Different words and phrases can be used to express the same idea as 'turning from.' 'Abandoning' suggests a complete and permanent departure from something. 'Defecting' carries the sense of disloyalty to one party or cause in favor of another. 'Diverging' indicates a separation of one's path or course from another's. 'Deserting' implies a betrayal of someone or something that one had previously supported or been tied to. 'Disengaging' suggests the withdrawal from a situation or relationship. Whatever word is chosen, it conveys a sense of a turning point, a break, or a shift away from a previous way of thinking or acting.