Witch, Please: No, Witchcraft Does not Ruin Your Mental Health (Unpacking the ‘Ex-Witch’ Narrative)

Lately, I’ve seen a wave of “ex-witch” testimonies pop up on social media—clips of people claiming they were involved in witchcraft and nature-based spirituality, only to be “saved” from it after experiencing severe mental health decline. And while I genuinely don’t doubt the reality of their emotional struggles, I do take issue with one dangerous claim: that witchcraft or paganism causes poor mental health. As both a mental health professional and a long-time practicing witch, let me be clear: this claim is not only misleading—it’s flat-out incorrect. The correlation between witchcraft and poor mental health is not supported by science. In fact, quite the opposite is often true. Let’s break this down with care, science, and respect.

1. Spirituality and Mental Health: What the Research Says

Numerous studies show that spiritual practices—when freely chosen and practiced authentically—can enhance mental well-being. Whether it’s prayer, meditation, ritual, or connection with nature, spiritual expression can offer a sense of meaning, community, and emotional regulation.

• A study published in The Journal of Religion and Health (2011) found that spiritual practices were associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, particularly when those practices were autonomous and not coerced.

• In Mental Health, Religion & Culture (2020), researchers found that people who engage in earth-based spiritual practices often report greater life satisfaction, stronger resilience, and a healthier relationship to the environment and their body.

In other words: witchcraft doesn’t cause poor mental health—if anything, for many people, it supports it.

2. The Impact of Shame and Fear-Based Narratives

Here’s where it gets nuanced. Some individuals raised in rigid, fundamentalist environments may feel immense guilt when exploring alternative spiritual paths. If someone leaves witchcraft and reverts to a more traditional faith, they may frame their past as “dark” or “evil” to reconcile it with their current beliefs.

This doesn’t mean their pain wasn’t real—but it does mean the cause of that pain might be misunderstood. Mental health challenges can arise from internalized fear, religious trauma, identity conflict, or lack of support—not from lighting candles or talking to the moon.

Also worth noting: spiritual awakening, deconstruction, or intense inner work (often part of a witchy path) can temporarily destabilize your sense of self. That’s not mental illness—it’s growth. But without the right support, it can feel overwhelming.

3. Witchcraft as Empowerment, Not Delusion

Let’s get something straight. Witchcraft isn’t about “summoning demons” or “casting curses on your ex” (unless your ex really deserves it—kidding. Mostly). At its core, witchcraft is about personal agency, working with nature, intention-setting, healing, and connection.

It’s a toolbox. A way to reconnect with yourself, your intuition, and the cycles of life. For many modern witches, it’s also a feminist reclaiming of a spiritual identity that was systematically erased, demonized, or burned at the stake—literally. It’s no coincidence that many people turn to witchcraft during times of transition or awakening. And that’s not dangerous. That’s deeply human.

4. When Mental Health Declines, It's Not Because of a Path—It's Because of Context

Someone struggling with mental health while practicing witchcraft doesn’t prove witchcraft is the problem. That’s like saying yoga caused your anxiety because you had a panic attack on your mat.

Context matters. Were they supported? Was their practice grounded or reactive? Were they processing trauma? Were they surrounded by stigma or shame? These are the questions we should ask, rather than blaming a belief system.

5. Respect Goes Both Ways

This is not an attack on Christianity. There are beautiful, life-affirming expressions of Christian faith that support mental health too. But when any belief system demonizes another—and uses mental health as a weapon—it crosses a line. We can respect each other’s spiritual journeys without reducing complex experiences to black-and-white morality tales.

Final Thoughts: Let’s Stop Using Mental Health as a Scare Tactic

If someone says they were harmed by a certain path, we listen. But we don’t get to universalize one experience into a blanket judgment—especially when it’s based on misinformation or fear. Mental health deserves better than that. So does nature-based spirituality.

To my fellow mystics, witches, and wild-hearted seekers: your path is valid. Your wellness is valid. And no one gets to rewrite your story in the name of fear.

Stay grounded. Stay magical. Stay loud.