I left the Amish at 17 - here's the culture shocks I experienced after growing up with sctrict rules

A mother who was raised in an extremely strict Amish family before fleeing the community at age 17 has lifted the lid on what her ultra-conservative upbringing was really like - while opening up about her life-changing decision to walk away from the lifestyle for good. 

Naomi Swartzentruber, 43, was raised in one of the largest and most conservative subgroups of the Amish, known as the Swartzentrubers, which meant that she had to follow immensely strict rules regarding everything from the way she dressed to who she could talk to.

But Arizona-based mom-of-one decided to leave the community behind at the age of 17 after she began rebelling against the restrictions of the Amish and became desperate to leave the settlement and make a name for herself in the outside world.

Having now been out of the strict world for nearly 30 years, Naomi has detailed the hardships of growing up Amish and the years of abuse she endured after she left. 

A mom who was raised in an extremely strict Amish family has lifted the lid on what it was like to grow up in a conservative upbringing (seen recently)

Naomi Swartzentruber had to follow immensely strict rules regarding everything from the way she dressed to who she could talk to during her childhood

 The Arizona-based mom-of-one (seen after leaving) decided to leave the community behind at the age of 17 after she began rebelling against the restrictions of the Amish

From the young age of five, Naomi was thrust into the center of Amish life and was expected to wake up at 5am to help on the farm. 

By the time she was 14, school was no longer considered a priority and instead Naomi left her education behind to cook, clean, and do household chores full-time. 

Living on a farm in Michigan, with 12 kids, she'd wake up at 5am to feed the chickens, cook the day's meals, work in the garden and clean the house. 

She said: 'We'd get up at dawn and work all day until the sun went down. Women would be expected to do the cooking, cleaning and washing the clothes - while men would do all the farming. 

'There wasn't much time for play - and we had to dress modestly. When I asked my parents why we had to dress and work, they said it was 'just our way'.

However, her homemaker life became too mundane for her and she found herself wishing she could have a taste of the world outside the settlement. 

Soon enough, she began rebelling in small ways by donning skimpy lingerie under her gowns, listening to the radio through her neighbor's window and even secretly dating non-Amish boys, who were known as 'English' men. 

Naomi explained: 'I started feeling really rebellious - I decided I wanted to get a job, find an English boy, and wear whatever I want.

She moved in with a man twice her age and left the Amish world behind. Having now been out of the strict world for nearly 30 years, Naomi has detailed the hardships of growing up Amish

From the young age of five, Naomi was thrusted into the center of Amish life and was expected to wake up at 5am to help on the farm 

Living on a farm in Michigan, with 12 kids, she'd wake up at 5am to feed the chickens, cook the day's meals, work in the garden and clean the house

'When I was younger, I started wanting cars and radios and bikes - but our very strict rules forbid them. I started noticing all the things my neighbors had that we couldn't - at the time, I was told I'd go to hell for watching TV.'

Her brother was also given a radio by their cousins, and they secretly used to listen to it back at the farm.

She said: 'The first time I heard modern music - it was Pickup Man by Joe Diffie. It made my world go round. We'd sneak over to the neighbor's window to watch movies, too. By 16, I knew I wanted to run away.'

The Amish value simple living and ban the majority of the elements of modern life. 

The Swartzentrubers Amish group had many rules, including - no indoor plumbing, milking machines, and community phone booth, no daylight savings time, buggy transport only, women must wear dresses that reach the brim of their shoes, wood ovens are only to be used for cooking and heating, windmills and old fashioned hand pumps are used for securing water, and no flowers.

A year after solidifying her decision to one day run away, Naomi met a non-Amish 33-year-old man while she was picking out strawberries. 

She explained: 'I blurted out that I wanted to run away and live with him. He told me I was crazy - but he'd come back in a week and let me know.

'Sure enough, a week later he came back and said I could live with his elderly mom if I helped to look after her.'

On July 13 1997, Naomi ran away to live with the elderly woman, and decided to get a job as soon as she could.

On July 13 1997, Naomi ran away to live with the elderly woman, and decided to get a job as soon as she could

She admitted that she ended up 'with the wrong crowd' who introduced her to drugs and soon, things 'started spiraling out of control'

She started working at a local Burger King, earning $7.43 per hour - and saved up to learn how to drive.

After two months of living with the elderly woman, Naomi moved again to lodge with the man who found her, his wife and their son.

They held her an 18th birthday party with food, decorations and presents - which are all banned in Amish communities.

She said: 'I felt like a child, we had hamburgers and hot dogs, cake and ice cream - it was amazing, I felt so special.

'The Amish didn't celebrate birthdays and occasions like we do - in my day they'd only acknowledge our birthdays by saying 'happy birthday' - and we'd get an ear tug for each year we'd been alive.

In 26 years outside of the Amish community, Naomi has experimented with different styles and ways of life

'Christmas would often be a normal day, except we might get gifts like a coloring book, socks, or a dish. My first Christmas outside the family was amazing - I was fascinated by all the lights and the trees. I got a lot of clothes and a Pikachu blanket - which I still have now.'

However, not everything was sunshine and rainbows following her escape from the Amish community. 

She was never taught about sex, fertility, or reproduction, which resulted in many people 'taking advantage of her' after she decided to leave her community behind at age 17.

With no education and no one to turn to, Naomi worked as a stripper and prostitute for years, eventually developing a severe crack addiction that resulted in her falling into a 'deep hole' that she thought she would never get out of.

In 26 years outside of the Amish community, Naomi has experimented with different styles and ways of life.

She revealed she used to dress in 'very skimpy clothing' - and had a stint as a stripper.

'I went through a phase of dressing very risqué,' she said. 'I rebelled, getting back at my Amish roots.

'I'd wear short skirts, crop tops, big pink platform boots and fishnets.

She revealed she used to dress in 'very skimpy clothing' - and had a stint as a stripper

But she never gave up, and after years of devastation, Naomi has now completely turned her life around

'I had rough patches - I used to pole dance and worked as a stripper in various clubs.

'But the whole time, I knew I wanted to do something like train as an accountant.'

But she never gave up, and after years of devastation, Naomi has now completely turned her life around - eventually finding the love of her life, becoming a mother, and transforming her story into a successful book.

Naomi went on to release a memoir, called The Amazing Adventures of an Amish Stripper, in 2023

In June 2020, after working odd jobs since she left the Amish, Naomi settled into life as a full-time mom, caring for daughter Stormy, two, with partner Nick Bauer, 33.

She also became an author, and wrote an erotic memoir about her life in the Amish as well as her career as a stripper.

'Life is so nice,' she said. 'I'm in a lovely supportive relationship with Nick, and I'm a full-time mom.

'I've retained some of my Amish lifestyle - sometimes I like to wear my old dress and cap, to remember my roots. But nowadays, I couldn't be more non-Amish. I like sweaters, tights and summer dresses.

'I'd say this is the greatest chapter in my life, so far.'

Naomi went on to release a memoir, called The Amazing Adventures Of An Amish Stripper, in 2023. 

She's been 'sober for a while now,' and 'has a pretty good relationship' with her Amish parents (seen recently) 

She's been 'sober for a while now,' and 'has a pretty good relationship' with her Amish parents.

'I always felt like there was a light at the end,' she concluded. 'Throughout all these dark days, I always had hope that I would someday find the freedom that I was searching for and have the peace that I [longed for]. 

'I never gave up. I always had hope. I always tried to make the most out of every situation.

'I just hope that my story can inspire and give hope to others. There can always be light if you choose to see it and you always have a choice to change your life at any time that you want to. 

'You can make your life the way you want it to be, you just have to chose to do the right things. If I can do it, anyone can do it.'