Born or Raised in High-Demand Groups: Developmental, Considerations, Leona Furnari, L.C.S.W.
“An increasing number of individuals are entering mainstream society who were born and/or raised in cults or closed, high-demand groups. In my work as a mental health professional specializing in trauma and recovery from spiritual abuse, I regularly encounter these individuals. The bulk of literature on recovery from cults is focused primarily on those who entered such groups as young adults. While much of this information is quite beneficial to those raised in cults or abusive groups, it does not address some important key issues that significantly impact this unique population.”
“… the parent’s behavior toward the child is also unpredictable with regard to support, neglect, or anger. This unpredictability impedes the child’s ability to develop a sense of safety or consistency in his or her view of the parent and the environment. When the parent is unpredictable … the child’s ability to perceive whether there is danger or safety is impaired and the child becomes hypervigilant, or super organized around assessing the state of the parent. This may trigger a “freeze” response in the child in which the child dissociates (is psychologically absent while physically present).”
