The consequences of being members of cults are described in psychiatric literature. Ex-members experience feelings of loneliness, indecisiveness, depression, anxiety, sleep-disturbances, and lack of concentration. In an international handbook on psychiatric diagnosis, there is a section on what is called ‘post-traumatic stress syndrome’ which can be caused by first submitting to a group using mind control, and later leaving the group. A string of symptoms are listed — among these are unrealistic imaginations and hallucinations. It is also typical that people avoid stimuli that may have associations with the trauma. 92
People who have had traumatic experiences in groups like the Faith movement, such as abuse of exorcism, can get unrealistic fixations and hallucinations that may be coloured by their experience. It is actually quite an understandable reaction that such a person will avoid Bible reading, prayer and churches. Some people may misinterpret these symptoms as the beginning of schizophrenia, and others may think they are signs of demonization. Both of these diagnoses can do a great deal of damage if they are made wrongly. The first thing to look for is whether the symptoms are not simply a consequence of mind control and, therefore, a post-traumatic stress syndrome. In my opinion, this is the most common reason for psychiatric problems in people who have been through traumatic experiences in connection with the Faith movement.
Footnotes
92. Kaplan, Freedman & Sadock, Comprehensive Textboork of Psychiatry, s 3249, 3251. Berkow, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Fifteenth edition, s 1470-1471. DSM-III-R Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Ed.3, Revised.
