Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 92
A unique proposal of Sirkin and Wynne (1990) suggests that cult involvement be classified
within the diagnostic category relational problems (as a type of extrafamilial relational
problem), which, along with ―foliè a deux,‖ would constitute two specific identities of such a
category. Sirkin and Wynne‘s proposal also specifies severity, a very necessary element.
Thus, the diagnosis may be further specified as mild (two symptoms), moderate (three
symptoms), or severe (four or more symptoms). The following are this proposal‘s diagnostic
criteria:
1. The patient‘s involvement with a group or organization is characterized by impaired
autonomous mental functioning (outside the group context) as evidenced by any two
of the following: a) extreme anxiety when separated from the group or group
members b) difficulty processing and evaluating information that contradicts the
doctrine c) impaired reality testing, especially around issues pertaining directly to
the cult or cult leader d) commission of antisocial acts supposed justified by cult
doctrine or directions from a leader e) decisions made outside the group context
repeatedly reversed upon pressure from the group or group members.
2. The patient‘s involvement with the group has been facilitated by partial and
incomplete disclosure of the group‘s doctrines, beliefs, and goals. Full disclosure
following intense involvement may not be sufficient to counteract group influence.
3. The patient‘s involvement has not been preceded by psychotic disorder within the
past six months.
Obviously, along with these two diagnostic proposals, other psychopathological
complications that can arise among the followers are not excluded, such as (1) schizoid
affective reactions in people without a previous history, (2) post-traumatic stress disorders,
(3) anxiety induced by relaxation, and (4) miscellaneous reactions (phobias, memory
deficits, etc.) (Singer and Ofshe, 1990).
Group Dependency States
Since its start in 1986, the therapeutic team of Attention and Research on Socioaddictions
(formerly, Assessment and Information on Cults, AIS) works toward an improved diagnostic
delineation of the problem at hand. The model that in this case includes the description of
the psychopathological state of the follower is that of dependence.
Beyond the phonetic similarity of ―addict‖ and ―follower‖ in Spanish,2 there is interesting
clinical evidence, as pointed out by a Canadian psychoanalyst (Roy, 1998): (1) the
phenomenon of crossed dependence, which leads to different addictions being
interchangeable (2) the fact that drug addicts more frequently commit to highly
manipulative groups and do not seem stimulated by groups with a low manipulative profile
(3) the observation that, when an addict commits to a group, he can temporarily or
permanently quit his addiction (4) the fact that some rehabilitation groups for addicts
present manipulative characteristics (5) the similarity between the discomfort that the
person who abandons a group experiences with the withdrawal symptoms of an addict (5)
the evidence that the states of depersonalization an ex-follower can experience are close to
the states ex-addicts experience (6) the fact that the sensations of depersonalization,
along with the anxiety peaks that are experienced during group practices, also hold a
parallelism with the sensations that the addict obtains from his drug (7) the existing bond
between affective dependence and cult dependence, as referred by ex-followers and (8)
the sensation that both the follower and the addict have of being ―beyond it all,‖ to the
point of believing that drugs and/or dogma does not affect them.
2 In Spanish, we use the terms ―adepto‖ and ―adicto.‖
A unique proposal of Sirkin and Wynne (1990) suggests that cult involvement be classified
within the diagnostic category relational problems (as a type of extrafamilial relational
problem), which, along with ―foliè a deux,‖ would constitute two specific identities of such a
category. Sirkin and Wynne‘s proposal also specifies severity, a very necessary element.
Thus, the diagnosis may be further specified as mild (two symptoms), moderate (three
symptoms), or severe (four or more symptoms). The following are this proposal‘s diagnostic
criteria:
1. The patient‘s involvement with a group or organization is characterized by impaired
autonomous mental functioning (outside the group context) as evidenced by any two
of the following: a) extreme anxiety when separated from the group or group
members b) difficulty processing and evaluating information that contradicts the
doctrine c) impaired reality testing, especially around issues pertaining directly to
the cult or cult leader d) commission of antisocial acts supposed justified by cult
doctrine or directions from a leader e) decisions made outside the group context
repeatedly reversed upon pressure from the group or group members.
2. The patient‘s involvement with the group has been facilitated by partial and
incomplete disclosure of the group‘s doctrines, beliefs, and goals. Full disclosure
following intense involvement may not be sufficient to counteract group influence.
3. The patient‘s involvement has not been preceded by psychotic disorder within the
past six months.
Obviously, along with these two diagnostic proposals, other psychopathological
complications that can arise among the followers are not excluded, such as (1) schizoid
affective reactions in people without a previous history, (2) post-traumatic stress disorders,
(3) anxiety induced by relaxation, and (4) miscellaneous reactions (phobias, memory
deficits, etc.) (Singer and Ofshe, 1990).
Group Dependency States
Since its start in 1986, the therapeutic team of Attention and Research on Socioaddictions
(formerly, Assessment and Information on Cults, AIS) works toward an improved diagnostic
delineation of the problem at hand. The model that in this case includes the description of
the psychopathological state of the follower is that of dependence.
Beyond the phonetic similarity of ―addict‖ and ―follower‖ in Spanish,2 there is interesting
clinical evidence, as pointed out by a Canadian psychoanalyst (Roy, 1998): (1) the
phenomenon of crossed dependence, which leads to different addictions being
interchangeable (2) the fact that drug addicts more frequently commit to highly
manipulative groups and do not seem stimulated by groups with a low manipulative profile
(3) the observation that, when an addict commits to a group, he can temporarily or
permanently quit his addiction (4) the fact that some rehabilitation groups for addicts
present manipulative characteristics (5) the similarity between the discomfort that the
person who abandons a group experiences with the withdrawal symptoms of an addict (5)
the evidence that the states of depersonalization an ex-follower can experience are close to
the states ex-addicts experience (6) the fact that the sensations of depersonalization,
along with the anxiety peaks that are experienced during group practices, also hold a
parallelism with the sensations that the addict obtains from his drug (7) the existing bond
between affective dependence and cult dependence, as referred by ex-followers and (8)
the sensation that both the follower and the addict have of being ―beyond it all,‖ to the
point of believing that drugs and/or dogma does not affect them.
2 In Spanish, we use the terms ―adepto‖ and ―adicto.‖
