Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1 1985, Page 37
Remerging Returning
Figure 3. Floating visually represented.
3. Indecisiveness--Because of not having utilized individual judgment and intellectual
ability for an extended period of time, ex-cultists almost universally have trouble
regaining the ability to make satisfactory decisions for themselves without
ruminating over the ―rightness‖ of it (cf. AFF, p. 22 Appel, 1983, p. 146 Clark,
1979a Langone 1984, p. 72 Levine, 1979 Singer, 1978, 1979, p. 75 West &
Singer, 1980). This is most troublesome in (reevaluation and) stage one, according
to the Goldbergs (1982, p. 67), as it severely impairs the individual‘s ability to
manage the routine tasks of daily living (cf. AFF, p. 66 Clark, 1977, 1979 Enroth,
1979, p. 16 Levine, 1980, p. 36 MacCollam, 1979, p. 27 Singer, 1978, 1979).
However, Spero (1982) has noted indecision in stage two as being indicative of a
serious risk of the ex-cultist returning to his former group. Spero suggests that this
is seen in those ex-devotees for whom indecision and insecurity of an anomic
vacuum accompanies the returning pre-cult personality, in contrast to the anger
and active protests against cults which the Goldbergs (1982) associate with stage
two (p. 342). (Note 5)
4. Impaired memory--Although cultic dissociation works well to split off and repress
(Note 6) pre-cult memories, ex-cultists continue to exhibit ―varying degrees‖ of
memory impairment, including ―the inability to associate cur-rent with pre-cult
experiences, and the haphazard recollection of pre-cult experiences ―referring at
best to tangential but essentially unrelated subjects‖ (AFF, p. 21). Blind spots of
memory affect intellectual functioning, and haphazard recollection and association
of thoughts relate to floating.
5. Thought content--AFF noted that recovery from maintained dissociation commonly
leads to depersonalization and derealization (cf. Clark, 1977), as well as the
reverting back to recitation of cultic doctrine and formulas. Spero, on the other
hand, saw depersonalization produced by the splitting off of guilt feelings and
aggressive tendencies toward parents, self, etc. (1980, p. 167). After cult departure
he sees, depersonalization elicited by floating, which is ―similar to but not identical
with derealization and depersonalization (1982, p. 335). Another thought content
problem noted by AFF is obsessional thinking (cf. Deutsch &Miller, 1983, p. 769),
which may include both suicidal and homicidal Ideation, as well as transient
delusional thinking, including ideas of influence and reference (AFF, p. 22 cf.
Duetsch &Miller, 1983, p. 768). These problems no doubt leave when floating does.

Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1 1985, Page 38
6. Perception difficulties--Although stage two may bring on these difficulties if the pre-
cult personality was that of schizophrenia or borderline personality disorder, initial
post-deprogramming does see some ex-cultists with AFF suggested this
phenomenon is possibly the result of .‖a continuation of obsessional thinking
developed by conversion‖ (p. 21). Conway &Siegelinan (1978, p. 160+) suggested
it is more likely to occur In those coming out of a group which emphasized practices
tending to induce the delusional form of information disease where reality testing is
more impaired, e.g. the Divine Light Mission or Scientology. And Kirsch &Glass
(1977) saw it as the result of an inability of weak pre-cult ego boundaries to cope
with the unmerging of self-cult boundaries (post-est examples, p. 1257).
Although almost all ex-cultists suffer from dedifferentiation of reality frames, this
ego impairment apparently results in perceptual difficulties of a hallucinatory
nature in only a few.
Physical Appearance
While no one has presented a systematic picture of cultists‘ physical appearance, the
literature does suggest that the cult-induced dissociation and/or cult practices of poor diet,
health neglect, and lack of medical attention do result in certain specific physiological
changes In cult devotees: the celebrated ―glassy-eyed‖ look (AFF Conway &Siegelman,
1978 Edwards, 1979 Levine, 1979 Singer, 1978 Spero, 1977, 1980, 1982 West &
Singer, 1980), hormonal changes such as loss of beard and vocal changes in men and
cessation of menstruation In women (Clark, 1979a, 1979b Conway Stegelman, 1978
Enroth, 1977 MacCollam, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977), and ―wild alterations of weight,
appetites, energy levels, and sexual functions‖ (Clark, 1979b, cf. lethargy in ex-cultists:
AFF Singer, 1979 Stoner Parke, 1977, p. 415 West &Singer, 1980, pp. 3249-3250).
AFF suggested ex-cultists frequently look depressed and usually present themselves with
rigid, stooped posture, slow speech and slow response to external stimuli, ―fixed, intense
focus in the eyes‖ with rigid facial expression, and many times ―an apparent indifference to
physical appearance--dress and grooming!‘ with pale and often acne-blemished facial
complexions (pp. 18-19).
The Goldbergs would apparently concur, as indicated by their observation that ―physical
demeanor often bespeaks their cult,‖ e.g., many ―keep their heads bowed and speak in a
quiet, meek manner‖ (p. 167). Further in agreement with AFF, the Goldbergs noted first-
stage speech as ―monotonous, colorless, and halting‖ (p. 167), as well as the fact that
―almost all the ex-cultists appear to be much younger than their chronological age and
display an asexual innocence‖ (p. 167). During initial post-deprogramming ex-cultists lose
many of the physical problems brought on by the cult-induced dissociation. Thus, according
to the Goldbergs, menstruation and the growth of beards resume at a normal pace of
hormonal activity, and it may be assumed that the glassy-eyed look of the ex-cultists
apparently disappears along with the demise of floating.
Affect
Spero‘s (1982) psychological testing of 65 cultists reflected two basic personality patterns
which showed two opposite ways of handling affect: a) the inhibition of most emotional
processes with constricted cognitive processes, or b) ―a manic denial of depressive trends‖
with emotional lability (p. 339). Both patterns, however, remained overly disinhibited in
polarized guilt and anxiety.
Spero thought that the manic profile might be ―merely another side of the constricted
profile, (since)...‖even constricted cult personalities undergo a manic phase during recovery
as the subject attempts to deal with increasingly painful object loss following deidealization
of the cult leader, group identity, or the therapist, and also because of the marked evidence