Common Psychological Problems of Mind Manipulatio

Jang

Common Psychological Problems of Mind Manipulation:

The following problems and emotions are common with survivors. These are all normal emotions and will pass as you recover.

Keeping a journal and sorting one's overwhelming feelings is most healing and helps work through feelings of betrayal and abuse. Finding someone to listen non-judgmentally and empathetically to your abusive experience is also a vital part.

Feeling of Spiritual Rape of the Soul

Enormous Feelings of Betrayal

** Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - [trauma becomes crystallized a few days after a traumatic event, such as exiting acult] (several of a cluster of symptoms can develop, including spontaneous crying, suicidal thoughts, emotional numbing, phobias, social withdrawal, flashbacks, amnesia, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, self-loathing, fear of going insane.)

Identity Confusion/disorientation (the pre-cult personality--or real self--struggles with the in-cult personality that was imposed by the cult) (there can be difficulty integrating the cultic world with the outside world)

Dissociation (not being in touch with reality or those around them; inability to communicate)

Floating (getting triggered into cult mode, flashbacks into the cult mind-set; thoughts of returning to the cult)

Panic and Anxiety Attacks

Obsessive Thoughts

Depression

Psychosomatic Symptoms (head/backaches, asthma, skin rash, lethargy)

Problems or Inability in Making Decisions (because of the dependency fostered by the cult)

Inability to Concentrate (with short-term memory loss)

Fear ("What if I am wrong?" "What if harmful events actually do happen?" "I can't ever be happy outside the group." Includes phobias & fear going crazy because of "floating")

Grief & Sense of Loss (grieving loss of innocence, idealism, spirituality, self-esteem, pride; sense of purpose, meaning and belonging in life; support system; friends and family lost in cult; loss of time, goals and youth.

Guilt/Shame (for getting involved, for the people they recruited, things done while in the group; for leaving)

Lack of Trust (of group situations; deep suspicions about others motives and attitudes)

Intense Loneliness (strong & unique bonds were forged in the cult)

Sense of Purposelessness & Disconnection (missing the peak experiences of the group)

Sense of Isolation/Alienation ("No one understands what I am going through.")

Overly Critical of Oneself and Others (due to incorporating the harsh attitudes of the cult leader)

Seeing Everything in Black and White (cults do not teach to look for the gray areas)

Problems Having Boundaries (boundaries were violated time and again in the cult until one lost sense of which boundaries were appropriate)

Lack of Self-Esteem & Feelings of Worthlessness (cult leaders continually blame members)

Sleep Disorders (including nightmares and insomnia)

Eating Disorders

Sexuality Problems

Fear of Intimacy and Commitment

Harassment and Threats

Anger or Rage (toward the group & leader; towards oneself; suppression of anger in the cult actually contributed to depression and sense of helplessness)

Problems with Career or Employment (because of years in the cult; lost job opportunities, etc.)

Family Issues

Spiritual (or philosophical) issues

Impatience with the Recovery Process

** Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Judith Herman (author of Trauma and Recovery), along with others likes to use the this term for people who have suffered prolonged, repeated trauma. This disorder can be the result of months or years of subjection to totalitarian control.

Compiled by Dee and Mike
Exit & Support Network

THE MOST DANGEROUS LIE IS THAT WHICH MOST CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE TRUTH
The price of freedom is eternal vigilance- for fear we imprison the mind
C.A.I.C Ph. 61-(0)7-3216 8016
Web Page: http://www.caic.org.au

JanG

goo

hi jang thanks again for another great post.

goo

ps. i think there's definitely a few people suffering from these symptons posting regularly on this site.

Anger or Rage (toward the group & leader; towards oneself; suppression of anger in the cult actually contributed to depression and sense of helplessness)
Overly Critical of Oneself and Others (due to incorporating the harsh attitudes of the cult leader)

trevor

Thanks Jang,

That was an informative and well thought out post which
is why it was ignored, apart form the thanks that Goo offered.
Anything trivial or caustic will get far more attention.

One would expect your observations about cults and the emotional
effect they have, to have recieved at least as much interest
as swear words or insults do. Please keep trying - this board still
needs sensible posts!

Jang

Trevor, thanks for your comments ....

I do wonder if people read and make no comment ..... I do know some have done this because they
have mentioned it ....

I just hope to help those that may need the info ....

JanG

dark clouds

Jang:

Thanks for taking the time,

Personally, I have at one time or another exhibited up to 12 of the disorders mentioned above, thankfully not simultaneously.

It seems that most of these were experienced earlier on, closer to the time i walked out. With time i feel i have grown out of most of these, but not all.

There is always the lingering feeling of the loss of youth, and wasted years that creeps up ever so often---the ever wondering what if. A combination of maturity, acceptance, and tolerance of what has occured has helped me deal and helped me change my outlook. For every experience shapes the soul, and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Cliche i know but true.

Accepting I believe is not only the hardest step but the one that gets us closer to healing quickest. For once we accept and acknowledge what it is that triggers us we can begin the process
of debugging.

It definitely takes a deal of effort along with patience and love for oneself to want to evolve past the experience.

This disorder can be the result of months or years of subjection to totalitarian control.

I strongly feel that it is the young minds that suffer most when they are exposed to this during their formative years ,
As is why i make reference to your quote, not only because it strikes a chord in me but because this damage induced to these minds that are not given a choice in the matter continues when they are dragged in unknowingly.

Knowing how many creative souls are being reaped and that these are being affected with this totalitarian domination is heartwrenching.

CHUCK

TR

Thanks, Jan

What a long laundry list of problems. I think I'll keep the quote at the bottom of my post.

TR

"cults suck"

SlayerLayer

Wow, I have hadmany of those symptoms, and still have a few. Very interesting.

TR my quote is an example of the symptom: sexuality problems

"Forget the tribe, my pants have spoken."

slipnslidemaster

Once again, let me express my appreciation to everyone that posts here on this board.

Thank you.

I am not alone. I won't be alone again. Thank you.

My name is Slipnslideius Masterus: commander of the armies of the North, general of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius...

nojw86

Thanks Jan great reading. Well those Panic and Anxiety attacks may start all over again for me, they are building a KH a block down from me, they are digging up the ground. That means I'll have to see them again and again. Why me. nojw

dark clouds

nojw86:

if it helps you feel any better the view from my last apartment faced a kingdom hall. the week i moved in a friend and i painted a bullseye that took up the entire wall facing the hall,

mind you we blew a jay and got to work building a compass that would allow us to make these circles as we got further from the center of it and in a few hours we had these huge concentric circles that were quite hypnotic.

anyhows not my recomendation for your walls but somehow on a subconscious level it alleviated the stress of knowing there was a hall that close to my home, i imagined various projectiles being aimed through the rings in that direction and in my mind i had my own version of destruction aimed right back at it. . . .

gotta deal however you can. . . .

Common Psychological Problems of Mind Manipulatio

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