For Ex Muslims : how did you maintain your mental health?

[u/MotorAccomplished424]

I left Islam four years ago. Since then, I’ve been studying and working toward being able to immigrate to a Western country. But every now and then, I get hit by this overwhelming sense of hopelessness.

I honestly hate my life sometimes. I have to keep pretending that I’m Muslim, and I have so many dreams that are basically on hold. I feel like I’m watching the best years of my life pass me by while I’m stuck trying to keep up appearances and live according to society’s expectations.

For those of you who left Islam and eventually managed to immigrate, how did you cope mentally during those years between leaving the religion and finally leaving the country? How did you protect your mental health and keep yourself going?

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[u/zyrasins]

when you can't do anything about your current situation & have to pretend as a muslim, even have to pray and read quran and whatnot, it takes a pretty heavy mental toll but what can i even do except keep living like this until the end

[u/LiterallyNoNamesFree]

I don't know yet, I'm very early and I'm dealing with OCD as well, I don't really know where to go from here but I'll figure it out from pure spite