Recovery from Abusive Groups Page 3
4. Fear and Guilt induced by eliciting confessions to produce intimacy
and to reveal fears an secrets, by creating emotional vulnerability
through overt and, covert threats, and by alternating punishment and
reward.
5. Sleep Deprivation encouraged under the guise of spiritual exercises,
necessary training, or urgent projects.
6. Inadequate Nutrition sometimes disguised as a special diet to
improve health or advance spirituality, or as rituals requiring fasting.
7. Sensory Overload forces acceptance of complex new doctrines, goals,
and definitions to replace old values by expecting recruit to assimilate
masses of information quickly with little opportunity for critical
examination.
Not all of these techniques need to be, present simultaneously for a mind
control environment to be operative.
Harmful Effects of a Destructive Group
The harmful effects of a destructive group may include:
1. Loss of free will and control over one's life.
2. Development of dependency and return to child-like behavior.
3. Loss of spontaneity or sense of humor.
4. Inability to form intimate friendships outside the cult or enjoy flexible
relationships.
5. Physical deterioration and abuse.
6. Psychological deterioration (including hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia,
disorientation, and dissociation).
7. Involuntary, de facto servitude or exploitation.
Not all of these harmful effects will be experienced by everyone who has a
destructive group experience.
Structure of this Handbook
This handbook consists of an introduction, four chapters, and appendices. Within
each chapter are a number of topics that address different feelings and issues
for that Phase of recovery. The topics are organized somewhat chronologically
Exercises are presented to help stimulate thinking about how the topic being
discussed affects the reader. These are completely optional and are presented
here simply as learning aids. The appendices provide additional information,
including study questions and a recommended reading list.
4. Fear and Guilt induced by eliciting confessions to produce intimacy
and to reveal fears an secrets, by creating emotional vulnerability
through overt and, covert threats, and by alternating punishment and
reward.
5. Sleep Deprivation encouraged under the guise of spiritual exercises,
necessary training, or urgent projects.
6. Inadequate Nutrition sometimes disguised as a special diet to
improve health or advance spirituality, or as rituals requiring fasting.
7. Sensory Overload forces acceptance of complex new doctrines, goals,
and definitions to replace old values by expecting recruit to assimilate
masses of information quickly with little opportunity for critical
examination.
Not all of these techniques need to be, present simultaneously for a mind
control environment to be operative.
Harmful Effects of a Destructive Group
The harmful effects of a destructive group may include:
1. Loss of free will and control over one's life.
2. Development of dependency and return to child-like behavior.
3. Loss of spontaneity or sense of humor.
4. Inability to form intimate friendships outside the cult or enjoy flexible
relationships.
5. Physical deterioration and abuse.
6. Psychological deterioration (including hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia,
disorientation, and dissociation).
7. Involuntary, de facto servitude or exploitation.
Not all of these harmful effects will be experienced by everyone who has a
destructive group experience.
Structure of this Handbook
This handbook consists of an introduction, four chapters, and appendices. Within
each chapter are a number of topics that address different feelings and issues
for that Phase of recovery. The topics are organized somewhat chronologically
Exercises are presented to help stimulate thinking about how the topic being
discussed affects the reader. These are completely optional and are presented
here simply as learning aids. The appendices provide additional information,
including study questions and a recommended reading list.
