Straight was sometimes abusive to parents, too

[wayeast]

I was a kid in Straight, but Snowhite's comments led me to post this. I feel for her, and I hope her son has forgiven her.  

My perspective on Straight is slightly different than many, because though Straight changed my life drastically and forever, I survived and got stronger. My mother never got over it.

She saw the fact that I'd done some drugs as a personal failure on her part, and it came as a real shock to her. She wasn't the perfect mother, but she cared about me a great deal, and she bought the Straight line that I'd end up dead if I left. At her most vulnerable point, the Straight staff led parent raps attacking her for various reasons, among them that she questioned whether the program was the right place for me.  They would split up my parents so Dad couldn't help her, and then go at her until she was in tears.  

The tears never quit after that.  For years, she would cry at the slightest provocation. Years after I left the program (I am still alive and prosperous, thank you) she would hide the aspirin when I came home, and panic if I was late coming back from somewhere.

I later realized she'd had a nervous breakdown back then, and we never realized what it was. My siblings agree that that's probably what happened to her.  Of course, Straight had soured both my parents on psychology, so we couldn't have gotten her help any way.

I know this may tick some of you off, and that isn't my intent. I have no doubt that many parents used Straight to get back at their kids. I really think the founders of the Seed, Straight, SAFE, etc. knowingly and deliberately engaged in thought control. But others were desparate parents trying to figure out what to do, and Straight lied to them convincingly (with the help of Nancy Reagan, George Bush, David Tilley, and others).  

I hope like hell that my mother was a rare case, but I have a feeling there were others.

[Tampa survivor]

My mom just regrets everything about 1980-83.  She knows it was wrong, and she can't handle discussing it.  Dad was like 'denial man'...program saved your life, etc,etc.  Yeah right.  He wouldnt toelerate negative talk about straight, or my theory that i had NO drug problem.  For 20 years he maintained that shit.  3 days ago he called me, and told me he had been looking at this stuff.  Seems he had a bit of a conversion after seeing others stories.  Now my entire psyche has been turned on its ass, wondering about stuff I never wanted to think about. Thanks (I think) to dad.  Nevertheless, I am lucky to have parents who have proved that they are great since that time.  The cult grabs the fear in a parent and manipulates it.  I have a challenging 13 yo now, and I realize now how seductive  Newtons "pitch" must have been to my parents.  Panecea.  The return of your little boy.  Fucking usurious bastards.  I will see V.Miller in hell.  I wont be bringing any KY jelly for him either.
Bill