Hi, PLEASE could someone help......my sister left a cult 7 months ago and is now a total mess. Pre cult she was the most gorgeous, outgoing, happy person. She obviously lost the plot in the cult, but she is suffering SO badly now that she is out......the text book reactions such as: terrible anxiety, depression, cold sweats, insomnia yet extremely tired all the time, terrified of everthing......she has been seeing lots of "proffesionals" but the mental health team have put her on "Anti-Psychotic" medication, it is supposed to have a mood eleviating element to it, not so far as we have seen! We can not see the reasoning for prescribing the anti-psycotic drugs, she is out of the cult so not in danger of suffering from any kind of psychoses. The side effects are crippling including the increadable weight gain which just attributes to her already low self esteem. Please could someone let me know if this is normal to prescribe these drugs. If so, why? If not, what should she be on? We live in Australia and I fear that we are not as advanced as you are in USA with the treatment of Post Cult conditions. I look forward to hearing from anyone who may be able to offer us some hope. Kindest regards, Jocie

See [www.culteducation.com]

Note the Recovery Resources list.

See [www.culteducation.com]

I don't know of anyone in Australia, though there are some anti-cult Web sites in Australia and New Zealand.

See [www.culteducation.com]

Hi Jocie,

I am in Sydney as I notice you are and I know of a psychologist on the Central Coast, 40 minutes from Hornsby. He did his internship with Wellspring in Ohio and so is experienced in this specialised area of counselling. I will send you a PM with contact details.

To answer your question about medication:

Read as background this paper from Rick Ross:
[www.culteducation.com]

This paper spells out that a reactive psychotic episode can exist when the person is out of the cult and it may persist for days to months. Her doctor probably has diagnosed such a psychosis that he believes can be stablised / controled through drugs. Whether a psychosis is reactive or not, there still exists the possibilitiy of a chemical imbalance in the brain and this may be what the doctor is trying to adjust. What may also be needed is talk therapy once she is stablised. Sometimes it takes a few goes to get the medication right.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been proven to be effective in assisting recovery in many cases and there is clinical evidence to support the hypothesis that combined with medication, clients recover from depression faster. I also acknowlege you are dealing with more than depression here.

I would suggest that you contact the psychologist I pass to you and maybe also ring Wellspring in the USA for background info.

Wellspring Retreat
Albany
Paul Martin, Ph.D.
Ronald Burks, Ph.D.
Specializing in the rehabilitation of individuals who have suffered in abusive religious groups, relationships and organizations.
Web site: Wellspring Retreat.org



Hope this helps,

Oz

Hi, Jocie! I'm sorry to hear you and your sister are going through this. Personally I'm opposed to anti-psychotic drugs. I think there's far too much medication being prescribed unneccessarily.

You know your sister much better than we do, and if you feel she doesn't need the meds, it's up to you, her and your family to find her another therapist who can wean her off the meds. If she does decide she wants to get off the meds, it's very important to do it gradually and under a doctor's supervision, otherwise bad side effects may result and she may actually have a psychotic episode.

This has nothing to do with cults, but if you want some good reading, pick up a book called "Toxic Psychiatry" by Peter Breggin.

Best of luck to you and your sister!

Hi Gulab, Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question, it means a great deal to me.
The reason I am so opposed to the drugs, apart from the horrendous side-effects, is that she suffered a mild psychotic eposide while in the cult, when she left she was not in a psychotic state, just terrified, anxious the works. Everything I have read tells me that once the person is removed from the "stressor" they should be OK without medication. The mental health team have no idea about how to treat victims of cults so they are just having a "stab in the dark"!
Monday, we are meeting with them and I am going to "put my foot down"!
I am so grateful to have the chance to "vent" thanks so much.
Kindest regards,
Jocie

You should seek advice from a medical doctor and not rely upon advice from this message baord.

There are sources that can be helpful within the mental health field with specific experience in this area.

See [www.culteducation.com]

And note [www.culteducation.com]

This board is NOT a place to seek medical advice.

Dear Moderator,
While I appreciate your concern, I would much rather listen to the advice of people who have "been there" than the pack of idiots in the medical profession we have had the misfortune of placing our trust in.

As it stands, this post has brought me so much closer in just a few days to helping my sister than the last 7 months dealing with her "mental health team" who have clearly misdiagnosed her.

I feel angry actually that you had to step in and even comment on my desperate need for advice........where else can I get it from? As I stated I am in Australia, there does not seem to be much help here.

All I wanted to know was: "is it NORMAL to put someone who has just left a cult on anti-psychotic medication"

And to that particular person (you know who you are) who was just so kind to give me the help they did.......thankyou, I will be forever grateful, I truely think you saved my sisters life.

Please understand that this board is not for medical advice.

See [www.culteducation.com]

This listing includes doctors and licensed professionals that have specific experience in treating recovering cult members.

You could call them from Australia and they can consult with your "team."

I was not giving anyone medical advice. My post clearly states that Jocie's sister needs to be under a doctor's supervision if she goes off her meds.

Understood.

I just wanted to clarify a point regarding medical advice.