Does your
group say it is the only true
spiritual
or secular path to recovery?
Do you spend many nights at
meetings
or endless hours in on-line Internet
meetings?
Do you fear being rebuked, shunned
or ignored
for expressing a different opinion?
You could be in cult, not a real
self-help group
Recovery Cultism Are you in a cult?
Is your support group a cult?
''Nobody sets
out to join a
cult. No one
knowingly wants
to give up their
life, their
needs, their
goals. ''They
come to believe
they're
improving
themselves and
improving the
world and it is
then they are
led into a
psychological
trap. It could
happen to
anybody.”
Steve Hassan –
Leading American
Exit-Counselor
Recovering alcoholics,
addicts, adult children
of alcoholics and
co-dependents are
especially susceptible
to joining cults or
sects. Often anxious,
fearful, lonely,
shameful, confused and
depressed, we emerge
from the fog of
addiction vulnerable,
naïve and gullible. We
lack the inner resources
and abilities to cope
with the world around
us. We are lost, seeking
help, feeling abandoned
and hopeless. Our sense
of self-worth and
self-esteem is abysmally
low. We have no clear
conception of our selves
and a frail and
uncertain sense of
self-identity. Very
often we are unsure of
who we are or what the
purpose of living is. In
such a condition our
powers of judgment and
decision-making are
impaired. Naturally, we
follow the advice of
those who seem to have
our best interests at
heart or have authority
over us. Fearing death
from alcohol or drugs,
we voluntarily (or
sometimes not) join
organizations, which
offer help and relief,
but at a price. A price
we are not aware of at
the time and that we
might not agree to if we
new the consequences.
When anyone mentions the
word cult or sect, we
usually think of
groups like the Moonies,
Branch Davidians or
Lifespring. Many
alcoholics and addicts
fall for these and
lesser known groups in
desperation when trying
to rid themselves of a
miserable life of
addiction. However, what
also we fail to see is
that many officially
accepted recovery groups
can also be cults hiding
behind a thin facade of
social respectability.
Some psychologists and
cult specialists have
already raised the
question of whether the
12 Step groups are
indeed cults,
endangering the long
term psychological
well-being of their
members. "Groupthink" or
thought control,
cloning, mystique,
self-confessions, "groupspeak",
veneration of texts and
leaders, etc are some of
the features of recovery
groups typical also of
cults. Indeed, one
should also be wary of
non-12 Step groups,
psychotherapy groups and
even secular
organizations.
Your support group does
not have to believe in a
Higher Power or follow
12 Steps to be in danger
of being cult. Groups
can be secular and
scientific and still
qualify as cults.
If we are lucky the
groups we join may help
us achieve or maintain
some level of sobriety.
However, in return, we
may pay with the loss of
our individualism,
personality,
self-identity and our
ability to re-establish
our place in the “real
world” as functional,
independent,
free-thinking
individuals. In the name
of recovery members'
intrinsic sense of
self-identity is
frequently undermined by
the methods employed by
a group. In fact, the
methods used to keep some of the
members abstinent are
often the cause of
serious psychological
disorders. Such methods
are extreme cult-like
pressures to conform,
emotional manipulation,
threats and fear, reward
and punishment and
systematic
deconstruction of the
personality and its
replacement by a
pseudo-personality
consisting of an
artificial Cult Self or
Sober Self.
It is probable that the
limited success of
groups like AA ("curing"
around only 1 in 5
addicts) has nothing to
do with the use of a
therapeutic method and
more to do with brain
washing. Those 12 Step
members who stay sober
for long periods
probably do so as a
result of the cult
discipline and mind
control, much in the
same way that certain
religious cults achieve
periods of enforced
celibacy and other acts
of abstinence.12 Step
sobriety may be achieved
through methods of
thought control and
identity destruction,
coupled with group
coercion, fear, reward
and punishments,
isolation, reality
distortion, linguistic
programming,
indoctrination and
threats.
"But don’t be
ridiculous” you’re
probably saying. “ My
support group can’t be a
cult. It is full of
caring, courageous
people doing a lot of
good for others and
themselves.” That is
probably true, but a
member of the Moonies or
Branch Davidiians would
no doubt say the same
thing. Indeed, all cults
deny they are cults and
practice exactly the
opposite of what they
preach - loving
Christians cults
practice violence and
destruction; personal
growth groups cause
personality destruction;
ultra democratic groups
practice internal
dictatorships, and so
on.
“Ah yes” you say “but
cults are religious
fanatics, with
charismatic gurus – we
don’t have any of that”.
In fact, a cult doesn’t
have to have a living
guru, be fanatically
religious, or religious
at all. That is just one
cult variation. Cults
can be secular, are
found in the fields of
psychotherapy, politics,
science, business
training, self help and
new age movements. A
cult can form around an
idea, a book, a mission,
a vision, a theory, etc.
Often cults form
through split aways from
healthy organizations
under the excuse of it
being degenerate,
insufficiently
fundamentalist, or badly
organized. This is
usually provoked by the
need of the breakaway
cult members to find
solace in certainty,
black and white thinking
and set answers for
everything. What Fromm
called the "Escape from
Freedom". Moreover, just
as nobody decides to
join a cult, cult
members never think or
admit they are in one.
Cult members like to
reassure themselves in
collective self-delusion
that they are superior,
even denouncing other
groups as being cults
and/or congratulating
themselves on being the
true path, being
rational and objective
and even trumpeting
their own non-cultism!
Forms of “cultism” can,
therefore, vary from
group to group and take
on different, special
characteristics.
Recognizing a cult is
not always easy,
especially for the cult
member. Alcoholics,
addicts, co-dependents
and children of
alcoholics in particular
will often defend their
groups with the same
passion and denial that
they once defended their
addiction, their
alcoholic family or
partner. Overcoming this
is a process of
acceptance and
acknowledgement,
gathered through
increasing awareness.
So, before we start a
warning! You will need
to have an independent
mind, give honest
answers or battle to
achieve it, in order to
benefit from this
article. Denial is often
the first defense
reaction to these
issues, especially where
you may see no other
alternative and where
for recovering
alcoholics and addicts
and co-dependents,
isolation and relapse
can seem to be the only
alternative to
continuing cult
membership. What to do
if you feel you are in a
cult is something we
will come to at the end.
How then can we
recognize and classify a
cult?
The American Family
Foundation defined cults
as:
"A group or movement
exhibiting great or
excessive devotion or
dedication to some
person, idea, or thing,
and employing unethical
manipulative or coercive
techniques of persuasion
and control (e.g.
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 judgment,
promotion of total
dependency on the group
and fear of leaving it),
designed to advance the
goals of the group’s
leaders, to the actual
or possible detriment of
members, their families
or the community."
The sociological
definition includes
such things as “as
authoritarian leadership
patterns, loyalty and
commitment mechanisms,
lifestyle
characteristics, (and)
conformity patterns
(including the use of
various sanctions in
connection with those
members who deviate)”
The Merriam-Webster
Dictionary
definition in regard to
cults in healthcircles
describes them as “a
system for the cure of
disease based on dogma
set forth by its
promulgator” and in
general, as a small
group of people
characterized by
“great
devotion to a person,
idea, object, movement,
or work”
Key Cult
Features
The following
characteristics of cults
and sects are based upon
the cult classification
systems of the world’s
leading cult experts
like, Singer, Langone
Lifton and Hassan. An
organization doesn’t
have to have all of
these characteristics to
be a cult, and
variations on the
characteristics are
many, it just has to
have a good number of
them to be a cult or
moving in the direction
of becoming one.
Recognizing “Groupthink”
Singer stresses that all
cults are based firstly
on a thought reform
programme. Such
programmes aim to dilute
people’s individuality,
change their core belief
systems and alter their
concept of themselves.
This is done by imposing
a “totalistic ideology”
which “explains
everything” Such groups
will say they are “THE
WAY”, the “ONLY WAY” be
it in religion, science,
self-help, psychotherapy
or politics. Lifton
points out that
"included in this
mystique is a sense of
‘higher purpose’, of
‘having directly
perceived some imminent
law of social
development’, of being
themselves the vanguard
of this development"
Consequently, all other
groups are charlatans,
shams, impostors,
degenerate, etc.
Normally they have
authoritarian leaders
and lieutenants at all
levels and/or they
venerate the works of
dead leaders to justify
their totalistic
ideology and actions.
Not choosing the group’s
Way will usually lead to
humiliation, damnation
or death. To achieve
this they such a
phenomenon members
undergo what has been
called “brainwashing”,
“mind control” in order
to achieve
“Groupthink”.
Below
are some key techniques
used for achieving this:
Vulnerability 1) The cult relies
on the vulnerability and
naivety of the person,
who is unaware of the
indoctrination process
being used. Most cult
members are from the
educated middle class,
including lawyers,
doctors, psychologists,
business people etc. A
good proportion, though
not all come from
dysfunctional families
and/or suffer alcohol or
drug problems. In
general, new members are
usually undergoing a
personal crisis and are
easy prey for
all-embracing solutions.
They are then
pressurized to gradually
adjust to their
environment so subtlety,
that they don’t notice
the changes to
themselves or, indeed,
when they do, they view
those changes as
positive ones. From the
beginning they are
unwittingly seduced into
replacing their own
beliefs and values with
those of the group and
persuaded that their
everything about their
former lives,
personality and
character before joining
the group was worthless
and degenerate.
Powerlessness
2)
A regime exists where
the individual feels a
sense of powerlessness
and helplessness and the
lack of other
alternatives, under an
authoritative or
authoritarian system. A
member is told they will
be destroyed or
corrupted by negative
pressures and that they
can maintain their
purity within the groups
ranks.
Uncertainty
3)
3)
Cults
prey on human aversion
to uncertainty.
The group supplies ready
made answers for
everything, thus helping
to reduce insecurity and
fear. Everything is seen
in terms of black and
white, pure and the
impure, good and evil.
There are set answers
for everything and no
room for uncertainty,
controversy, healthy
debate or doubt. The
member is given a
complete solution. In
return, members of the
group are expected to be
unquestioning in their
commitment to the
group’s identity, its
ideas and leaders (or
past leaders).
Environmental & Time
Control
4)
The group asserts
increasing control over
a member’s time and
social and psychological
environment. Members are
expected to attend many
meetings and involve
themselves in other
activities, reducing
their contact with the
outside world. Members
may be directly
encouraged to break
relations and social
contact with former
friends, acquaintances
and even loved ones.
Gradually, it becomes
more and more difficult
for members to imagine a
life outside their
organization.
Mentoring
5)
Other group members work
in meetings and on a
private basis to
undermine new members’
confidence in their own
perceptions and
opinions. A personal
mentor may be appointed
to accelerate
integration and mind
control.
Bad feelings are always
the fault of the person
and not the group. Only
"good" and "proper"
thoughts are encouraged
and “negative” thinking
is jumped on. Members
are to report their
thoughts, feelings and
activities to the group
or their mentor. They
are expected to ask
permission when taking
any major decisions in
their lives and
sometimes minor ones,
making them less and
less able to think or
decide for themselves or
function without the
group. A person’s ego is
destroyed, they begin to
doubt their own judgment
and soon there is a loss
of free will.
Reward & Punishment
6)
Within cults there is
immense pressure to
conform. They use a
combination of flattery,
threats and guilt. A
system of punishments
and rewards is used to
encourage group learning
and reduce unwanted
behavior. Punishments
like isolation,
shunning, “tut-tuts” and
humiliation are used to
cause fear and
obedience, while,
alternatively,
recognition, praise and
“strokes” are sparingly
awarded by older members
for obedience and
loyalty to
Groupthink by
the newer ones.
Self-flagellation 7) Group meetings
often include
confessional sessions
where members admit to
past or present sins
against the norms of the
group - doing bad deeds,
thinking bad thoughts,
etc, and in return, they
receive both admonition,
warnings and praise for
their confessions.
To help cultivate
emotional control public
exhibitions of emotional
highs and lows are often
encouraged and applauded
as a form of ritual
self-flagellation.
Group-speak 8)“Groupspeak”
is another feature of
all cults. Groups use
what Lifton calls "the
thought-terminating
cliché”. Repetitive
phrases, clichés,
sayings, platitudes
and buzz words
are regularly invoked to
describe all situations,
and prevent further
analysis or discussion.
Any disagreements are
usually settled by
referring to the sayings
or writings of wise
leaders (past or
present), rather than by
turning to independent
analysis. Members are
rewarded for their
ability to regurgitate
this “Groupspeak” and
for their willingness
and talent for putting
down dissenters with
cult clichés. Lifton
argues that the effect
of is critical to mind
control “since language
is so central to all
human experience, ..
capacities for thinking
and feeling are
immensely narrowed"
Moreover, the “secret
vocabulary” reinforces
the idea of distance
from the outside world.
Cloning 9) Cults "clone"
people into smaller
versions of the cult
leader(s) and members.
Visiting a branch of the
same cult in Toronto or
Tokyo will find yourself
in the presence of the
same “person” or type.
Cults rob people of
their individuality,
personality and
uniqueness and replaces
it with the cult “Self”,
which implants a cult
personality in place of
the person’s real self.
Falsification
10) Not content with
creating a false
conception of the
present, cults are also
not adverse to rewriting
history also. Whenever
historical fact or the
truth doesn’t fit in
with the cult leaders’
designs and aspirations,
they simply change it.
As Lifton says “past
historical events are
retrospectively altered,
wholly rewritten, or
ignored, to make them
consistent with the
doctrinal logic” The new
line “simply replaces
the realities of
individual
experience..."
Lies & Deceit
11) The cult
leader(s) is prepared is
to lie blatantly and
obscenely about other
individuals or
organizations, with
total disregard for the
truth or any sense of
moral objectivity. A
frequent tactic by cult
leaders is to avert
attention from their own
sins by accusing others
inside or outside their
organization of crimes
for which they
themselves are guilty.
Only those who are group
members are truly good,
sane, wise or sober.
Since members loose the
faculty of critical
judgment and the ability
to think for themselves,
they never question the
lies and distortions of
their leader(s). Members
feel total loyalty to
those who have “saved
them” and follow in
blind obedience.
Veneration
12) Leading figures,
either alive or dead,
are honored and
venerated. Statements
are often supported by
quotations and sayings
from sacred writings or
speeches. Predictions of
catastrophe or damnation
are common. This can be
anything from
Armageddon, to madness,
persecution or
alcoholic/drug relapse.
Very frequently those
who have come from
crisis situations are
warned that leaving the
group will bring certain
relapse.
Undemocratic Reality 13) The direction of
the group comes from a
shadowy leadership,
rarely seen and with
little or no real
democratic controls.
There are assurances
about the democratic
character of the group
and its strident
democratic checks and
procedures. Indeed, on
paper the cult may
appear to be super
democratic, but in
practice everything is
run by leader(s) and
cliques and committees,
and committees within
committees, picked from
the chosen few and
frequently made up of
the same people.
The cult uses a closed
system of logic, where
no feedback is allowed
and revisions are only
made by higher
authorities.
Leaders often amass
personal power, often
including wealth and
sexual favors.
Mystique & Mission 14)
Cults often have
an internal aura of
mystique in which
members feel they have
“a sense of ‘higher
purpose’, of ‘having
directly perceived some
imminent law of social
development’, of being
themselves the vanguard
of this development"
(Lifton) This includes
delusions about
historical roles, being
“chosen ones”, the
“vanguard” “pioneers”
and leading new, mass
social, political,
religious or scientific
movements. This gives a
sense of purpose in
life, for members who
entered feeling their
life had no meaning or
goal.
Disturbed Gurus 15) Cult leaders are
often charming,
charismatic figures with
above average
intelligence. The
charismatic charmer is
one their personalities
– a pseudo-personality
- Many suffer from
borderline, disassociate
or multiple personality
disorders. Members feel
honored to be with, and
be seen, around them.
But their personality
can change dramatically
in a flash. Cult leaders
are always very
disturbed individuals.
They are usually
victims turned
persecutor,
having a history of
involvement in other
social, political or
religious cults and/or
suffering the effects of
a traumatic childhood.
Behind their strong and
confident exterior
(pseudo-personality)
they need their leader
position to compensate
for a very fragile sense
of self-worth,
self-esteem and
self-identity. This is
also shown be the fact
that they cannot "hack
it" in the real world
and need to live in a
cult/sect environment to
live out their problems.
Their past histories
show social marginality
and a tendency to drift
from one cause to
another, one cult to
another, one job to
another, one marriage to
another, etc. They spend
their lives dedicated to
their cause (increasing
through the Internet,
also now). They are
obsessive-compulsive,
fanatical and
manipulative. Nothing
will stand in the way of
their visions, schemes
and self-glorification -
not even the well-being
of their partners or
children. They
manipulate the minds of
vulnerable members,
extorting money and
sexual favors and/or
abusing them
psychologically,
physically and/or
sexually.
Cult Watch
10 Points to look out
for in your group
members
Obsession about
group or the leader
putting it above
most other
considerations.
Member’s individual
identity becomes
increasingly fused
with the group, the
leader and/or God
followed by the
group.Cloning of the
group members or
leader’s personal
behaviors.
Emotional
overreaction when
the group or leader
is criticized. Seen
as evil persecution.
Belief that the
group is "THE WAY"
and they have a
mission
Increasing
dependency upon the
group or leader for
problem solving,
explanations,
definitions and
analysis, and
corresponding
decline in real,
independent thought.
Excessive
hyperactivity and
work for the group
or leader, at the
expense of private
or family interests.
Drifting away from
family and old
friends
Preparedness to
blindly follow the
group or leader and
defend actions or
statements without
seeking independent
verification.
Demonization of
former members or
members of
alternative groups.
Desire to be praised
for doing the right
thing and fear of
public rebuke
Unhealthy wish to be
seen with or aligned
publicly with the
leader(s) of the
group
Cult Leaders 5 Points to look out
for in your group leader
Authoritarian
approach and
intolerance of
questioning or
criticism. Lies
about and insults
opponents.
Leader shows anxiety
about the world,
speaking of threats
or conspiracies
against the group.
Leader regularly
accuses dissatisfied
members who leave of
having something
wrong with them,
having personality
disorders or being
transgressor and
deserters.
Ex-members have
similar stories of
abuse and
ill-treatment by the
leader(s).
The group/leader is
always right and
followers never feel
they can be "good
enough".
The Questionnaire can
only be used
with INTERNET EXPLORER
Cult Questionnaire
1)
Does
your group claim to be
the
only "Way"?
YES
NO
2)
Are you told there is no
alternative?
YES
NO
3)
Are you told leaving
means certain
degeneration, death or
relapse?
YES
NO
4)
Do members see
themselves as different
from society, "special",
"chosen" "pioneers" or
on a "mission"?
YES
NO
5)
Do you feel strong
pressure to conform?
YES
NO
6)
Do dissenters face
rebuke or isolation?
YES
NO
7)
Are there answers,
clichés, quotes &
slogans for everything?
YES
NO 8)Do you have a social
life outside the group?
YES
NO
9)
Do you spend huge
amounts of time in group
activities ?
YES
NO
10)
Are you expected to make
regular confessions of
private issues?
YES
NO
11)
Do you ask the group for
advice on life decisions
before acting?
YES
NO
12)
Are there many "clones"
in the group?
YES
NO
13)
Do
you have a personal
mentor, sponsor or
inspector?
YES
NO
14)
Does the group claim to
be ultra democratic?
YES
NO
15)
Are there favorites,
cliques and secret
circles, hidden
hierarchies?
YES
NO
16)
Are there rituals,
initiations,
proclamations, charters,
ceremonies?
YES
NO
17)
Does the group offer
certainty over
uncertainty; absolute
truths, black and white
answers in the name of
religion or science?
YES
NO 18)Is a living or dead
leader venerated?
YES
NO
19)
Do leaders flatter,
cajole and rebuke to
manipulate members for
control, power, money
and/or sex?
YES
NO
20)
Has the leader ever been
the member of another
political, social or
religious sect?
YES
NO
21)
Are other groups
ridiculed
or lied about?
YES
NO
TOTAL
YES
NO
NOTE ON QUESTIONNAIRE
A cult does not have to
have all of the
characteristics in the
table or in the
description alongside.
However, if you have
answered Yes to more
than 30% of these
questions, there is a
very good chance that
you are in a cult which
can seriously damage
your life and health.
Consequences
of
Cultism
Psychological
damage from cult
membership
People who join
cult and sects
are often
normal,
well-educated
folks going
through an
episodic crisis.
Many others may
already suffer
from problems
inherited from
dysfunctional
and alcoholic
families, as
well as adult
psychological,
obsessive-compulsive
or addictive
disorders.
Whatever ones
background and
condition upon
entering a
cult/sect,
research shows
that most
members
(including
"normal" people)
leave badly
damaged
psychologically
and face great
difficulty
coping with
their internal
and external
lives.
The effect is
very similar to
PTSD or Post
Traumatic Stress
Disorder. This
is caused by the
overwhelming
unseen, but
continuous
strain and
stress of cult
membership on
the psyche and
personality. In
some cases, it
is also caused
or compounded by
physical or
sexual abuse.
Since cult
members' lives
focus on the
group, they
become divorced
from the real
world and
natural
relationships.
This together
with the
constant
pressure and
alertness needed
to conform and
perform as
expected puts
their minds and
bodies under a
persistent and
unnatural state
of stress. The
pernicious
psychological
abuse suffered
in cults is
sufficient to
create a feeling
of powerlessness
and
helplessness in
the face of life
events and one's
own emotions.
Ex-members often
feel unable to
cope with life
on their own and
feel unable to
control their
own lives. As a
human being they
come to feel
that they have
been humiliated,
degraded and
worthless. Those
who already
suffer from PTSD
as a result of
an upbringing in
dysfunctional
and alcoholic
homes, risk
compounding the
problems
inherited from
their illness
and childhood
relations.
Typical symptoms
of cult
membership are :
Anxiety
Depression
Sleeping disorders
Emotional Volatility
Loss of Identity
Difficulty taking
decisions
Guilt
Phobias
Feelings of dread
Negative thinking &
imaging cycles
Difficulties in social
relations
Family conflicts
Fear of losing sanity
Feeling out of control
Suicide, suicidal
thoughts or idealization
Hyper arousal
Emotional and Behavioral
constriction
Irritability,
excitability &
aggressiveness
Treatment
Cult experience
could be
described as "rape of the
personality".
Consequently,
most cult
members come to
suffer from
personality
disorders like
Dissociative
Identity
Disorder,
Borderline
Personality
Disorder and
Multiple
Personality
Disorder. They
can "float" back
into their cult
personalities as
a result of
external or
internal
stressors and
triggers.
They may suffer
nightmares,
flashbacks,
depersonalization,
dissociation and
out-of-body
experiences and
disorientation.
Recovery from
cults takes time
and patience,
but can be
successful.
People need to
find their true
selves again and
regain
self-awareness,
self-worth,
self-confidence
and a sense of
perspective.
Despite
everything they
experience,
research shows
that their true
self remains
suppressed, but
existent, under
the
pseudo-personality
superimposed by
the cult.
Healing and
growth needs
combined efforts
and professional
help. Sufferers
may need to
enlist the
support of the
following:
Medical help
Medication
Individual psychotherapy
Group psychotherapy
Exit counseling
Family therapy
Career counseling
What
to look for in
an
Organization
Healthy
organizations
are voluntary
associations
where people
collaborate to
work out their
ideas with a
shared purpose
and specific
goal. Everyone
is free to
criticize and
hold different
opinions from
that of the
group’s
leadership.
Differences of
opinion are
welcomed and
respected. There
is no
psychological
pressure to
conform and no
atmosphere of
enforced
uniformity.
Members view
themselves as a
part of society
in general
involved in a
group for
practical and
limited reasons.
Members spend
only a
reasonable part
of their spare
time in group
activities and
enjoy a
completely
separate family,
social and
professional
life. Healthy
groups are
democratic in
practice and not
just in theory.
Members are free
to come and go
as they please.
They participate
as they wish,
without feeling
excessive guilt
or shame for not
attending
meetings,
donating time or
money. Nobody
fears any
physical or
psychological
reprimand for
missing meetings
or refusing
tasks. Members
put their
personal needs
first and are
able to
differentiate
those from the
needs of the
group. They
decide for
themselves their
relations with
the group and
are able to
reassess their
level of
commitment and
also leave the
group without
creating a major
personal crisis
or conflict with
the group
.
SOS and Cults
SOS prides
itself on its
anti-cultist and
free-thought
approach. While
no human
organization is
free from the
dangers of
cultist
degeneration,
SOS has been
happily free of
these problems.
Where it has
emerged, this
has resulted in
individuals and
small groups
splitting away
to form their
own groupings.
These groups all
quickly
disappeared or
degenerated into
small local
fads. One such
process is now
taking place
with the larger
LifeRing group,
which we hope
does not
degenerate into
a secular cult.
SOS does not
consider itself
"the Way", but
only one way to
self-help and
sobriety.
Indeed, within
our ranks we
have many
different
approaches.
SOS has no
central
apparatus,
hierarchical
structures or
authoritarian
leaderships.
Each individual
is a leader in
his or her own
sobriety. Our
philosophy is
that each
individual is
unique and
should therefore
find and fashion
their own road
to sober living
and a full life.
We have no
interest in
members private
beliefs or
lifestyles. All
groups are
independent and
work together as
a voluntary
association of
free-thought
groups.
BE YOUR OWN JUDGE !
Find out more about SOS
Click below
“Being
in control
of your own
mind
includes
being in
touch with
your
feelings,
having the
ability to
think
analytically,
question,
look at
issues from
multiple
perspectives,
having
control of
your
behavior to
take
periodic
"time-outs"
in order to
reflect and
be able to
have access
to
information
which may be
"negative"
to the group
leadership.”
Steve Hassan