I finally get why people are religious

Throwaway account.

I have been going through a really difficult time emotionally and have been looking into all sorts of advice online.

I know there is no instant fix and I will have to 'man up' and get through this and I will, someday.

What I have noticed is the "find god" trope in multiple places. Instinctually I ignored them, but eventually I came around and wanted to give it a try.

Over the past few months I had started getting a lot deeper into warhammer and I was fascinated by how devoted the common folk were to the God Emperor in the lore. I decided to try that.

When I was anxious or nervous in a public setting, I gaslit myself to believe that the God Emperor is real and that he would listen to my prayers and grant me strength (which he sometimes did in the books). And believe you me, I felt a surge of courage and confidence flow through me, as if I was safe and watched over. Wtf. It was very short lived but very effective. And then it clicked, why theism is still around. That feeling is addicting, and I can also see how it can become a false sense of safety.

Just to be clear, I am not going to touch pop religion with a ten foot pole. Nevertheless, I see the appeal.

Edit: Thank you wonderful people for your perspectives. (Not you, that one condescending catholic apparently there are a lot of agenda pushers in this sub)

Edit 2: What I have noticed thus far in the comments as a recurring theme is theist tend to go "no you're wrong". Which is good, disagreement is good. I ask them why and counter their no with xyz theories/proofs. They loop back. I just want the "no you're wrong because of this xyz proof"

Edit 3: So my comment about how the dna found in the bones of Neanderthals and Ramapithecus, etc aka pre homo sapiens, match with hominids, aka humans and chimps, disprove creationist propaganda was removed due to reports. Wow. Slow claps