Cults and Addiction

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JULY 2014
AIS PRESENTATION
Cults and Addiction
Annual Conference ICSA
Maryland, Washington, DC.
González, Vega
Montero, Elena
Santamaria, Juanjo
(AIS) Barcelona. Spain

CURRENT CLINICAL SITUATION
CULTS AND ADDICTION
During 2013 we have carried out 845 visits.
• There have been 119 new patients.
• The number of Cult or Other Manipulation Groups
related cases have been increased in 50% in last year.
38%
56%
6% Cult or Other
Manipulation
Groups
Behavioral
Addictions
Other

CURRENT CLINICAL SITUATION
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Case sex distribution
38% 32%
62% 68%
0
20
40
60
80
Behavioral Addiction Cult Members
Men Women

CULTS AND ADDICTION
To talk about the similarities between different types of
addiction (both behavioral or substance) and people
who belong to a sect, based on:
• Clinical experience
• Publications
• Scientific research
AIM

CLINICAL THOUGHTS
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Behavioral addiction is a form of addiction not caused
by the usage of drugs.
Behavioral addiction consists of a compulsion to
repeatedly engage in an action until it causes negative
consequences to the person's physical, mental, social,
and/or financial well-being.

CLINICAL THOUGHTS
CULTS AND ADDICTION
In our clinical experience:
Symptoms in current or ex cult followers ≈ Other
addictive disorders.
Maybe the symptomatic profile and the underlying
psychological characteristics could be similar on both
disorders
In 2001, AIS develop a definition and diagnostic
criteria under the designation of Group Dependence
Disorder.

CLINICAL THOUGHTS
CULTS AND ADDICTION

REFERENCES
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Several specialists on cults have suggested links between
both phenomena.
Hypothesis
Certain cultic ritual practices are supposed to trigger the
same brain mechanisms as drugs or other addictive
behaviors

REFERENCES
CULTS AND ADDICTION
"group or movement that exhibits a great or excessive dedication
or devotion to some person, idea or thing and employing
unethical manipulative techniques of persuasion and control
(isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of
special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience,
powerful group pressures, information management, suspension
of individuality or critical judgement, promotion of total
dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.),
designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders, to the
actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the
community"
(Langone, 1985)

REFERENCES
CULTS AND ADDICTION
“People indoctrinated to perform excessive (hours-long)
meditation or chanting techniques daily can become
psychologically and physiologically addicted to the mind
control technique. Such mind-stilling generates strong
releases of brain chemical which cause not only a dissociated
mental state but also a “high” similar to that created by illegal
drugs. Some former members who have used these
techniques for several years report a wide variety of deleterious
side effects, including severe headaches, involuntary muscle
spasms, and diminution of cognitive faculties like memory,
concentration, and decision making ability.”
Steven Hassan (1980) Combatting Mind Control. Park street press, 1980, 1990.
Chapter 3. The threat mind control cults today. Pag 44

REFERENCES
CULTS AND ADDICTION
J. F. Kramer y D. C. Cameron (1975)
Trigger aspects on drug dependence common on cult
members:
●Character problems
●Psychic or physic disorders
●Sociocultural pressure
J. F. Kramer y D. C. Cameron ( 1975) A Manual on drug dependence: compiled on the basis of
reports of WHO expert groups and other WHO publications. Ginebra, O.M.S.

REFERENCES
CULTS AND ADDICTION
For Alvaro Rodriguez in 1990, in both cases:
1. Resurface in the second half of the 20th Century
(number of cases and interest)
2. No specific profile that would permit determining
who will become an addict or a cult follower
3. Adolescence and childhood are the periods of
vulnerability and live events can act as a vulnerability
factor
Alvaro Rodriguez (1990) Fenomeno sectario y drogodependencia. Grup Igia.

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Analyze the published literature on cults and addiction
(with or without substance) regarding psychopathology
and personality
Focus: articles using normalized or standardized
measures of personality or psychopathology.

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Evidence on psychological aspects of cult members is
scarce and need to be interpreted with caution:
•Pressures on current cult members.
•Lack of comparison groups.
•Lack of standardized measures.
•Sampling and reporting biases.
•Definitional issues on cult characteristics.

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Studies of psychiatric co-morbidity in addictions:
Majority of patients meet the criteria for non-substance use disorders
during their life time.
Mood disorders:
◙Depression
◙Dysthymia
◙Anxiety disorders
◙Antisocial personality (substances)
Robins LN, Helzer JE, Weissman MM, ct al. Life time prevalence of specific Psychiatric disorders in
three sites. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 1985:41:949-58.
Liinbeek iv, Wouters L: Kaplan CD et al. Prevalence of Psychopathology in drug addicted Dutch. J.
Subst. Abuse treat., 1992:9:43-52.
Kessler RC, Nelson CR, McGonagle KA, et al. The epidemiology of enoccuring addictive and mental
disorders: implications for prevention and services utilisattion. Am. J. Orthopsvchiatry, 1996:66: 17-31.
Brooner RK. Van L. King ci al. Psychiatric and substance use comorbidily among treatment seeking
opioid abusers. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 1997:4: 71-80.
ADDICTIVE DISORDERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Ungerleider, J. T., & Wellisch, D. K. (1979). Coercive persuasion
(brainwashing), religious cults, and deprogramming.
Martin, P. R., Langone, M. D., Dole, A. A., & Wiltrout, J. (1992). Post-
cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after
residential treatment.
Day, S., Peters, E. (1999). The incidence of schizotypy in new
religious movements.
Gasde, I., Block, E. A. (1998) Cult Experience: Psychological
Abuse, Distress, Personality Characteristics, and Changes in
Personal Relationships Reported by Former Members of Church
Universal and Triumphant.
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1979
33 current members
17 former cult members
Variety of unspecified groups :
Assessment: WAIS, MMPI and ICL .
Current members scored significantly higher on the MMPI
Lie scale than former members
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1992
13 + 111 former cult members of various cults, members
of FOCUS and clients at the Wellspring Retreat and
Resource Center.
Assessment: Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI),
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hopkins Symptom
Checklist (HSCL), Staff Burnout Scale (SBS-HP).
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Martin, P. R., Langone, M. D., Dole, A. A., & Wiltrout, J. (1992).
Post-cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after residential
treatment. Cultic Studies Journal, 9, 219–249.

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
*MCMI scales with highest means: Anxiety (76), Dysthymia (72),
and Dependent (Submissive) (72).
*HSCL the mean was 102, where scores of 100 or greater are
indicative of the need for psychiatric care.
*SBS-HP was 72 where scores greater than 70 indicates burnout
and acute stress.
*BDI mean score was 14, where scores of 10 or more are
considered to be outside the normal range.
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Martin, P. R., Langone, M. D., Dole, A. A., & Wiltrout, J. (1992).
Post-cult symptoms as measured by the MCMI before and after residential
treatment. Cultic Studies Journal, 9, 219–249.

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1999
22 religious group members (9 Hare Krishna, 13 Druids)
Control groups: 33 Christians and 40 non religious.
They use the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to
asses general psychopathology.
Authors found higher rates of depression\ as measured by the
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale on the members of NRMs
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1998
61 Former members of the Church Universal and Triumphant
Assessement: Group Psychological Abuse (GPA), Symptom
Checklist 90, Revised (SCL-90-R), Eysenck Personality
Questionnaire, Revised (EPQ-R) and Background
Questionnaire
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Almost 50% of former CUT members reported high levels
of psychological distress.
In Extroversion, both males and females differed from the
norm. The difference was slightly greater for females than
males.
CULT MEMBERS: PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Subjects with addictive disorders (with or without
substance) are similar in terms of personality traits.
This subjects tend to score high on Novelty Seeking,
Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence and
Impulsivity.
And low on Self-directedness.
Alvarez-Moya , E.M. , Jimenez-Murcia , S. , Granero , R. , Vallejo , J. , Krug , I. , Bulik , C.M. , & Fernandez-Aranda
, F. ( 2007 ). Comparison of personality risk factors in bulimia nervosa and pathological gambling . Comprehensive
Psychiatry , 48 ( 5 ), 452 –457.
Kim SW, Grant JE. Personality dimensions in pathological gambling disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Psychiatry Res 2001;104(3):205 - 12.
Tavares H, Zilberman ML, Hodgins DC, el-Guebaly N. Comparison of craving between pathological gamblers and
alcoholics. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2005;29(8):1427 –31.
ADDICTIVE DISORDERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Novelty Seeking: Associated with exploratory activity in response to
novel stimulation, impulsive decision making, extravagance in approach to
reward cues, and quick loss of temper and avoidance of frustration.
Harm Avoidance: Characterized by excessive worrying; pessimism;
shyness; and being fearful, doubtful, and easily fatigued.
Reward Dependence: characterized as a tendency to respond markedly
to signals of reward, particularly to verbal signals of social approval, social
support, and sentiment, and learning to maintain and pursue behaviors which
were previously associated with such rewards
Self-directedness: Referring to self-determination, that is, the lack of
ability to regulate and adapt behaviour to the demands of a situation in order
to achieve personally chosen goals and values
ADDICTIVE DISORDERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Weiss, A. S., & Comrey, A. L. (1987). Personality
characteristics of Hare Krishnas. Journal of Personality
Assessment, 51, 399–413.
Sunberg, N. D., Latkin, C. A., Littman, R. A., & Hagan, R.
A. (1990). Personality in a religious commune: CPIs in
Rajneeshpuram. Journal of Personality Assessment, 55,
7–17.
Walsh, Y., Russell, R., & Wells, P. A.(1995) The
personality of ex-cult members. Person. indivrd.
Diff.,19(3), 339-344.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1987
132 males
94 females
Group: Hare Krishna's
Assessment: Comrey Personality Scales (CPS).
Hare Krishna members: more compulsive and distrustful
than the nonmembers
The mean trust score was within the normal range.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1990
34 women, 33 men
Group: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
Assessment: California Psychological Inventory (CPI)
* Members scored particularly high on In (Independence) and Fx
(Flexibility).
*They were high on the interpersonal style sector and mildly low
on the sector covering conformity and socialization.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
1995
75 ex-members
Religious Groups: The Children of God, The Unification
Church, Scientology Non-religious cults: The School of
Economic Science
Assessment: Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
Ex-members have higher scores than norms on Neuroticism
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Neuroticism “People who are unable to inhibit or control
their emotional reactions, experience negative affect (fight-or-
flight) in the face of very minor stressors and are easily
nervous or upset”
Neuroticism is positively related with the trait Harm Avoidance,
with high impulsivity and inverse associated with Self-
Directedness.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
2003
15 normal male subjects, ages 20–45 years.
Assessment: PET and the radioligand [11C]WAY100635
(5-HT1A), and the TCI-R (personality)
Serotonin binding potential correlated inversely with
scores for self-transcendence (the subscale Spiritual
Acceptance correlated significantly with binding
potential).
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Spiritual acceptance: refers to person’s apprehension
of phenomena that cannot be explained by objective
demonstration. Subjects with high scores tend to endorse
extrasensory perception and ideation, whether named
deities or a commonly unifying force.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

STATE OF THE ART
CULTS AND ADDICTION
Dopamine system plays a crucial role in the reward
mechanism of different drugs but recent data also show
involvement of the brain serotonin (5-HT) system in the
addiction process.
Cunningham, K., Anastasio, N. (2014) Serotonin at the nexus of impulsivity and cue reactivity in cocaine addiction.
Neuropharmacology, 76, Part B; 460-478.
Müller, C., Carey, R., Huston, J., De Souza Silva, M.A. (2007) Serotonin and psychostimulant addiction: Focus on 5-
HT1A-receptors. Progress in Neurobiology, 81(3), 133-178.
L.G. Kirby, F.D. Zeeb, C.A. Winstanley (2011) Contributions of serotonin in addiction vulnerability.
Neuropharmacology, 61(3), 421-432.
CULT MEMBERS: PERSONALITY

CONCLUSIONS
CULTS AND ADDICTION
•The results about personality traits and psychopathology
in actual or former cult members are inconsistent. Taking
conclusions about similarities or differences between cult
members and addictive disorders is hard
•In various studies there are evidences indicating common
points between Cultic Involvement and Addictive Disorder.
•Some personality, psychopathological aspects and clinical
symptoms in current cult followers were comparable to
those observed among behavioral addictive subjects.

CONCLUSIONS
CULTS AND ADDICTION
•More controlled, specific and clinical research is needed to
clarify the psychological characteristics of cult members, and
to improve the prevention and treatment.
•Future research should use valid structured interviews with
well-established reliabilities and psychometric properties on
adequate sample groups.
O
•In Spain, different groups (AIS or Carmen Almendros’s
group at the UAM and the UB) are interested in developing
this topic from a scientific point of view.

CONCLUSIONS
CULTS AND ADDICTION

AIS
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Thank you very
much for your
attention!
Vega González –Elena Montero