Hi Not Moses,

I read your post on Reddit. I think you are saying that you don't believe that cult membership is an addiction process? I'm very interested to learn why not and what the major differences are?

It's strange, because watching cult recruitment material online did become a kind of addiction for me. Of course, at the time, I had no idea what I was watching was cult material! I thought it was just feel-good spiritual stuff. If I knew it was cult recruitment material, then I wouldn't have watched it.

What happened is that I found watching the videos very, very relaxing. Kind of too relaxing, like it was abnormally relaxing. I wondered why it was so very relaxing, and I think I felt compelled to watch it for the relaxing effects, because I needed to de-stress in my regular life.

After about 3 weeks, I began to get very suspicious about what was going on. Not only was I beginning to change my behaviours so as I could continue to seclude myself away and watch the cult material, but I felt a bit fuzzy and foggy in the head. It was seriously like something was different inside my brain, which was not a good feeling.

Now, I explain the effects on my thinking by the videos being trance-inducing material. My friend is training as a hypnotist and she assures me that trance induction via video is entirely possible.

I think the hypnosis process would be different than having an addiction. I think that when you are addicted to a substance, then when that substance wears off, you are sober and able to evaluate your actions.

With hypnosis, you are never quite sober! You never have the opportunity to look back at your actions with a clear head. So I think there is a difference here.

I welcome any feedback.

Broadcasting sessions where people are guided into a relaxed, suggestible state is illegal in many countries:

[mindhacks.com]