Hi everyone,
I'm working on my master's in social work, and will be taking an independent study next year for research that I've proposed that has to do with these programs. My proposal is limited to WWASP, specifically, but I'm just curious - how many of you all have experienced posttraumatic stress symptoms? If you're not familiar, here's a few of them: nightmares/flashbacks, hyperarousal (constantly looking over your shoulder, being overly alert, etc.), avoidance of places/things that remind you of the Program (these are just a few).
I'm also interested in dissociative symptoms - these have to do with feeling "detached" from yourself, or emotionally "numb." When people say they were "brainwashed" by the Program, this is a form of dissociation refered to as identity confusion/alteration. You also may have trouble remembering large chunks of your time in the Program, which is another dissociative symptom.
Lastly, I want to know if those of you who left the Program on "good" terms, graduated, etc. felt conflicted about your feelings for any length of time. Did you struggle to suppress negative feelings about the Program, feeling guilty, or thinking you were being disloyal, in a sense? Did you ever justify some of the "bad" things that happened with the times that your therapist, staff, etc. was nice/funny/caring/etc.? If this happened with you after you got out, how long did it take you to outwardly accept your negative feelings - i.e., anger, resentment, sadness, etc. Or do you still feel a tinge of loyalty to the Program?
Sorry, I didn't mean to make this post so long... I'm just wondering if I'm on base at all with my predictions about the kind of psychological aftermath that follows the Program. If you respond, please tell me what program you were in, how long you were there, how old you were, and how long it's been since you've been out. Thanks!!
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