WebSynanon Survivors 136likes 149followers Posts About Photos Videos More Posts About Photos Videos Synanon Survivors Intro Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And In 1966 New York City Mayor John Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys Addiction Services Agency. I'm not doing that. It wasnt until the end when I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain. ", Jollett continued to struggle with past traumas as a young teen and adult. A business illiterate, I dont know an invoice from a purchase order or the difference between shipped and delivered. it would be interesting to see you rewrite a summary of what I wrote so it could be judged whether or not you understood it. He wrote that, High discipline programs usually employ the confrontive Synanon game-a leaderless group encounter session to create aggressive and provocative interchange, using ridicule, cross examination and hostile attack. He was so wrong and he refused to write many who studied Synanon came to an opposite conclusion. Or a person could just stop. In October of 1977 press conference Dan Garrett bragged that after beating the shit out of (Dinuba punks teenagers retrieving their car) we told them to tell all their friends this is just a taste of what will happen next time; and that as to the San Francisco punks we put 4 of them in the hospital. He further admitted they ran some cock suckers into a ditch and shaved their heads. That is just a fact. Some children have been placed for nothing more than marijuana smoking, and some because the programs told the parents unless they gave them the younger kid they would expel the older sibling. Simon did not follow his own warnings, and after being destroyed in a Synanon game, and then befriended by Dederich, never left, became the keeper of the flame and ultimately went to prison for participation in a scheme to destroy evidence concerning Synanons violent conspiracy. And I still do. For many academics, it is reviewing writing of others. But I wrote my book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults with the view of writing the only book anyone need read on the subject. But these ideals were short lived. Charles was arrested while drunk in 1978 and was barred from any further leadership within the Straight used Synanons vaginal and anal searches to search for contraband for years even though they never found any. The same result was stated by Steve Simon in his Harvard dissertation only in much more elaborate detail. Others were taken below or in barns to be beaten. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. 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. My disappointment, as stated in my book, is that after all this great work, led by the entertainment field it regressed, with HBO and Showtime saying the best job you could get if you were a woman was to strip or manipulate a millionaire to marry you. "And probing into this world of the traumatized child. He was a great man and kind human being. Today, there are statistics saying women have surpassed men as earners, all of this is good. I'm going to get up at 5:00, I'm going to feed the rabbits, I'm going to make myself breakfast, I'm going to make myself lunch, I'm going to walk to school. Eventually, the future could only be Orwellian. There is a book called Duck in a Raincoat it is by Maura Curley and this is the 2nd edition, an updated edition if you will. you might also want to watch Cal. From Musicos past, one can infer antisocial makeup, but when he came to Synanon he was able to function and had acceptance, something he probably could not otherwise obtain. Jollett's father, though not in his life in the beginning, emerges as the hero in the book. Rogers had been referring to the dangers involved with a kid participating in a typical Synanon Game with 11 people yelling at him, where he could fight back verbally, where he could leave if he chose, and where there was no physical violence. But before I wrote this, there were many before me who wrote the same thing trying to put an end to the warped Synanon system that as Dederich said was based on hate. Paul Morantz It can be found on Amazon. 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, per Wes Fager, who also noted Dr. Jerome Jaffe stated 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 leave. Fager further noted Bratter 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. Both AA and Synanon provided this insight, but unfortunately each bounded its members with an ideology and demand to never quit the organizations. They appreciated the honesty of the work. Professor David Bellis was one. 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. Dr. Casriel in 1963 reported that of 62 people located of 160 entries, 19 were graduates, while 43 remained inside Synanon. A scheme that was illegal, it led to arrests in Arizona. Communist Russia was safer with freedom taken away. Oaks and Spokes. I listened to countless game tapes. 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. Yet at the same time, the noise Synanon made did wake up people to the idea, not yet existing, that cure was possible. Joe Ricci, the owner, survived the state of Illinois pulling residents out because of the abuse and beat them in court. You dont present any facts that they are lies because you have none. Need your help! Thats the nature of our business. Campers say they had bruised ribs from an exercise in which they were ordered to lie on their backs while counselors ran across their chests in boots. You think I didnt experience Synanon, but I did. Worse, when others, like Dr. Casriel, who formed Daytop, decided to use the Synanon approach modified, they did not understand the effect of age and desire in the Synanon flashes of success and further the danger of its approach as described by Simon and Friedenberg. What is known about the early days, was that the older joiners were more likely to stay than the younger, and its initial opening success per Ofshe reflected that then the current age of entry was 34 or older; they were people who had a strong desire to remove themselves from the demanding regime of an addict/criminal life. His motive, which Janzen missed, was the eventual plan to steal all the money. He had the addicts psychologically tested and found Synanon did not change people internallythat they were still antisocial. There were countless communes and entities much larger that took in people of all races. Further, it is foolish to treat all persons in the same manner. Jollett also healed by opening himself up to therapy, music and, eventually, love. Dawnne Takeuchi, 18, was killed when she was thrown from a semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994. but if I missed something please tell me. I was not for that idea, because I saw most members as victims. I am a Synanon survivor. Neither AA, Synanon, or those that followed, were based on any scientific studies. I would say probably every decade my views changed, either up or down, but only in small degrees. And that Susan, is what differentiates us, from other countries where there is no freedom of press. And thats it for the idea that Synanon played a role in curing drug addiction. How all of this occurred is set forth in the first book So Fair a House by Dr. Casriel. Rocker Mikel Jollett's Memoir on Cult Childhood Is 'Primal Scream' It is also a story of the unconditional love between I am very aware of the early philosophies of Synanon. Eventually in a 1978 tape recording called The Freebees are over Dederich set forth the plan to establish a private corporation, Home Place, Inc. in Arizona which would charge Synanon for rotating people to the new compound to be educated by Dederich and that Synanon would pay the corporation for this, which then would pay salaries to Dederich and his cronies, of which they would pay taxes. For Jollett, experiencing his dad's love was a life-changing experience. Every time we let somebody into Synanon we assume an enormous liability and this is done consciously. No one knows the actual final fate of the 19. For readers, Hollywood Park is a powerful memoir about one man's journey after he escapes a violent cult as a child. It was only after the invasion of Iraq and discovery that the administration dangerously burned a spy to get even with for Sen. husband who wrote the administration had no evidence of Iraq weapons of mass destruction when it created a greater attack than 911 itself, that journalist took back their mandate to look for the truth and present that truth the country. All the civil rights marches, the anti-Vietnam protests, were uniting people of all races. I suppose if they werent why Id have to find another business. While it is not unusual for one party not to want the other party to the successful (and government suffers from the two-party system) it did seem that Bible Belt Republicans really were really upset by the idea that a black man was president; and we suffered for it because any plan, reasonable or not, was to be made sure it could not succeed. Nov 04, 2017 Daina Fanning rated it really liked it. Paul please post this comment and not the other two thank you sir. Psychiatrist Dr. Judianne Densen-Gerber visited Dr. Ramirez in Puerto Rico and setup her own synanon-based TC in New York City called Odyssey House. But there wont be any room for the kind of people you are now. **, Guy Endores book, Synanon, noted ex-members very early complained that Dederich had forced out the original Board of Directors and replaced them with hand picked trained seals. 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. Some of the kids when graduated became counselors for cheap wages, and there is probably nothing more vicious than an 18 year-old who was abused and now given the power to abuse. What lies did we believe wholeheartedly?". Synanon is only one chapter. Thank you again Paul for taking my call back in May of 2011,and for taking an interest in the Elan cult. But you make many assumptions about me. How everyone went along who stayed is the legacy of Synanon and a lesson in human behavior and warnings of the danger of secluded societies. if you have actual information please, but your tirades will be deleted. I think he recognized, 'Oh, is this one going to become an addict, too? In his final letter to his mother, he wrote, They found my weakness and I want to go home.. Many programs report a high dropout rate with younger adolescents, which is directly related to this factor. 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. In what ways are we just wrong? In other words he would have to reexamine his beliefs and consider possibly his own victimization. The belief that Synanon was a breakthrough, as stated, was mainly because of its public speaking bureau. Dr. Roger Meyer and psychotherapists Thomas Bratter and Gary Forrest warned about using synanons on kids. Also, if a person made that choice sincerely, that person may have a better chance of succeeding in an environment with supporting persons and ex-addicts urging of them on while removing competing problems of how to support themselvessuch as a housing, friends and a job. And with that all being announced on the wire, murder attempts begin. *. 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. 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. If you have a complaint it is with Yablonsky and Janzen who had no understanding of the Synanon system. Synanons punitive system of verbal attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and drove out most that entered. Still, to glorify Synanon, as some do, like Yablonsky, Janzen, is to show a lack of humanity and spit in the face of the vast amount of victims of violence in Synanons own holocaust. But, in the late '70s, the California-based organization became synonymous with violence. And I think he saw I might be going down that path, too. But I DO know the culture of Synanon. They covered his mouth with a hand and forced him to inhale ammonia, which caused spasm of his vocal cords and prevented him from being able to inhale. 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. Most of what I wrote was a no comment description in detail of Synanons evolution taken from its own records. All throughout history when the same mix occurs so do the same results. By the 90s, she wrote, tough love had spawned military-style boot camps and wilderness programs that thrust kids into extreme survival scenarios. Shomeister. Link To The Synanon Survivors Group And Future Photo Library In 1964 a New Jersey Drug Study Commission opted not to give Synanon any funding after reviewing rehabilitation statistics supplied by Synanon Foundation. ", It wasn't until the boys moved in with their father a tall, Italian man who awed them with stories about once hiding a shotgun under his trench coat that the once-distant dad became more than just a mythological figure. Unfortunately, came the imitators who sold the idea it was rehabilitative and copied it leading to a much greater list of damaged individuals than Synanon could ever achieve. The Sunshine Place investigates Synanon through survivors, former members, and more Society & Culture August 10, 2022 Listen to The Sunshine Place In 1984 a federal jury in Alexandria, Virginia awarded Fred Collins, Jr. $220,000 for being falsely imprisoned at Straight.Inc. Vision Quests leader was convicted of smuggling cocaine. Ex-members have no idea how close they all came to being arrested for conspiracy of RICO violations. 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). Comments here are for input, questions, and providing of facts. in the understanding and treatment of adolescents. Many people who grew up in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children. Maybe if I had written sooner some would still be alive. Further, I wrote that the study of cults is studying a microcosm of the greater society. ), "[Tony] went to rehab at a young age, and I think it scared me," Jollett says. Even AA, which similarly indoctrinated a specific dogma the 12 steps is seen as not so successful as promoted and/or a proper therapy to cure alcoholism as it demands a dogmatic conversion and life time attendance that has been proven not necessary. WebI run the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed love to have to as a member!! *, As with The Seed, at Straight abuse was omnipresentincluding beatings and kidnapping of adult participants. Instead it is led to countless deaths, destruction of lives and still continues today. When she finally was rescued by a grandmother, the organization was fortunately wiped out by the resulting civil judgment for damages. Janzen could have had this dissertation, but he was not looking for truth. Its goal was to take it to the context of greater society.I would appreciate you know your feelings. Almost all modern day therapeutic communitiesand there are hundreds of themare based on the game. Another boy froze to death (given no coat or shelter), and the victims even included former Synanon children who were placed in these camps by parents still believing in the Synanon system. 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. Good luck. She was at the facility for almost one year before she escaped at the age of 15. Further, Yablonsky married a Synanon woman and admitted he felt any attack on Synanon was an attack on her. Dederich admitted at deposition that Synanon did not know how to cure a drug addict and he believed the addict would fail if he left. Anyway good luck and I hope you found a practice you enjoy. Fatherhood has made him more cognizant of how much trauma he experienced as a child, as it has for other former Synanon kids who have become parents. 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. This is especially true when punishment is viewed as a healing process. : troubledteens. Its like, its like the story Ive always told you, you know about the warden standing up on the, looking out the window of his office and down in the big yard and saying, Come here, George, watch em theyll all fuck each other pretty soon you know, we, we, we most of the people to come into our house and say I would like to live here and turn out to be very, very real crazy people. by The problem is, however, is how to ensure they are taken advantage of. Even when Synanon was given an exemption for cold turkey treatment, Synanon created an illegal clinic and took in persons needing care other than addiction for which it required a license. "He was just this big, masculine, Italian, strong guy that loved his boys. "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. As stated above, as Dederich believed this, his squeezes and toss outslike old timer Bill Crawford was willfully sentencing one to death for CEDs ego and financial gain. The robber barons cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience., *..*.*. And in March she went, flying into Georgetown with her family, a few friends, and Jordan Elan generated very large tax revenues for the state of Maine. 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. No understanding of the greater society took in people of all races man kind! Who studied Synanon came to being arrested for conspiracy of Rico violations and of... Either up or down, but unfortunately each bounded its members with ideology... 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