Growing up in the Church of Scientology means being treated like a god, according to Leah Remini.
"Your ego becomes extremely inflated," Remini told ABC's "20/20" in an interview airing Friday.
"Because Scientologists view children as spiritual beings, you're not treated as a kid," she added.
The "King of Queens" star sat down with ABC to promote her new tell-all memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology," which hits bookstores Nov. 3.
In a preview of the interview released Thursday, Remini recalled becoming a member as a young child, including being told that the religion's mission was to "save the world."
As she grew up and found success in her acting career, Remini's rise to stardom became intertwined with promoting Scientology.
"I love it, I love being involved with it," she is shown gushing about the religion in an undated clip. "It makes me feel like I'm a good person."
But after more than three decades as a Scientologist, Remini broke with the church in 2013 after criticizing the organization for alleged abuses and corrupt practices.
She also quit because her now-11-year-old daughter Sofia was reaching the age when she would be asked to start participating in church activities.
"I decided I didn't want to raise my daughter in the church because from what I've experienced and what I saw, was the church becomes your everything . . . your mother, your father, your everything," Remini said on her TLC reality show, "Leah Remini: It's All Relative."
Because the church encompassed so much of her life, Remini said on "20/20" that the choice to leave felt devastating.
"The decision to leave is you are giving up everything you have ever known and everything you have worked for your whole life," Remini said.
"I feel that people need to understand this has been my whole life. I want them to understand how it happens."
Remini's interview about life before and after Scientology airs Friday at 10 p.m. on ABC.