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« on: August 18, 2010, 01:48:58 PM »
I can only think of one positive aspect of the time I spent in the program ( straight spinoff in Florida ), which is this. It inoculated me somewhat against cult-style manipulation. I spent the five months there ( all on phase one ) watching how they manipulated perfectly normal teenagers and gradually turned them into sociopaths. I took note of how many rules were just about power and control and had nothing to do with addiction. I noticed that everyone seemed to be lying in their M.I.’s, which I refused to do and was consistently punished for. I developed a very serious drug problem after finally escaping which I have since overcome. I am now an atheist and am very distrustful of groups like AA and NA, although both of those organizations have helped many people, they still require belief in a “ higher power “. I want nothing to do with the God worshiped by the people in that program in Florida. Not even if he offers me cake, which, by the way, we didn’t get where I was, probably just because the manipulation potential of a birthday party had just not yet occurred to them. ::deadhorse::