Cults are associated with small, radical groups, while religions are larger groups with socially accepted beliefs. So, although the two may seem vastly different, they share several similarities. Come and see for yourself.
There are a lot more people recovering from a cult than you think. Many endure lifelong suffering. They don’t see their religious beliefs cause this distress. Healing from religious cult trauma can’t happen if you can’t identify it.
Our culture accepts the fantasy fabrications of religious myth as an acceptable worldview. These myths are those of the Abrahamic family: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. These systems boast a membership of almost half of the world’s population. In the Abrahamic family, there are many sects to choose from. Whichever one you pick, you believe it is the only authentic religion.
Recovering from a Cult or Religion
To recover, you need to understand what a cult is. A cult is a religion with a small following. Once a cult reaches an acceptable level of popularity, it becomes a religion. That means the only thing that differentiates religion from a cult is popularity. Learning about the tools cults use, and the effects they have on your psyche will help you see how they can control so many people.
Creating a successful post-cult recovery plan requires ingredients just like any recipe. You’ll need a plan, support, and the proper tools for post-cult recovery.
What Are Groupthink Manipulation Tactics?
Cults use groupthink manipulation techniques to control thinking and behaviors. These tools of indoctrination, brainwashing, and propaganda are used to control thinking. You don’t need to be a psychologist to see the damage caused by exposure to these entities. Here is what these tools do to the psyche.
Erosion of Critical Thinking. One effect of accepting myths as fact is the erosion of critical thinking. They teach you to ignore everything except their teachings. They do not allow questioning of their doctrines. You ignore inconsistencies and suppress critical observations.
Reprograming Values. In addition, they teach you to reject your innate beliefs and values. Brainwashing leads to a loss of confidence in your judgment. It makes you rely on the leaders of the cult. You end up simply following orders. Groupthink manipulation is so powerful it makes you do things that violate your moral compass.
Social isolation. Brainwashing, propaganda, and groupthink manipulation create barriers in personal relationships. Social isolation makes you distrust those outside of the cult. When people believe in propaganda, it creates division.
Undermines Social Cohesiveness. Mind-control tactics have long-lasting effects on a community. It can lead to culture fracture, which undermines trust in the culture. When people fall victim to mind-control tactics, it leads to mob mentality with disastrous consequences. Our everyday experience is full of examples of people committing acts of violence because of groupthink tactics. Mass shootings are increasing.
Those who seek power use these same tactics in the political arena. You don’t have to look far for examples of those who use these brainwashing tactics to gain power. It includes people like Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Pol Pot, and Donald Trump.
Characteristics of Cults and Religions
Many people don’t recognize the groupthink tactics that have made them believers. But they can see how religions and cults have the same characteristics. And these characteristics are a part of their belief systems. Oops. How did that happen? Here are the common traits of religions and cults:
1. Belief in a Higher Power. It all starts with the belief in an imaginary friend. If you can get someone to believe in an imaginary friend, you can get them to accept almost anything. This is the first step in the slippery slope of cult indoctrination.
2. Shared Beliefs and Values. Beliefs, doctrines, and creeds become litmus tests to weed out undesirable and unite the core members. Most cults base their dogma on ancient texts. Because if it’s old, it must be true. For example, the Abrahamic religions come from the ancient mystery religions. These are the dying-God cults of the Mediterranean region circa 5000 BCE.
3. Capitalize on the Sense of Community. The sense of community to observe and control members. Cults use peer pressure to police and maintain group order. A sense of community becomes an angry mob under the right leader. It makes people feel good, even when they are doing evil things.
4. Exclusivity. People like to feel special and valued. Cults leverage this to make people feel like they are a part of something unique.
5. rituals and ceremonies. Cults and religions use rituals and ceremonies to bond members. Rites and rituals support a sense of community and exclusivity. Plus, elaborate rituals have the allure of connecting members with the divine. Large gatherings steeped in ritual appeals to the sense of power and mystery.
6. Charismatic Leadership. Charismatic leaders frequently emerge in religions, cults, and dictatorial political organizations. They are spiritual authorities and guides for their followers. Recovering from a cult means recognizing the leader is a con artist perpetuating a cult.
7. Emotional Manipulation. One of the dominant traits of religions and cults is how they use emotional triggers to manipulate. Negative emotions like fear and guilt are used to keep people in line. Greed is often used to fuel monetary donations. Promising salvation from the punishment you plan to deliver isn’t love is extortion by coercion and fear. But if you can afford to pay indulgences, you secure your place in heaven no matter what evil things you do.
8. Deceptive Recruitment Tactics. Both religions and cults may use deceptive tactics to recruit new members. Their prime targets are children who can accept myths as facts easily. They often target vulnerable individuals in search of meaning or belonging. The promises of salvation, healing, and prosperity fuel the cash flow of the Abrahamic family.
9. Use Groupthink Manipulation Tactics. These tools date back to ancient mystery religions. They work just as well today as they did ten thousand years ago. Prayer, worship, rituals, and regular attendance help establish control. These outward rituals mask self-hypnosis and herd mentality tactics. Groupthink tactics are powerful tools that shape thinking and values.
Groupthink works best with prolonged exposure. It doesn’t matter how outlandish or unbelievable the premise is. If you repeat it long enough, some people will believe it. It is one reason religions and cults like to start indoctrination at an early age. Children grow up believing in an imaginary friend and never give it a second thought.
People in distress and need are also prey to these tactics. The Third Reich copied these tools to create enough social mass to control the government. It happened again with the election of Donald Trump in November 2016.
Healing from Religious Cult Trauma
Perhaps you’ve decided to leave a religion or cult. You need a post-cult recovery plan. It’s important to get help with this transition, but you’ve likely alienated the people you knew before you joined the cult. And you can’t associate with the people that are still in the cult, and this leaves you isolated and vulnerable.
When you are isolated, it is easy to become depressed. It’s easy to feel lost and overwhelmed. If this is where you are at, skip down to the section on cult recovery resources online and start there. Begin your new life by getting support to help you through the recovery process.
Religious cult recovery begins by admitting the damage it caused. You were likely taught to suppress your emotions as part of the indoctrination process. Denying your emotions disconnects you from your feelings and makes you more vulnerable to groupthink manipulation tactics. Reclaiming and feeling the full range of your emotions is part of the healing process. You leave behind the false happiness programmed by brainwashing.
It is also crucial to be aware of how the brainwashing process affects your critical thinking abilities. Strengthening your critical thinking skills helps you overcome the unhealthy programming that the cult created. You need to think clearly to facilitate healing from religious cult trauma.
Recovery from Cult Indoctrination
If you are a religious follower, you will not recognize the indoctrination as a harmful type of programming. Once you accept it, your critical thinking ability no longer sees magical thinking as a distortion of reality. Think about that for a moment.
If you don’t know what harmful beliefs look like or what they do, you are likely a victim of this programming. You’ve come to accept the social conditioning as normal.
The Effects of Harmful Beliefs and Values
What is the simple definition of harmful beliefs? They are beliefs that cause harm. Many harmful beliefs are internal judgments; these are the “I am” statements like I can’t, I don’t. These weaken our psyche.
Harmful values are those that undermine the basic rights of others. Here’s a short list of the effects of harmful beliefs and values.
Loss of Personal Identity. When you join a religion or cult, you begin the process of indoctrination. This is a process that exchanges cult beliefs for your identity. The longer you are involved, the more you will associate yourself with these beliefs.
Ask any religious devote or cult follower who they are. They will give you the name of their cult, such as Christian or Muslim. You’ll see that indoctrination has eroded their personal identity. The religion has replaced their inborn moral compass with the beliefs and values of the cult. Religious beliefs become their primary identity. This level of identification cements them to the cult, making it harder for them to leave.
Justify Discrimination and Bias. Most people think of harmful beliefs and values, only those that are overtly violent. They don’t see the outdated views of organized religion as biased or discriminatory. Right-wing racist Nazi groups are blatant examples of people who firmly believe in the right to hate others because of their race.
However, Harmful beliefs and values can manifest in more subtle ways. Social apathy and lack of trust in humanity impact our lives and society. People learn to discriminate out of misinformation and fear. The usual targets are race, ethnicity, socioeconomic, immigration status, or sexual orientation. Discrimination and bias are learned behaviors of social conditioning.
A Chosen One Mentality. Being specially chosen by your imaginary friend plays off of the idea of exclusivity. It makes believers think they are inherently superior to others. This belief manifests in racism, sexism, or classism. It’s a mindset that justifies discrimination, prejudice, and inequality. Believing that one group is superior promotes dehumanizing and marginalization. Those in the group can lose empathy and understanding for others.
Scapegoats and Stereotyping. Harmful beliefs can also manifest as stereotypes and prejudices. Cults make assumptions about people. These assumptions can be based on any characteristic. It could be ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, or religion. Harmful stereotypes lead to discrimination and exclusion. We can develop these beliefs from a young age and have them reinforced by media, culture, and societal norms.
Socioeconomic Prejudice. Some believe that monetary success is the sole measure of a human life. It pits individuals against each other, which distorts our moral and social values. Commercialism fuels this mindset of greed and selfishness. We know there are enough resources in the world for everyone to have clean water, proper food, shelter, and medical care. But, commercialism has allowed greedy individuals to acquire more resources than they could ever spend while others starve and die from improper water treatment and lack of medical care.
Stigmatizing Mental Health Issues. Believing that mental health is a sign of weakness or a sign of failure stigmatizes mental health conditions. It prevents people from seeking the mental healthcare that they need. It’s a mindset that creates a lack of empathy for those struggling with their mental health. An unordinary number of people with mental health issues end up in the criminal justice system because their mental health conditions were not treated, and they violated some laws.
Unhealthy beliefs and values can take many forms. These negative behaviors range from violence and discrimination to subtle biases and stereotypes. It is important to recognize and challenge these beliefs when it is safe to do so.
Tools for Post-Cult Recovery
To leave a cult or religion, you must have had a breakthrough of some kind. Good for you! Often, it’s because you were a victim of physical or mental abuse. Here are some of the main tools you include in your recovery plan:
Building a Post-Cult Recovery Plan
Learn about Indoctrination. Self-education is a crucial initial step in recovering from a cult. It’s important to learn about the manipulation and control tactics that were employed. Avoid replacing one cult with another. Understanding these tactics enables you to discern the untruths. This knowledge will help you regain control of your thoughts. Plus, it will help you avoid falling prey to these tactics again.
Recognize you will always be in religious cult recovery. You are like a recovering alcoholic or drug addict. You may be tempted to return or try another cult. Overcoming this temptation is part of the process of recovering from a cult.
Establish Reasonable Goals. You need to create a new cult-free, authentic version of the “new you.” What do you want your life to look like after healing from religious cult trauma? What kinds of relationships do you want and need? Where do you want to live? How do you want to live? What hobbies do you want to explore?
Take charge of your recovery. The goal is to create a healthy, skeptical mindset. Just because you have left a cult or religion doesn’t mean you should ignore your spiritual life. We are spiritual beings having a temporary physical presence.
Being in a cult can have a lasting impact on your mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The manipulation and control that you endured will leave you feeling lost and broken. But, healing from religious cult trauma is possible. All you need is a plan with tools for post-cult recovery.
Seek a professional therapist. A trained therapist can help you create a realistic recovery plan and help you work through the emotions. They are trained to deal with the trauma caused by cult involvement. As part of your written plan they will likely include cult recovery resources online from organizations like SAMHSA.
Don’t wing it. Create a Written Plan. One of the most important things you need is a realistic written post-cult recovery plan. A roadmap to recovery guides you through the challenges you may encounter as you strive to reconstruct your life. Setting clear goals is crucial for success.
Committing a plan to writing increases the likelihood of achieving it. The plan doesn’t have to be elaborate. It might be as simple as a daily schedule of exercise and a short two-minute mindfulness meditation break, plus a once-a-week group meeting to bolster your critical thinking skills. Actionable goals like these will help you keep on track. We highly recommend the use of a journal throughout the recovery process.
Build a Support Network. Join cult recovery resources online and get the help you need. Also, volunteering your help once you’ve recovered is a great way to maintain your recovery. Surround yourself with people who understand what you’ve been through. Connecting with others who have left cults can also be helpful. Those who have gone through the same transition can provide valuable insights.
Inner Work Tools for Post-Cult Recovery
To recover from indoctrination, you’ll need to do some healing. Inner work tools help us delve into the psyche where we can uncover and heal the damage of cult and religious brainwashing. Each tool has a unique function that helps us discover and repair unhealthy thinking and values.
Observe your self-talk. Our self-talk comes from programming scripts in the subconscious. Many cults and religions use hypnosis to solidify these scripts.
Journaling and Automatic Handwriting are techniques that can help you reveal your self-talk.
The Culture Assessment Questionnaire is a tool for examining how your values affect judgments about others. It will reveal some of the most common unhealthy values. This is one of the tools for post-cult recovery that will show you if you hold any bias or prejudice.
The Enneagram personality profile will provide a template of healthy and unhealthy thinking based on your personality and instincts. It can show cult beliefs distort these mechanisms of ego.
The Repetitive Question Exercise exposes harmful scripts by asking the same question repeatedly. It forces you to drill down for authentic answers. The data from these tools will help you see the obstacles you’ll need to overcome.
Enhance critical thinking skills. Studying basic logic and rational thinking is definitely a key part of the recovery process. These skills are vital to understanding the data you uncover in your inner work. You can’t make positive changes if you can make critical decisions about your beliefs and values.
Use tools to expand awareness. Expanding your awareness helps us unlock the power of the mind. For example, creating a memory palace will expand your memory and critical thinking capabilities, and it is fun.
Automatic handwriting technique. This tool was one of the first used by people like Sigmond Freud and Carl Jung when creating the discipline of psychology. It allows the subconscious mind to communicate via our handwriting. The Church demonized it and labeled it an occult practice. Why? Because the Church couldn’t use a tool that exposed its harmful programming.
You still have spiritual needs. But instead of religion become a spiritual explorer. Use tools for exploring consciousness. Avoid groups that want to make you a believer. There are many good resources and teachers of spiritual technologies. Do your research. Don’t fall back into old habits and join another religion. Remember, the belief in myths, superstitions, and fairy tales will only place you back in another cult.
Self-care is activities that help us heal body, mind and soul. They can be critical in creating healthy habits. Involvement in religion often consumes a great deal of time and creates a number of unhealthy habits. The right self-care tools can help fill the void of these unhealthy processes.
Instead of prayer, worship, and mindless rituals, you place it with walks in nature, exercise, meditation, and journaling. These practices replace the unhealthy behaviors of the cult. As you build a new life post-cult, these activities give you the opportunity to heal, get in touch with your own needs, and regain control over your life.
Recovery from cult indoctrination is different for everyone. There are a number of obstacles to overcome, both internal and external. Educate yourself and enhance your critical thinking skills. Build a healthy support system and stay focused on creating a new life. The “tools for post-cult recovery plan” will help you break the chains of religious indoctrination.
Political and Religious Cult Recovery Resources Online
Having online access to a variety of tools is helpful during post-cult recovery. Our website is an excellent resource for tools and information. You’ll find almost 400 articles on a variety of spiritual subjects. There are several tools on this website you can learn for free. You’ll find forms of meditation and awareness-expanding techniques.
1. Freedom of Mind Resource Center.
2. The International Cultic Studies Association.
3. Cult Education Institute.
4. Recovery from Religion.
5. Cult Recovery 101.
6. Cult Information and Support.
7. SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
These cult recovery resources online provide valuable resources and support on your journey to a life post-cult.
Building Healthy Boundaries Post-Cult
Healthy boundaries are about knowing what is best for your health and well-being. Healthy boundaries won’t interfere with healthy relationships. It’s about asserting yourself and prioritizing your needs.
— Learn what you need in terms of support to facilitate your recovery.
— Set boundaries that protect you from those who are involved in cult activity.
Leaving a religion or cult doesn’t mean you are outside their influence. Cults and religions use members to reclaim those who leave. It is not uncommon for members of the group you left to reach out and try to make contact. Leaders of cults use their loyal members to keep tabs on past members. They may even interfere with other people in your life who are not a part of their group.
You may be tempted to try to convert members from the cult or religion. But this we don’t recommend trying. It puts you at risk of being reclaimed and puts you on the radar of the group leadership. Some political groups, cults, and religions are not above using any tactic to protect their membership base and cash flow.
Reclaiming Personal Identity Post-Cult
It is common to feel a sense of loss when you reject and leave a cult or religion. Life without the boundaries of religion means you are too free to create an identity of your own. This new freedom may even be a little scary.
Who are you without your religion? What is the purpose of your life now that you can create your own? If you were involved in a cult or religion for a long time, this is like being reborn. If you were indoctrinated as a child, you have no idea of who you are without the beliefs of the toxic environment.
It’s important to know that indoctrination striped you of your autonomy. You were forced to conform to the beliefs and practices of the group. Your sense of self-confidence was eroded to make you obedient. You were likely manipulated and exploited for the benefit of the cult leaders. These realities are hard to face. We don’t want to believe we have been taken advantage of.
Remember that the cult no longer defines your identity. You are free to explore thoughts, feelings, and healthy desires that were repressed. With your autonomy restored, take time to be in solitude. Think about what you want the new you to become. Take this opportunity to explore your creativity. Try new activities, hobbies, and clothes.
Reclaiming personal identity post-cult is a process that takes time and effort. It starts with the use of inner work tools like a journal. Therapy and support from trusted friends and family members can help you become grounded.
Restoring Family Relationships Post-Cult
Restoring relationships post-cult can be tricky. You must recognize the impact your involvement had on others. Your family members may have been part of the cult or innocent bystanders. So, your recovery may be triggering a crisis of identity for them.
If your family members aren’t ready to accept the new you, it’s best put try to mend relationships until you are well along in your recovery. If possible, listen to the experiences of your family and friends. They may see things from a completely different perspective.
Set healthy boundaries with family and friends. Setting boundaries is especially important if they are still involved with the cult. Make it clear that you care for them but cannot support their involvement. Encourage them to seek help and counseling from a professional who specializes in cult recovery; don’t try to be their counselor. You are too close to give objective advice.
Professional help in mending relationships is a good option. It can help repair and strengthen relationships post-cult. A trained therapist can facilitate safe communications.
Healing takes time for everyone concerned. Be patient with yourself, your family, and your friends. Being involved in a cult can have a lasting impact on relationships. Restoring family relationships post-cult is not an easy task, but you can do it with time, trust, and transparency.
Final Thoughts
If you were involved in a cult of organized religion, congratulations on making it out. The path to recovery from cult involvement is different for everyone. The longer you were involved, the more time it usually takes to recover. It is similar to those recovering from an addiction. The cult experience will always be a part of your life, but you don’t have to let it dictate your future.
Learning to spot the characteristics of cults and religions, see how we became influenced, and how to help us avoid them in the future. Reclaiming personal identity post-cult takes time. It requires building healthy boundaries post-cult. You need to rebuild a new, healthy worldview. Restoring family relationships post-cult can be challenging. You must give your family time and patience to adapt to your new life change.
To create a healthy culture, we need more people involved in political and religious cult recovery. Sadly, the ones who need it the most are those deeply entrenched. If you are healing from religious cult trauma, you understand the value of a healthy, skeptical mindset.