyatt with autism, now put that hat on& try to "imitate jesus". u just cant win in the baptised jw game,so dont try,coz youve been given a bum deal.lifes hard enuff,dont make it harder.

All the best to Blair x

Thanks John for shedding light on a subject that needs much more exposure!!!! I'm happy you reached a dream Blair of seperating from the borg.I sense you're still not right after a few years of seperation from the borg.I'm concerned because I just tried suicide also 10 months after seperating from the borg collective.What the hell can we do? I liked your Freudian slip Blair,STRESSURE.THIS NEW WORD APPLIES PERFECTLY TO THE BORG COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCE aka jehova's witnesses life style.___. I understand that mental illness is rampant amongst the sheep.I'm stumbling along right now,send positive thoughts our way

Blair!!! Oh my Fuck!!...I KNOW YOU!. We went to the same congregation...Seaford...whoa..

Great interview. It's funny, being raised in the JWs, when you hear of people getting disfellowshiped and getting divorced, there is always such an air against them, of how terrible they are, how they are just a "hoe" (for lack of a better term). There is never any appreciation of marital struggles that could warrant a divorce. There couldn't be because to them there is no such thing--short of infidelity. And still, I still have these perceptions of people who have left from back when I was younger. Listening to this interview made me think about the other side of all of those conflicts that I in actuality knew so little about, and how unrealistic and unwarranted my opinions were about them. It's nice to gain some perspective, finally!

You're an inspiration to me. I can do this.

This is an overall good interview but I really wish you would have responded a little bit differently when she said that it was a missed opportunity that she hasn’t attend college. You should’ve responded, “no, it’s not a missed opportunity, you’re still young and you seem intelligent and you have every opportunity in the world is so go to college if you want.” Not with your response of, “but I did graduate college.” I learned all about that doomsday religion from my ex-boyfriend. I wish people knew more about this.

I thought having mental health problems and feeling suicidal was obligatory as a JW!

Woa! Drug use in a witness marriage??

She does not look happy at all now

Her laugh seems forced and she seems in despair - I bet she goes back once she finds there is nothing this world has to offer. How can one celebrate Christmas for instance, once you know it's disguised sun worship? How can one live immorally outside marriage once you KNOW how Jehovah feels about it ?