VOLUME 10 |ISSUE 1 |2019 57
Challenges After Leaving a Group
Individuals who have left a cult or extremist group are
first confronted with some primary survival concerns.9
Outside of the group, they have little or no access to
key resources such as money and housing. Individuals
who have been in the group for a long period will have
little or no connections left in mainstream society
their entire network and identity is now manifested
in the group. Survival thus becomes their first priority.
People who have left the group may experience
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)10 (see sidebar).
Second-generation members who have been pulled
out of cults may not feel that they have been rescued
at all. Instead, they have left all they have ever known.
Former members may also be confronted with a lack
of general knowledge about life outside the group.
This is especially true for second-generation members:
I remember being in school and my
classmates were talking about Michael
Jordan. I asked them who Michael Jordan
was. Somewhat surprised, they told me that
he was the most famous basketballer in the
world. I asked them what basketball was.
From that point I was known as the freaky
kid.11
It is not uncommon for the individuals who left
voluntarily to feel guilty and think about returning.
Experiencing difficulties after leaving can feel like
proof that they are unfit for life in mainstream society.
Active harassment from the group to pull these
individuals back in can amplify these feelings. In
contrast, people who have chosen to leave can feel
ashamed and angry as they realize that they were
deceived by the group.
• Reexperiencing symptoms: flashbacks, bad
dreams, frightening thoughts.
• Avoidance symptoms: staying away from
places, events, or objects that are reminders
of the traumatic experience. Avoiding
thoughts and feelings that remind him or
her of the trauma.
• Arousal and reactivity symptoms: easily
startled, on edge, sleep deprivation, angry
outbursts.
• Cognition symptoms: trouble remembering
key features of the trauma. Negative
thoughts about oneself or the world. Guilt,
blame, other distorted feelings. Loss of
interest in enjoyable activities.
For each individual, to completely
deconstruct the extremist or cultic
identity, it is crucial to replace
that identity with a new one.
Individuals leaving a cult or extremist group can suffer
from PTSD. This will directly influence their capacity to
disengage from the group and resocialize in general
society. PTSD starts with depression, leading to anxiety
and ultimately to the individual feeling dissociated.
Individuals with PTSD may suffer from the following
symptoms:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Challenges After Leaving a Group
Individuals who have left a cult or extremist group are
first confronted with some primary survival concerns.9
Outside of the group, they have little or no access to
key resources such as money and housing. Individuals
who have been in the group for a long period will have
little or no connections left in mainstream society
their entire network and identity is now manifested
in the group. Survival thus becomes their first priority.
People who have left the group may experience
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)10 (see sidebar).
Second-generation members who have been pulled
out of cults may not feel that they have been rescued
at all. Instead, they have left all they have ever known.
Former members may also be confronted with a lack
of general knowledge about life outside the group.
This is especially true for second-generation members:
I remember being in school and my
classmates were talking about Michael
Jordan. I asked them who Michael Jordan
was. Somewhat surprised, they told me that
he was the most famous basketballer in the
world. I asked them what basketball was.
From that point I was known as the freaky
kid.11
It is not uncommon for the individuals who left
voluntarily to feel guilty and think about returning.
Experiencing difficulties after leaving can feel like
proof that they are unfit for life in mainstream society.
Active harassment from the group to pull these
individuals back in can amplify these feelings. In
contrast, people who have chosen to leave can feel
ashamed and angry as they realize that they were
deceived by the group.
• Reexperiencing symptoms: flashbacks, bad
dreams, frightening thoughts.
• Avoidance symptoms: staying away from
places, events, or objects that are reminders
of the traumatic experience. Avoiding
thoughts and feelings that remind him or
her of the trauma.
• Arousal and reactivity symptoms: easily
startled, on edge, sleep deprivation, angry
outbursts.
• Cognition symptoms: trouble remembering
key features of the trauma. Negative
thoughts about oneself or the world. Guilt,
blame, other distorted feelings. Loss of
interest in enjoyable activities.
For each individual, to completely
deconstruct the extremist or cultic
identity, it is crucial to replace
that identity with a new one.
Individuals leaving a cult or extremist group can suffer
from PTSD. This will directly influence their capacity to
disengage from the group and resocialize in general
society. PTSD starts with depression, leading to anxiety
and ultimately to the individual feeling dissociated.
Individuals with PTSD may suffer from the following
symptoms:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
