Religious Trauma Syndrome or RTS*. It’s a concept that was coined in 2011 by Dr. Marlene Winell, a social worker and psychologist who sat with numerous individuals from high-control religious backgrounds. These individuals experienced symptoms identical to trauma survivors (think back to the war veteran or abused partner mentioned earlier) with the added complexity of being deeply involved in their faith communities. 

An emotional flashback involves a surge of emotions with no apparent cause or a disproportionate response to an event.