Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2010, Page 71
sabotaging beliefs, or ―pathogenic beliefs‖ from traumatic experiences that are extremely
frightening and constricting because they suggest that the pursuit of an important
developmental goal is fraught with danger (Weiss 1986). Those subjected to thought reform
typically internalize such inaccurate beliefs. These are powerful structures that have
affective and cognitive components (Silberschatz &Sampson, 1991).
Traumatic experiences can produce unconscious guilt, stemming from inaccurate beliefs.
Weiss (1986) emphasizes two types of guilt: separation and survivor guilt. ―Separation guilt
may develop in a child who wishes to become more independent of a parent but who infers
that were he to do so, he would hurt the parent‖ (p.49). Survivor guilt, a term originally
used by Modell (1971) to describe guilt brought about by those whose parents or siblings
died, has broadened to include guilt of those who assume they have fared better than
parents or siblings. ―Survivor guilt, too, is based on a belief. It is a person‘s belief that by
acquiring more of the good things of life than his parents or siblings, he has betrayed them‖
(Weiss, p.52).
From my own experiences as a child and adolescent, I developed both survivor guilt and
separation guilt. Children have an inaccurate view of causality and tend to blame
themselves for family trauma. Guilt can arise in children who believe that they are
responsible for parental mistreatment, that their behavior has been hurtful to their parents
and siblings (Silberschatz, 2005). Unconscious guilt might generally lead us to believe that
we don‘t deserve satisfying, fulfilling lives, and lead us to settle for much less.
In my family of origin, I experienced strain trauma from years of being cast in the untenable
role of taking care of my mother, who suffered from depression and prescription drug
addiction. Her needs came first, and she often told me that I was the reason she was still
living. At 15, I experienced shock trauma, a result of her death at 36 from a prescription
drug overdose immediately after an argument over the pills I had hidden from her, at her
request, and that she was now demanding. Four years later, I was recruited into Eckankar,
an environment that placed severe restrictions on my development and autonomy. In
retrospect, on an unconscious level, I believe that my indoctrination there reinforced
pathogenic beliefs acquired through the trauma of my mother‘s death: that I was
responsible for it because of my anger toward her, and that my normal developmental
strivings had harmed her. Eckankar‘s prohibition of anger, and the assertion that it was a
―negative,‖ potentially lethal emotion, provided me with a defense against my fear of anger
and a means by which to atone for my ―imaginary crime.‖i In Eckankar, my needs were
subordinate to the leader‘s. Such pathogenic beliefs predisposed me, a new recruit, to
excessive self-sacrifice for an idealized cult leader. Some developmental tasks remained on
hold until after I left.
In contrast, people are highly motivated to help others, often at the expense of their own
well-being, sacrificing themselves for largely unconscious altruistic reasons (O‘Connor,
1996). Care-giving and empathy are closely related to altruism, which is widely accepted as
universal, adaptive behavior. Cults and other abusive relationships exploit one‘s healthy
altruism and the need to belong by demanding greater degrees of self-sacrificing actions
that ultimately become maladaptive.
Bergman and Jung
Opening the first page of Bergman‘s short story, the beginning of the process of preparing
to play the role of Karin, was revelatory for me. It involved the work of character study that
encompassed critical thinking, assessing current perceptions, searching for understanding
and insight, and scanning for related memories that contained cognitive and emotional
components.
sabotaging beliefs, or ―pathogenic beliefs‖ from traumatic experiences that are extremely
frightening and constricting because they suggest that the pursuit of an important
developmental goal is fraught with danger (Weiss 1986). Those subjected to thought reform
typically internalize such inaccurate beliefs. These are powerful structures that have
affective and cognitive components (Silberschatz &Sampson, 1991).
Traumatic experiences can produce unconscious guilt, stemming from inaccurate beliefs.
Weiss (1986) emphasizes two types of guilt: separation and survivor guilt. ―Separation guilt
may develop in a child who wishes to become more independent of a parent but who infers
that were he to do so, he would hurt the parent‖ (p.49). Survivor guilt, a term originally
used by Modell (1971) to describe guilt brought about by those whose parents or siblings
died, has broadened to include guilt of those who assume they have fared better than
parents or siblings. ―Survivor guilt, too, is based on a belief. It is a person‘s belief that by
acquiring more of the good things of life than his parents or siblings, he has betrayed them‖
(Weiss, p.52).
From my own experiences as a child and adolescent, I developed both survivor guilt and
separation guilt. Children have an inaccurate view of causality and tend to blame
themselves for family trauma. Guilt can arise in children who believe that they are
responsible for parental mistreatment, that their behavior has been hurtful to their parents
and siblings (Silberschatz, 2005). Unconscious guilt might generally lead us to believe that
we don‘t deserve satisfying, fulfilling lives, and lead us to settle for much less.
In my family of origin, I experienced strain trauma from years of being cast in the untenable
role of taking care of my mother, who suffered from depression and prescription drug
addiction. Her needs came first, and she often told me that I was the reason she was still
living. At 15, I experienced shock trauma, a result of her death at 36 from a prescription
drug overdose immediately after an argument over the pills I had hidden from her, at her
request, and that she was now demanding. Four years later, I was recruited into Eckankar,
an environment that placed severe restrictions on my development and autonomy. In
retrospect, on an unconscious level, I believe that my indoctrination there reinforced
pathogenic beliefs acquired through the trauma of my mother‘s death: that I was
responsible for it because of my anger toward her, and that my normal developmental
strivings had harmed her. Eckankar‘s prohibition of anger, and the assertion that it was a
―negative,‖ potentially lethal emotion, provided me with a defense against my fear of anger
and a means by which to atone for my ―imaginary crime.‖i In Eckankar, my needs were
subordinate to the leader‘s. Such pathogenic beliefs predisposed me, a new recruit, to
excessive self-sacrifice for an idealized cult leader. Some developmental tasks remained on
hold until after I left.
In contrast, people are highly motivated to help others, often at the expense of their own
well-being, sacrificing themselves for largely unconscious altruistic reasons (O‘Connor,
1996). Care-giving and empathy are closely related to altruism, which is widely accepted as
universal, adaptive behavior. Cults and other abusive relationships exploit one‘s healthy
altruism and the need to belong by demanding greater degrees of self-sacrificing actions
that ultimately become maladaptive.
Bergman and Jung
Opening the first page of Bergman‘s short story, the beginning of the process of preparing
to play the role of Karin, was revelatory for me. It involved the work of character study that
encompassed critical thinking, assessing current perceptions, searching for understanding
and insight, and scanning for related memories that contained cognitive and emotional
components.
