The effects

[ka!pow]

I tried to post earlier, but I don't think it was succesful. I was curious about other cedu kids experiences after they left the program. I was at NWA from 1998 to 2000, and was very young, only 13. CEDU was horrible, but leaving it was just as bad, if not worse. I forgot how to function in society and went through a lot of painful learning experiences before I was grounded again. It took me years to regain my identity. I know I am being kinda vauge, but did anyone else have a similiar experience?

[Anonymous]

Lots of people had that experience.  CEDU sets you back a couple of years both academically and socially.  The environment is so insulated and controlled, complete with program lingo and losss of contact w/outside world, and censored contact w/parents... How would anyone expect you to re-emerge into real world easily?  THey don't give you tools to dael w/the world outside its parameters. Also, two years of relentless bullying has an affect on people. A bad one.  Last, it gives you a very polarized perspective on everything and that distorts your thinking over time. The CEDU reality often becomes your reality because you are immersed in it non stop for 2 years. It takes a loooong time to shake it off.

[ka!pow]

I guess I knew that everyone had that experience when they got out. But I felt like my other CEDU friends were handling it better than I was. I hate admitting it. I still feel a little ostracized by society. I know this is a direct result of what we are talking about. i wonder if it will ever change. But in reality, I don't think I can ever forget what assholes people can be. Both in and out of CEDU.

[Anonymous]

You might be surprised how your friends feel in a few more years. It took me 15 years to talk about--on this site--after realizing how much it affected me all these years. Better to question it now than later.