This is exactly right.

Everyone thinks they've never joined a cult.

But the truth is, it happens to smart, grounded everyday people like us.

I'm Lola Blanc.

And I'm Megan Elizabeth.

We host Trust Me, a podcast about cults, extreme belief, and manipulation.

And now, Trust Me, has a new home on the Exactly Right podcast network alongside shows like my favorite murder and buried bones.

New episodes of Trust Me, premiered July 30th on Exactly Right.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, I'm Haley. I'm 24, and this is my story with Zoloft.

So growing up, I was the kid who was scared of everything.

Insects, people in costumes, heights, you name it.

But beneath all that fear were intrusive thoughts that no one else could see.

For instance, my mom was allergic to bees.

I was

constantly worried that I would rest would get stung and we would die. I tried to relieve these

thoughts through avoidance, skin picking, and checking with very minimal relief. I attempted to explain

my fears to pediatricians and school counselors, but I was never given any real concrete answers.

I began to believe this was just who I was. College is when things began to worsen. When the pandemic hit in spring of 2020,

my anxiety exploded. I remember obsessively locking my windows and shutting the blinds,

convinced that someone would break in or try to bring the virus inside.

I was diagnosed with an adjustment disorder and was even taken off my birth control because that was believed to be the issue.

...