Brainwashing

[Anonymous]

Brainwashing: the use of psychological techniques or psychotropic drugs on a person who is involuntarily present in a controlled environment to implant false or irrational beliefs in that person, regardless of whether the person or institution making the attempt knows or believes the ideas implanted to be false or irrational.

Given the above definition of brainwashing, I'd appreciate it if survivors and parents could list the top irrational or false beliefs the programs they've encountered personally or just heard of have attempted to implant.

I'll start with the ones I've noticed:

1) Without the program I'd be deadorinjail.

2) If a teen is sexually active, the teen is addicted to sex.

3) If a teen is a casual user of any drug, the teen is a drug addict.

4) If a teen is angry with his/her parents and disagrees with them and occasionally disobeys them, the teen has an "oppositional defiant disorder" or a "conduct disorder."

5) Authority figures always deserve respect.

6) Rules made by authority figures always deserve respect.

7) Communicating dislike of the conditions or treatment one is experiencing is manipulative.

:cool: Forcing people to participate in "therapy" sessions or yelling at them to reveal personal details or past behaviors or subjecting them to a strict controlled environment is *not* manipulative.

9) Telling the truth is deceitful and manipulative.

10) Deception by authority is honesty and is not manipulative.

11) Involuntary combinations of exercise and food that cause weight loss in minors who are within the 40th to 60th percentile for BMI is not abusive and is reasonable.

12) The ends justify the means.

13) The arbitrary actions of authority figures are only what has been retroactively "chosen" by the persons under the control of that authority.

14) When minors and the persons in authority over them disagree, the minor is always wrong.

There, that's a little more than a baker's dozen.

Anybody want to help me out and add a few?

Another good thing would be to use military SERE training as a model to help teens sent to facilities to recognize and understand when psychological techniques are being used on them and recognize what kinds of resistance are most effective, and what kinds of resistance merely opens up a back door into their brains for the facility.

For example, one technique often used by brainwashers is to make the victim violate their conscience in a small matter, and then use that as psychological leverage against them---the more they get the victim to participate in the brainwashing against others, the more it "takes" on the victim as his mind tries to protect him from his sense of guilt.

That's one of the biggest tricks---knowing what behavior in a captivity situation is harmless, and what behavior *seems* harmless but is really the tiny opening end of a wedge into the captive's brain.

Timoclea

[Anonymous]

15. Whatever bad things have happened to me (sexual abuse, rape etc) was all my fault.

16. And let's not forget, "There is no right and wrong".

[Anonymous]

Something else I'd like:  Suggestions on where teens at risk of getting sent to a facility might hang out on the web, and possible ways of contacting them and encouraging them to come to and read a website helping them immunize themselves against some of the worst long-term effects of this kind of abuse.

Obviously, posting links will be involved and deception of any kind is right out.

I'm more thinking of ad-campaign type ideas.  I'm reasonably good at that kind of thing myself, but the more the merrier.

I really think that's going to work better, over the long run, than my writing yet another article about the abuses in this industry.  The articles are there.  The websites are there.  And *eventually* the reform will be there---all the pieces are in place waiting for the right incident to come along (like segregation and the composition of the USSC leading up to Brown v. Bd. of Ed. of Topeka---they were just waiting for the right case, and it came).

ISAC is there to help blood relatives get the word on how to go to court and end up with custody of their relative to get him/her out of a facility.

Fornits is here as an open-discussion forum to provide Sunshine across the industry---and does a damned fine job of it.

It looks to me like the next greatest need is for a SERE information training site designed for at-risk teens, and a targetted web advertising campaign to ensure they can find it.

I've got the technical knowledge and the resources to put it all together (including owning a domain where the ISP owner is a longtime friend and quite the individualist).  

This is a thread starting the work on content.

For survivors, I'm interested in the false beliefs you found most pernicious personally, the twists used to get in *your* head to the extent that you understand them, and the arguments you found most convincing in finally setting yourself free.

A lot of the information will be adapted from one of the military's SERE training manuals.

Anyway, feel free to contribute anything you find useful.

Program advocates can feel free to comment as well, as I'll just ignore them.   :smile:

Timoclea

[Anonymous]

If you answer yes to more than 3 of these questions give us a call.

Phone:

1. Does your teen defy basic family rules?

2. Does your teen struggle in school not only academically but behaviorally?

3. Is your teen verbally abusive?

4. Is your teen hanging with friends you don?t approve of?

5. Has your teen lost interest in former previous areas of interest sports, hobbies etc.?

6. Does your teen refuse to do homework and chores?

7. Has your teen ever had any legal problems?

8. Do you feel that you need to walk on eggshells around your teen?

9. Is your teen on schedule to finish high school, or Jr. high school?

10. Has your teen ever gotten aggressive with you or any other adult?

11. Does your teen lack self esteem, seem depressed or act like they have given up?

12. Is your teen manipulative or dishonest with you?

13. Do you suspect that your teen may be sexually promiscuous?

14. Has your teen ever talked about suicide, or developed a suicide plan?

15. Do you suspect that your teen may be stealing from you?

16. Does your teen seem angry or display temper outbursts?

17. Do you feel you can trust your teen?

18. Does your teen struggle with authority?

19. Do you suspect your teen is using or experimenting with drugs/alcohol?

20. Are you worried about your child's safety and their future?



With the exception of suicide, most of these seem like normal teen angst to me and can, and should, be dealt with by the parents.  But if your teen has just 3 of these...SEND THEM TO ME!!!!! :roll:

[Anonymous]

Part of my motivation is that I learned as a rape survivor that even though the rape might have been more painful, and even more injurious, if I'd fought back actively during the attack, it likely would have cut years off my recovery from the *emotional* trauma of rape.

If I can't protect teens from being attacked psychologically (and physically) by unscrupulous facilities, at least I can help them reduce the long-term life damage by helping them speed their own psychological recovery afterwards.

Timoclea

[Anonymous]

that was from

http://www.teenboardingschools.info/eva ... -help.html

[Anonymous]

During the course of the "Visions" seminar several "games" were played.  During one of the sessions popsicle sticks were handed out on which the participants, in this case a then unsuspecting parent, had to write who they thought they were(after a day of brainwashing).  The popsicle stick represented life, as in breathing, and was collected at some point during the seminar when other participants had voted who was to live and who to die during a "game".  At the end of the weekend, all the popsicle sticks of the "dead" were returned to them.  The facilitators and their henchmen/women "gave life" back to the parent.  This seems to be a crucial element in the breaking-down of the participants since it is a devastating experience to be told "You die!".  Does anyone remember the exact course of events in the Visions seminar for parents?

[Anonymous]

On 2004-12-29 11:50:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Brainwashing: the use of psychological techniques or psychotropic drugs on a person who is involuntarily present in a controlled environment to implant false or irrational beliefs in that person, regardless of whether the person or institution making the attempt knows or believes the ideas implanted to be false or irrational.


<
1) Without the program I'd be deadorinjail.

Against the popular thought on this forum, parents think this BEFORE their decision to admit them - the program doesn't need to tell them this.




2) If a teen is sexually active, the teen is addicted to sex.

 
Would a rational parent really come to this conclusion?  It's more than likely that they don't want their girl teen to become pregnant, but it's RARELY the only behavior that got them to the point of an admission.



3) If a teen is a casual user of any drug, the teen is a drug addict.


Are you serious?  Again, casual drug use is not an addiction, but define casual, once a month? Using to the point of being incoherent or overdosing, but only used a few times?  That statement is way too broad.


4) If a teen is angry with his/her parents and disagrees with them and occasionally disobeys them, the teen has an "oppositional defiant disorder" or a "conduct disorder."


Only in your dreams would a parent really think that.  Teens disagree, it's the degree to which they disagree is the measure.


5) Authority figures always deserve respect.


Authority figures  deserve to be disagreed with in a respectfulmanner.

6) Rules made by authority figures always deserve respect.


Again, respectfully disagreeing


7) Communicating dislike of the conditions or treatment one is experiencing is manipulative.


Depends on their history of communicating their dislikes.
 

Forcing people to participate in "therapy" sessions or yelling at them to reveal personal details or past behaviors or subjecting them to a strict controlled environment is *not* manipulative.


It is manipulative if that is the way it really happens, but it's not.


9) Telling the truth is deceitful and manipulative.


Reminds me of the boy that cried wolf.


10) Deception by authority is honesty and is not manipulative.


Depends on what the purpose for the dishonesty is.  If it's to ultimately help, then the end does justify the means. Not that I agree with it being dishonest, it's an honest intention.
 

11) Involuntary combinations of exercise and food that cause weight loss in minors who are within the 40th to 60th percentile for BMI is not abusive and is reasonable.


No experience with this, so can't comment


12) The ends justify the means.



In some cases, of course it does. Saving a life either physically or mentally?  Yep.


13) The arbitrary actions of authority figures are only what has been retroactively "chosen" by the persons under the control of that authority.


I agree, some people shouldn't have kids if they have the insane need to control to that point.


14) When minors and the persons in authority over them disagree, the minor is always wrong.


Only if the persons in authority are perfectionists and they always have to be right.  

I'd like to add that all of your statements border on irrational in the real world. I don't personally know one single parent that would look at what you said and agree with it.  
<<<

[Anonymous]

On 2004-12-29 18:26:00, Anonymous wrote:

"During the course of the "Visions" seminar several "games" were played.  During one of the sessions popsicle sticks were handed out on which the participants, in this case a then unsuspecting parent, had to write who they thought they were(after a day of brainwashing).  The popsicle stick represented life, as in breathing, and was collected at some point during the seminar when other participants had voted who was to live and who to die during a "game".  At the end of the weekend, all the popsicle sticks of the "dead" were returned to them.  The facilitators and their henchmen/women "gave life" back to the parent.  This seems to be a crucial element in the breaking-down of the participants since it is a devastating experience to be told "You die!".  Does anyone remember the exact course of events in the Visions seminar for parents?

"

It wasn't Visions, it was Focus and what I learned wasn't even close to this. It was about how well I cared for myself and would I trade my life for that of a stranger, or would I do whatever it took to stay "alive" to be strong and healthy for my family.  What lengths would I go to be there for them...at least that's what I got out of it.  Everyone's experience is different as are the interpretations.  What was devastating was learning that I'd rather save someone else than myself, when I could have taken a stand for both our lives.

[miseducated]

Re timoclea's post on getting the word and help out to children, I have had a vision for a few years of constant protests at the current Straights with huge signs -- or, billboards along the routes to host homes --  saying YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO A LAWYER, or FOR HELP GO TO [put in name of website here]. See what I mean? Anything, anything to break down the walls, to enter SOMETHING in their brainwashed and/or isolated subconscious that there is a world outside of what they are living in.

SAFETY doesn't mean living in fear.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE MAIL

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY OF BODY AND MIND

[Anonymous]

On 2004-12-29 20:57:00, miseducated wrote:

"Re timoclea's post on getting the word and help out to children, I have had a vision for a few years of constant protests at the current Straights with huge signs -- or, billboards along the routes to host homes --  saying YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO A LAWYER, or FOR HELP GO TO [put in name of website here]. See what I mean? Anything, anything to break down the walls, to enter SOMETHING in their brainwashed and/or isolated subconscious that there is a world outside of what they are living in.



SAFETY doesn't mean living in fear.



YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE MAIL



YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY OF BODY AND MIND"

They'd make strict rules to keep the teens from looking out the windows.  Not that it's not a good idea, just that it's more effective if we can reach and protect the teen *before* the teen gets institutionalized.

Timoclea

[Anonymous]

On 2004-12-29 19:49:00, Anonymous wrote:

"

On 2004-12-29 11:50:00, Anonymous wrote:


"Brainwashing: the use of psychological techniques or psychotropic drugs on a person who is involuntarily present in a controlled environment to implant false or irrational beliefs in that person, regardless of whether the person or institution making the attempt knows or believes the ideas implanted to be false or irrational.



[snip]




I'd like to add that all of your statements border on irrational in the real world. I don't personally know one single parent that would look at what you said and agree with it.  

<<<

"

I know the *parents* wouldn't agree with what I have to say.

*I* don't agree with what *they* do.

And just as I have no power to keep them from doing what they do, they have no power over my opinions, and they have no power to keep me from ripping back the curtain and showing the teens, in advance, the buttons and levers the "Great and Powerful Oz" will attempt to use to manipulate their psyches----and how to *effectively* resist that manipulation.

In my opinion, huge amounts of what is done to these teens in these facilities *I* wouldn't have been allowed to do to adult college students in an experimental setting even with their full and complete informed consent.  In my opinion, huge amounts of what is done to these teens would *never* pass the human subjects' committed of any accredited major US university with a research psychology program---even with full informed consent of the subjects in advance.

In my opinion, huge amounts of what is done to these teens is unethical and in a just world would be prevented, stopped, or punished by the authorities.

A whole lot of "therapeutic" manipulations of people's minds, whether for good or ill, can only occur without the subject's consent *IF* the subject is unaware of what's being done.

I can't keep dysfunctional parents from institutionalizing their kids in bad facilities for trivial reasons---but I *can* rip the masks off the process and prevent at least a good chunk of the long term damage for the kids that find my page and read it.

So I will.  Actually, I am.  I'm pretty much writing chunks of the material for upload as we speak.

And I care even less what the parents might think than they care about what I think--and I'm pretty sure they don't care squat.

Timoclea

[Anonymous]

I still have my stick. I saw it yesterday.It serves as a reminder.

 I gave the others to a woman who was crying so sorrowfully I handed them all over to get her to get it together. The "lesson" came after the fact. The you die part was,could be very traumatizing.

A bunch of bullshit. It made an impact, but it was bullshit nevertheless.


Visions,in my opinion was all about building a sense of committment through community,families with in the Visions group. In reality it was about  Promoting the Program and staying engaged in the Program.

I remember asking how do we the parents get an opportunity to participate in the financial benefit which was so obvious, if one does the math. They were discussing the new facilities that were being developed. I was thinking investment opportunities.

My questions received some very ugly looks from Barbra F the facilitator.

We could help network ,promote their program,but not benefit finacially from it.

Just give them my money don't ask questions!!!

At that time I was still unaware of the TRUTH.
The abuses of the children,the Fraud,the SCAMM, and more.

When I think back and read my many notes it becomes so obvious I had unsuspectingly been inducted into their secret cult..

[Antigen]

On 2004-12-29 19:49:00, Anonymous wrote:

I'd like to add that all of your statements border on irrational in the real world. I don't personally know one single parent that would look at what you said and agree with it.

Yup, insularity has it's perks. However, I'm a parent, you know me to some exten, and I agree w/ much of what the other poster has said.

The Bible is not my book nor Christianity my profession. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.
--Abraham Lincoln, U.S. President

[Antigen]

Here's a good site by, for and about teenagers taking charge of their own lives.

http://libertarianrock.com/
Welcome to Libertarian Rock

Libertarian Rock helps and promotes activists ? Libertarian Rockstars ? who peacefully and legally fight back against unjust laws and harassment by politicians and government workers.

They already have some info on the troubled parent industry ( http://libertarianrock.com/topics/teenc ... index.html ) and I'm pretty sure they'd welcome your contributions and cross-link to your site.

Religion is a byproduct of fear. For much of human history, it may have been a necessary evil, but why was it more evil than necessary? Isn't killing people in the name of God a pretty good definition of insanity?
--Arthur C. Clarke, author