Anon wrote:

“Have left the cult 10 years ago now, but still suffer from feelings of low self-confidence & self-esteem. Recently started a new job and suddenly felt like I was back in the cult again with everyone looking at me & expecting me to do everything right & perfect! -I was so afraid to make a mistake and worried that I was going to fail in some way. I got so worked up about it that I developed severe back-pain and after a couple of months ended up packing in the job as I was so stressed out! I find it really hard to take any sort of criticism and I feel so bad if I can't get things right away. Do you have any suggestions or help that can help me get over this?”
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I am sorry to hear you are suffering in this way. However, your experience is so very normal and common to the person who has experienced significant trauma. One common fallacy that many former members of destructive groups believe is this: having left the abusive environment and rejected its practices, all is now well. In most instances they could not be more wrong! It does not matter how long a person has been out of a destructive group. If they have not dealt with the trauma (usually professionally) then the trauma will deal with them. Trauma does not go away, it goes underground. As Judith Herman states, “Traumatic events, by definition, thwart initiative and overwhelm individual competence. …In the aftermath of traumatic events, as survivors review their own conduct, feelings of guilt and inferiority are practically universal.” The point is, Anon, that there is no easy fix. I wish it could be easier for you, but you need professional help. You need to talk with someone who understands cults (a destructive, thought reform environment) and trauma recovery.