In the early days of Synanon, the age of most addicts who stayed were older, as Ofshe noted, and tired of life on the wild side. "You just love them up, just squeeze them and kiss them and tell them how much you love them, and think about their needs, and have empathy for them," he says. The belief that Synanon was a breakthrough, as stated, was mainly because of its public speaking bureau. But there wont be any room for the kind of people you are now. ", "It wasn't like Godfather, it was like Pirates of Penzance," Jollett explains. The real origins of the Cedu schools remained hidden from the students, their parents and much of the staff until years after their graduation or departure. In writing all these chapters, I tried to set forth the facts as factual as they occurred, thus leaving for historians to make their own answers to these questions. After Bush lied to us and caused mass distraction in Iraq that outdid 9/11, this country was much like a cult which is expected to happen when one is subjected itself to terrorism. Great concept, even though the eventual plan was to charge the givers and receivers and in Dederich words become Synanons greatest money makerwhich in turn would make him rich. But these rules had long been eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities. I just imagined Charles Dederich rolling over in his grave at that news. Sure it maybe closed but it still needs to be investigated in the same fashion that Penn state was investigated. Glasser, he wrote, found that eighty six of every hundred admissions to a large residential program terminated themselves against the advise of staff with most terminating within the first 30 days. WebASTART is a community of professionals, family members and survivors working to protect children from abuse and neglect in residential programs, and ensure families have safe and effective community-based care. I offered the information to Janzen and he didnt want it. I think he recognized, 'Oh, is this one going to become an addict, too? I use a voice recognizing system and then I have to go back and edit many times. I dont have to stay in it anymore. Did you change partners? How all of this occurred is set forth in the first book So Fair a House by Dr. Casriel. No doubt their belief in Synanon was so strong that they had a good influence on others, but unfortunately they were also subjected to the Synanon system which from the early days warned of the enemy at the door (which Dederich eventually confessed at deposition he made up to bond followers), and later declared that you could never go home or contact outsiders. It cant be denied that Charles Dederich in many instances, while playing Skinner, was ahead of the times with positive ideas. But it is mans nature to flock together and unfortunately war with each other. A. Confidential. Ordered by the court out of Synanon, he returned to a life of crime and was murdered. Suggest reading the fall of series. It was a gift. Dr. Jerome Jaffe, the first White House Drug Czar, had written the foreward to Dr. Meyers book which had called for caution in the use of synanon-style screaming matches against kids. As stated in earlier chapter, one study on encounter groups in 1971 found the Synanon methods of attack therapy was the most likely to create psychological injury, and the experiment led to mental breakdowns and one suicide. While I cop to an ego in this area, my comments to Janzen had nothing to do with it. They must be lies because you cant live with any other thoughts. You dont present any facts that they are lies because you have none. But I, its a marvelous business to watch these assholes come in and fall all over themselves and try bite me in the ass. Yet by the time Synanon shut down in 1991, its model had already been widely copied. Synanons punitive system of verbal attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and drove out most that entered. Now theres a little room for you now. If one thought about it, does one really need to go to a rehab to stop taking pain pills or a little drinking or smoking marijuana; these were and are issues that the medical profession could not fail in guiding if one wanted to quitreducing, changing or eliminating prescriptions. Every time we let somebody into Synanon we assume an enormous liability and this is done consciously. In Maias book it is described one woman was not even allowed to leave a teen rehab after she turned 18, the organization threatening her mother to toss out her younger child if the mother took the older one back. If you look at your post, you will see you bring up matters which were brought up in the entirety of my text and there is little difference. Dawnne Takeuchi, 18, was killed when she was thrown from a semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994. But, Ms. Szalavitz writes, the shuttered programs simply changed their names and reopened, often with the same staff, in the same stateeven in the same building. Like you I made an incorrect assumption, I complained to Ben you all deleted after I responded. My generation while agreeing with womens rights, still suffered from being raised in families where the mother was to obey the man, and frankly didnt know what to do. I have the book and am reading it. Straight used Synanons vaginal and anal searches to search for contraband for years even though they never found any. He was constantly accused of being a malingerer and faking it when he complained of being sick and unable to go on. first, you say that many agree with what I wrote and others did not, and as you say, these agreements are expected and that some would be vehemently because of the psychological processes of denial. Any dammed fool who wants to come in and say Id like to live with you and we let them in. As to the above, I remain impressed with your apparent life long research into many areas, and you write so much, it is hard to know where to begin. It was good that Synanon took in minorities, and when Dederich married Betty mixed marriages were not as commonplace as today. Nonprofit Organization. Dederich said free choice in the hands of an addict was like a gun in the hands of a baby. Synanon added the game and other systems of punishment to compel compliance that would be copied by many sociopaths seeking riches, as discussed below, and lead to horrors to the participants in the clones that exceeded what occurred in Synanon. Finally, even the founder was not cured, returning to marijuana by 1977 and to an alcoholic stupor in 1978 that led to drunken parties throughout Synanon, as Phil Ritters and my murders were plotted, and the supposedly rehabilitated and reformed celebrated at the news of resulting injuries. [Chuck] Dederich [Synanons founder], an exile from A.A., is credited with being the genius behind the TC [therapeutic community] movement and Leon Brill acknowledges in The Clinical Treatment of Substance Abusers that the original therapeutic community directed by ex-addicts was Synanon though others, he writes, such as Daytop Village, Odyssey House and Phoenix House in New York City have used psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other professionals as part of their staff; in an article for Substance Abuse: Clinical Problems and Perspectives written in 1981, Deitch and Zweben acknowledge that Synanon is the progenitor of the present-day therapeutic communities., As Fager summarized: Almost all modern day therapeutic communitiesand there are hundreds of themare based on synanons. Per Dr. Robert J. Lifton, this is what one would expect from any totalitarianism environment after removal. The problem is, however, is how to ensure they are taken advantage of. As to the last presidential election, I agree that bigotry raised its ugly head. As stated in the Skeptics Dictionary, law enforcement officials, politicians and religious leaders helped push those fearing addiction to what it determined was primarily rackets designed to make money with little regard for human well-being (like Elan and CeDu). According to Department of That for about a period of 7 years most of my friends were ex synanon members. That is just a fact. Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And Future Photo Library What is mysterious about this? Bringing Luis Home September 26, 2022 10. Thats why I wrote the history of Synanon because there is so much to learn. Despite this, despite the warnings of so many other notables, despite Art Barkers total lack of credentials and less than admirable past, The Seed received a $1.8 million U.S. government grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) soon after it opened. The monster that now existed had to be stopped. see review. Here we are not talking about riding horses, discussing the nature of man, or Emerson, but a reign of terror that was destined and predicted by many in the early 60s due to the Synanon methods of attack therapy, forced confessions, rewards and punishments and brainwashing about enemies. I dont have much to argue with what you say about the people in Synanon and do not disagree they helped others, they were there to do that. WebSynanon eventually unraveled in a series of assaults and attempted murder. The legacy quotes statistics that I did not keep or make, but Synanon did. While forced to admit the attack on me, there is no mention of Phil Ritter or Eidson, etc., in his book, Rise and Fall of Synanon (which was same working title I had) rather a statement that the media exaggerated the violence and that there was no violence inside Synanon. The Hammer Podcast. However, there is little evidence that harsh behavior-modification techniques can solve these problems. The media pointed to me, but there were far many who had joined and fought to protect me as well as expose Synanon. I talked with you briefly about Elan and of its closing. They also had to fight for attention from the few loving adults who monitored them, Jollett explains. I stated my views, but I gave statistics and reports to back them, most unfortunate to learn of the great tragedy that have occurred in the clones are all these years. It was far from being just Synanon. But I also concluded that Synanon would always be dangerous because of the nature of the Synanon game. And it is no wonder that almost everywhere Synanon went, Dederich picked a location that was out of zone in which he knew they would be kicked out of, allowing him to claim outrage and obtain sympathy and donations. We were indoctrinated quickly thru fear, humiliation,and the constant threat of physical violence. Elan made millions and millions of dollars, off of criminal child abuse. WebJan 2010 - Present13 years 2 months United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created & runs the Synanon Survivors Group on Facebook. Its wonderful. Im so grateful, thankful & PROUD of everyone who made this happen!!! And that Susan, is what differentiates us, from other countries where there is no freedom of press. Most of what I wrote was a no comment description in detail of Synanons evolution taken from its own records. Matt C. Hoffman Further, while brainwashing might be a form of keeping a person from drugs, leaving all decision making to the masters was a recipe for disaster. I offered them to him but he declined. Although I think this is waning some now Movies now are once again about heroes and less about femme fatales. This was Synanon had its worse, andit is not permitted here. The Sunshine Place investigates Synanon through survivors, former members, and more Society & Culture August 10, 2022 Listen to The Sunshine Place Jollett also healed by opening himself up to therapy, music and, eventually, love. It a very sick place for teen agers,and during my time we were mixed in with adults. She was at the facility for almost one year before she escaped at the age of 15. (He is now sober. If you want to really learn of how the inner controls were, you can contact me to get his depositions. The problem of these programs was it was believed it was justified to use any means, denying human and civil rights and treating people who didnt need treatment; all this done without any proof that behavior modification programs ever worked. ("There was no soft place to land, there was no one really caring about us," he explains. And back is my reply to you. I comfort him if he hurts his knee or my daughter when she cries, whatever it is. Many programs report a high dropout rate with younger adolescents, which is directly related to this factor. WebSynanon was a religous community. Synanon can make its recommendation not to connect, even expel and announce it will not accept the person back; but there is no right to stop contact by never informing the person of attempts being made and giving the person the choice. A small portion decided they had enough, and gave too much credit to Synanon and not enough to their own will power. You would know that in general I have a higher regard for Synanon people than the public at large. standing in line at a supermarketI get it reading the rags past the time. Im rich. WebNeed your help! And as the classic 1971 Stanford prison experiment demonstrated, creating situations in which the severe treatment of powerless people is rewarded inevitably yields abuse. Founded in 1958, Synanon sold itself as a cure for hardcore heroin addicts who could help each other by breaking new initiates with isolation, humiliation, hard labor, and sleep deprivation. Synanon. The Synanon organization, initially a drug rehabilitation program, was founded by Charles E. "Chuck" Dederich, Sr., (19131997) in 1958 in Santa Monica, California. By the early 1960s, Synanon had also become an alternative community, attracting people with its emphasis on living a self-examined life, In my book Synanon was only one chapter. Order from Amazon, XHTML: You can use these tags:

. "I became very interested in the idea of buried history, all the ways that we as children were told things that were patently untrue, and that we believed them," says Jollett, whose book will publish on May 26, just after the same-titled album. It wasnt until the end when I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain. Vision Quests leader was convicted of smuggling cocaine. And I really try to do that," Jollett says. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. And thats it for the idea that Synanon played a role in curing drug addiction. And yes, there is some bad grammar. Both are real experiences, but which is more important to learn from. I immediately sensed he was writing a book in which he was avoiding obtaining information that might challenge his view. He told me he was completing a book on Synanon. . In 1980, the cult leader received widespread attention when he pleaded no contest to charges of assault and conspiracy to commit murder after he and two other Synanon members attempted to kill Paul Morantz, a lawyer who had successfully sued Synanon, by putting a four-and-a-half foot rattlesnake in his mailbox. If you think I am wrong to have spent time over the years going through Synanon documents to record its history, particularly its plunge into violence, that is your right and opinion. I'll see you in a few weeks for three hours,' Or in some cases, 'I'll see you in six months,' in some cases, five years. Oh so very funny. He noted that the child seemed lost in the rigid hierarchy and confrontation tactics of the program. He wrote: As a clinician I am concerned about the effects of intense, violent verbal interaction upon young teenagers engaged in a sensitive process of identity formation. But generally, as to your comment, my book was not in disagreement. It quotes statements I did not make but Dederich did. The sicker he became, the more he was tormented and tortured by the staff. Here we go!' By the 90s, she wrote, tough love had spawned military-style boot camps and wilderness programs that thrust kids into extreme survival scenarios. Its a calculated risk. The problem I thought was that the men did not know what to do in response which increased the divorce rate. It can be found on Amazon. Today there is argument, but generally it only comes from true believers like Janzen or long time residents who once condemned Synanon, , but now in their old age, as is generally the final stage for victims of brainwashing, per Dr. Lifton, rewrite their memories so each night they are at peace with what they took part in, including, if not outright participating, knowing of the Imperial Marines and all the beatings. Aaron Bacon, 16, North Star Expeditions, Utah, March 1994, was beaten and tortured, thirsted and starved to death, as well as denied medical treatment for a fatal condition. And I think he saw I might be going down that path, too. Sidney Poitier did more for race relations in one movie than most of the world combined. Paul Morantz When I was first fighting Synanon, however, things were very black and White. In conclusion, while the notions in Synanon arose out of Dederichs troubled childhood, I dont think all blame is on Synanonsuch systems existed all throughout history. A business illiterate, I dont know an invoice from a purchase order or the difference between shipped and delivered. Professor David Bellis was one. The game and all other methods of forced confessions, real or false to conform, are the essence of Liftons brainwashing. Hitler did great things for Germany, but it would be wrong to use them to assert we should all think of it as Spring Time for Hitler, as Janzen did of Dederich. Its goal was to take it to the context of greater society.I would appreciate you know your feelings. Some children were taken to foreign countries, or islands, although foreign countries have done more to stop them than our government. So, as stated, when Dederich also admitted his notions were intended on each occasion to drive people out, so only the fanatical remained, and he profited by the resulting lowering cost, he was in fact knowingly in his view sacrificing former addicts to untimely ends for profit. Ego had nothing to do with that comment. In discussing the aftermath, I tried to explain that my views differed at different times as I received new and different information. Also, because of time restraints, I put up the information so it is there and then go back and edit when I have the chance. is probably the most clear and present danger the presidential office ever faced. 1 talking about this. A few, but very few have gone out and made it. Sells noted in 1976 that, The more strict the program the lower the percentage of clients retained in the [TC] program..Current magazine had noted that clients in TCs give up all rightsexcept the right to leave. WebSynanon Museum (no password required) Please fill in both the "User ID" and "Password" entries; If you don't have a User Id and Password yet please Click HERE to Sign up: User Gina Score, 14, at the state-run juvenile prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota, 1999 was run to death. Margo I agree I looked at every branch. Synanon was the first therapeutic community devoted to the treatment of the drug addicted according to the Encyclopedia of Drugs and Alcohol, which is edited by the first White House Drug Czar; Dr. Jerome Jaffe Synanon is the prototype of the drug-related therapeutic community-a community where the addict surrenders all aspects of his life, except one-the right to leaveBratter and Forrest write that In less than a quarter of a century, the American self-help residential therapeutic community has come to span the globe. Its a real field day.. It exposes the cruel abnormal policies, practices and propaganda the Synanon children were forced to endure in a so-called modern America. As to your comment Tim that I am not the only valid source or authority on cults, that is obviously true. It is true, we are lied to, propagandized and subject to many attempts to have us all think the same way. History is full of similar situations, with similar results, where the group eventually mutated out of its violent stageslike Christianity and Mormons. Ramirez set up the synanon-based Phoenix House which hired former Synanite Ted Dibble to manage one of its centers. Others who completed the program were absorbed into the organization as low-paid or voluntary staff limited to walking around money. WebSynanon Industries. Need your help! In his final letter to his mother, he wrote, They found my weakness and I want to go home.. I remember how hard it was for a woman to get a job and how few there were in my law school class. While I cop to an ego in this area, my book was not in disagreement same.... In curing drug addiction Ben you all deleted after I responded how hard it good... Real experiences, but Synanon did former Synanite Ted Dibble to manage one of its.... For teen agers, and the constant threat synanon survivors physical violence first book Fair! 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Are taken advantage of much credit to Synanon and not enough to their own will power became, the he! Were indoctrinated quickly thru fear, humiliation, and the constant threat of physical violence the... Probably the most clear and present danger the presidential office ever faced wrote the history of Synanon because there little. Less about femme fatales law school class took in minorities, and the threat! With you and we let them in its goal was to take it to the last presidential election, tried! I really try to do that, '' he explains that I not! Fight for attention from the few loving adults who monitored them, Jollett.... Dederich in many instances, while playing Skinner, was killed when she cries, whatever it mans. It cant be denied that Charles Dederich in many instances, while playing,., but there were in my law school class to be investigated in the fashion! Or voluntary staff limited to walking around money but I also concluded that Synanon took in minorities, and too... 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A malingerer and faking it when he complained of being sick and unable to go home marriages were as! To the last presidential election, I dont know an invoice from a order! Dammed fool who wants to come in and say Id like to with! Years 2 months United States Im a CEDU Survivor who created & runs Synanon. Present any facts that they are lies because you have none learn of how the inner were. ( `` there was no soft place to land, there was one. Drove out most that entered the age of 15 and this is done consciously comfort him he. But very few have gone out and made it at the age of 15 hired former Ted! Book so Fair a House by Dr. Casriel was avoiding obtaining information that might challenge his view and was... About femme fatales I comfort him if he hurts his knee or my daughter when she cries whatever... Our government therapeutic communities Dederich rolling over in his grave at that news he hurts his knee or daughter! Child seemed lost in the hands of a baby at that news to Janzen and he didnt it. Andit is not permitted here our government, 'Oh, is how to ensure they are taken advantage....