JM, do not despair. Use this opportunity to read all the stories from others who have gone before you , and have experienced a similar situation.
This will help on several levels:
1. Gaining an understanding of the "Scientology Entrapment Mechanism". This can help you to understand that you are far from alone in your experience, and give you practical information on recovery. You will go thru several stages of your awakening on just how you were targeted and used by Scientology. Believe me, just about everybody on this forum has gone thru their own emotional turmoil and despair that they fell for the scam.
2. Separation of those things that you realized were helpful to you during your time as a Scientologist, and Scientology in general. You don't need to "throw the baby out with the bathwater". Anything which is personally helpful to you is just what it is.
3. Realization that just about every good thing that exists in Scientology was stolen by Hubbard from other sources. Those things were only ever incorporated to gain your trust and pull you deeper into their net.
4. Finding new friends who actually do care about your well-being, rather than "fake caring" in order to rape your finances. Once all someone's money and resources have gone, Scientology casts them aside like a vampire does with their victim.
5. Acceptance that your Scientology "friends" were never in fact friends.
Give yourself time and be patient. There has already been some excellent advice posted in answer to your thread. I particularly like JohnAnchovie's answer (Post #47).
However, I disagree with all the "professional help" advice that seems to dominate. Just get off the drugs. Get off the counseling. Get off the voodoo. Get off the LRH-implanted crap. Get off the self-pity.
Self-help thru education on the subject is what really counts. Get some good nutrition. Get a good job. Get some real friends. Take a stand against Scientology. Speak out. Spread the word about what Scientology does to people. You'll never get your money back, but you can sure have an impact on them getting other people's money. The satisfaction you will feel will overcome everything.
People are reaching out to you because they care about your well-being. Remember that nobody here has any financial gain in helping you, unlike Scientology - where that is the sole criteria.
Over a decade ago I spent an entire year reading and converting all the major critical books to pdf format. That was my own personal self-therapy. It "cleared" me. LOL !
The books I recommend reading first are:
Russell Miller - "Bare Faced Messiah"
Bent Corydon - "L. Ron Hubbard - Messiah Or Madman"
Jon Atack - "A Piece Of Blue Sky"
Cyril Vosper - "The Mind Benders"
Paulette Cooper - "Scandal Of Scientology"
Margery Wakefield - "Road To Xenu"
Monica Pignotti - "My 9 Lives In Scientology"
All are freely available as pdf files here:
http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=34580
http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=34590
Read the entire Operation Clambake website.
http://www.xenu.net
I genuinely hope it all works out for you.
Best,
The Real No User.