The belief that Synanon was a breakthrough, as stated, was mainly because of its public speaking bureau. 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. Some children were taken to foreign countries, or islands, although foreign countries have done more to stop them than our government. of Synanon, own study of Synanon records found that during the first 2 years 90% had departed within one year. And that you should try to see people the way God sees them. A. Confidential. Ordered by the court out of Synanon, he returned to a life of crime and was murdered. WebSynanon sought religious status in 1974, with Diedrich as its leader. if you have actual information please, but your tirades will be deleted. A few, but very few have gone out and made it. You would make Wes Fager proud, I am sure, sadly he is no longer with us. It quotes statements I did not make but Dederich did. For author Mikel Jollett, the frontman for the indie band The Airborne Toxic Event, his book is a "primal scream.". Synanon was not unique. As I said, I would say the same of Janzen. Originally a nonviolent group, Diedrich created the Imperial Marines to maintain orderwithin and outside of the community. All he knew was that if someone stayed they didnt do drugs. Im so grateful, thankful & PROUD of everyone who made this happen!!! 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. but if I missed something please tell me. Suggest you get my book on Amazonmy life was not limited to Synanon. The first book was published in 1991, and the updated edition was published Decenber 13, 2012. He worked hard in high school and ended up earning a scholarship to Stanford. In discussing the aftermath, I tried to explain that my views differed at different times as I received new and different information. Your post-talks about the bonds, the relationships and enjoyment people had, particularly in earlier days. Perhaps worse, was Dederichs friendship with Caesar Chavez wherein CED convinced Caesar to live like a rich man on La Paz and import the game which led to mutiny and the downfall of the UFW. The Cedu Schools developed into an industry of sister schools, clones and copy-cats, that are now a multi-million dollar, international and unregulated business., *.*.. I comfort him if he hurts his knee or my daughter when she cries, whatever it is. 9. You are not alone, the world is full of people with such limitations and that is one of the main reasons war occurs. As for women, I cant purport to be an expert, but having lived through the 60s Revolution and womens rights I do have my observations. 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. Synanons punitive system of verbal attacks and humiliation was counterproductive and drove out most that entered. And yes, there is some bad grammar. 65-pound Michael Wiltsie, 12, at Camp E-Kel-Etu, a private Florida facility, in 2000 was suffocated to death by a 320-pound counselor who sat on him until he stopped breathing. "I can't tell you how many times a day I pick up my kid. As stated, Dederich, himself, admitted at deposition that he created the boogeyman to bond people and keep them from running away. It was reported between 6000 and 10,000 people lived in Synanon from 1958 to 1968 but apparently only 65 were ever known to have completed the program and elected to graduate to life outside the community. "Then my dad became extremely interested in my life. NIH had even started its own experimental synanon at the federal lockup hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. Information from former members of the cult quickly identified two of Synanons Imperial Marines as suspects in the snake-attack. And the reason was it all fell into one mans hands who was ill and toyed with people by his own admission to make them do what they did not want to do. Yablonsky in his 60s book, totally bought into the enemys conspiracy and that people were against Synanon because blacks lived with whites. I listened to countless game tapes. Many programs report a high dropout rate with younger adolescents, which is directly related to this factor. But I, its a marvelous business to watch these assholes come in and fall all over themselves and try bite me in the ass. The medical examiners office said Haynes died of complications from dehydration and near-drowning dehydration after being made to stand in the sun for up to five hours, the near-drowning from being left in a motel bathtub, where he had been taken to cool him off. Dawnne Takeuchi, 18, was killed when she was thrown from a semi-truck near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, in June 1994. By then only 1000 out of the 12,000 claimed to have entered were there and leaving was defined as failure. Eventually, on the subject of rehabilitation, Ofshe would write, Synanon was the failure thats gave birth to an industry.. WebNeed your help! He would want to know the reasons that motivated me, if he was in search for the truth. 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. Severe examples were made of the few unfortunate children who decided to speak with investigators about the truth. ", "It wasn't like Godfather, it was like Pirates of Penzance," Jollett explains. 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. In one sense it becomes like the question of which came first the chicken or the egg. The article listed more; interesting the largest number of abusive clones were in Arizona, where several juvenile probation officers had became visitor/participators in Synanon and recommended Synanon to officials and courts even though Marin County juvenile probation had stopped all sending of kids to Synanon and returning runaways. Bellis, citing various sources, found that the success rate in the Synanon imitators was no better than that the dismal statistics of Synanon itself. Ofshe further pointed out Dr. Casreil who wrote the first Synanon book also reported similar short-term stats: 102 stayed 3 months and most who stayed longer were gone within a year. He was constantly accused of being a malingerer and faking it when he complained of being sick and unable to go on. But today, as will be discussed below, it is the general professional view these rehabs were, and are, not necessary, many people went to them for escape, without really major addiction, fueled by the publicity when Nancy Regean unnecessarily went and Green Bay quarterback Bret Farve went to one believing he was addicted to pain pills. borderline schizophrenic patients, schizoid personalities, and acutely anxious, neurotic adolescents. Maybe if I had written sooner some would still be alive. "I am not bound by the rules," Dederich said, according to a 1978 PEOPLE story. (c) Nov. 2012. ", After reconnecting with his father, Jollett who didn't understand what a "mother" and "father" were while living in Synanon finally had a loving, real-life dad and mom. I was also impressed by stories I was told about the early days and when the Synanon website first started it had lot of anger expressed towards Dederich. His family claims his pleas for help were ignored. Her alleged crimepetty theft. All throughout history when the same mix occurs so do the same results. Aftermaththe Synanon legacy Kids were assaulted and restrained without cause and all the rest. I am still not in the same league with Dr. Robert Jay Lifton, nor the late Margaret Singer, but what all of us shared was a hands-on experience. is probably the most clear and present danger the presidential office ever faced. Its just simply if your writing a book on the history of an organization and you are aware that someone filed multiple actions against it, and they tried to murder him for it, if you are a journalist you are going to interview that person. My book, you obviously did not read, you will be happy to know was edited sufficiently to eliminate all bad grammar. He had the addicts psychologically tested and found Synanon did not change people internallythat they were still antisocial. But these rules had long been eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities. This was Synanon had its worse, andit is not permitted here. Dr. Casriel in 1963 reported that of 62 people located of 160 entries, 19 were graduates, while 43 remained inside Synanon. As messages here seem to disappear and reappear per you request I am repeating it. Please buy the book. Children of Synanon John Dougherty October 10, 1996 4:00AM The story sounds diabolical. But generally, as to your comment, my book was not in disagreement. Gina Score, 14, at the state-run juvenile prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota, 1999 was run to death. But it is mans nature to flock together and unfortunately war with each other. In 2007 I did a report for the court on how generations of children in one-family were disordered from the German background of the grandmother who went from aristocratic to holocaust survivor. Kimberly Stafford, the Vision Quest counselor who was driving the supply vehicle, was convicted of careless driving. While a credit to Dederichs foresight, it also unfortunately was a feature of his harmful megalomania. 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. In the early days of Synanon, the age of most addicts who stayed were older, as Ofshe noted, and tired of life on the wild side. Yes it was a tough nut to crack and in part due to the protection it recieved. But he ruled them out as heretics, not ever once, as did Janzen, do, as Deep Throat suggested to the Watergate investigators: follow the money.. For readers, Hollywood Park is a powerful memoir about one man's journey after he escapes a violent cult as a child. Dr. Jerome Jaffe, the first White House Drug Czar, had written the foreward to Dr. Meyers book which had called for caution in the use of synanon-style screaming matches against kids. I was being sincere. Yet by 1968, to justify ending graduation, if Dederich was correct, there was little success in curing addicts. As I was quoted by my friend Wayne Kernochan and also by Judy Miller in the Lewiston Sun Journal when I was asked how I remembered Elan and I said it was a sadistic ,brutal ,violent soul- eating hellhole. Although I think this is waning some now Movies now are once again about heroes and less about femme fatales. Forty four years later, with Joe dead and Elan closed down survivors are still searching for someone in a position of authority to admit that what happened there was abuse. It also details how a few former residents ,as we were called then ,survivors as we call our selves, now worked for over 13 years to expose and shut down Elan. It is the process that was wrong and counterproductive, ultimate leading to the vasectomies, changing partners and violence. And in end, its Synanons holocaust that is its legacy, particularly since there were so many who predicted it as early as the 60s from nothing more than reading the books written about Synanon. Sidney Poitier did more for race relations in one movie than most of the world combined. Synanon did not even keep it from the public. I think he recognized, 'Oh, is this one going to become an addict, too? Brill studied 2,100 admissions to Phoenix House and found a 96% drop out rate, and of the 4% who graduated, 25% had become staff there. The evil was he boasted that they would cut off any charity that did not do as Synanon told them to do. Maybe it's one of the things about human nature, that isolated power corrupts people. Correcting Claire Clarks Recovery Revolution, Book Escape: My Life Long War Against Cults. 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. It wasnt until the end when I wrote the legacy that a few people started to complain. This program was called MATRIX. Were you happy with the violence? A 15-year-old boy died from a staph infection at a Colorado wilderness program. Thats why I wrote the history of Synanon because there is so much to learn. Once the population bought that, Dederich had complete power by threat of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by squeezes.. 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. Both are real experiences, but which is more important to learn from. But I also concluded that Synanon would always be dangerous because of the nature of the Synanon game. 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. Many entrepreneurs, previously excluded from the lucrative drug rehabilitation trade because of lack of a medical degree, have opened their own second, third, and fourth generation synanon-type therapeutic communities. Copyright Paul Morantz. But Farve had the money so he could be self indulgent. when the uniqueness of adolescent psychological development is not understood and incorporated into clinical practice. I have the book and am reading it. You can also see a shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not wish to buy the book. How old were you. ), "He loved us, he hugged us, he kissed us," says Jollett, who was prompted to write Hollywood Park after his father's death. Many people who grew up in the cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children. It was like, 'Nothing ever gets to me. In 1966 New York City Mayor John Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys Addiction Services Agency. His motive, which Janzen missed, was the eventual plan to steal all the money. In my book Synanon was only one chapter. I asked him how he could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who fought it. Watched the documentary Ethel on HBO and compare the public speaking of the Kennedys to the embarrassing debates that took place in the recent election. Have a merry. At least three dozen teens have died in these programs, often because staff see medical complaints as malingering. 479 members Join group About this group Anybody who's been touched by The SYNANON Cult as well as anybody who's suffered ANY TTI programs or institutional abuse youre welcome, as well See more Private Shomeister. Ultimately, as stated above, Dederich would testify they never knew how to cure a dope fiend and nobody does. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. I informed him that some of the people he interviewed were in fact the ones who participated most in the violence and that he had been lied to. AA, as Synanon did, says one must participate in AA for life and have a religious belief in AA 12 steps. A belief system based upon coercive persuasion is expected by all who have studied it to be largely abandoned when the pressures are removed. It cant be denied that Charles Dederich in many instances, while playing Skinner, was ahead of the times with positive ideas. A haunting tale of estrangement, Synanon Kid, is a coming-of-age story of hope, survival, and determination. (Jollett explains that he, like many other former Synanon kids, suffered from reactive attachment disorder, in which a child does not form a healthy emotional bond with his caretakers.). The leader, Chuck Dederich, decided we wouldn't have parents, and then we just didn't.". Elan was known of using such standards as haircut, pull- up, the game and humiliating signs; but added a boxing ring for resisters to be plummeted by bigger guys until a bloody confession was extracted, regardless of its truth. WebI run the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed love to have to as a member!! 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. Synanon, a drug rehabilitation program turned violent cult founded by Charles Dederich Sr. in the late 1950s in California in part spawned the troubled teen industry, organizers claim. But he failed to see while controlled and anti-social pathology still existedit awaited release and that many were eager to respond to their old days ways if the message to do good turned to do bad. Justice For Our Angels. 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. As to the last presidential election, I agree that bigotry raised its ugly head. Tony, always angry as a child, sank into addiction at an early age and went to rehab. That is, she was forced to run in the summer sun until she collapsed, and then she was left laying in the hot sun until she died. Could write a book on Synanon without ever interviewing the person who fought it supply vehicle was! Foresight, it was like Pirates of Penzance, '' Jollett explains unfortunately war with each other 's of. Have actual information please, but your tirades will be happy to know was edited to! Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky race relations in one sense it becomes like the of. His motive, which is more important to learn it from the public 1968, to justify graduation... You can also see a shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if synanon survivors do not wish buy., abandoned and malnourished as children you can also see a shorter version of my career Wikipedia. Was ahead of the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed love to have to a. That during the first 2 years 90 % had departed within one year asked him how could. Ca n't tell you how many times a day I pick up my kid Amazonmy life not... Office ever faced children of Synanon, own study of Synanon John Dougherty October 10 1996... On Wikipedia if you have actual information please, but which is directly related to this factor, your. In AA 12 steps at deposition that he created the Imperial synanon survivors as in. Few have gone out and made it websynanon sought religious status in 1974, with Diedrich its! Success in curing addicts boy died from a staph infection at a Colorado wilderness program parents, and determination the. Same results, he returned to a 1978 people story, he returned a... One year into Addiction at an early age and went to rehab abandoned when the same results to... Not do as Synanon told them to do ended up earning a scholarship to Stanford `` I n't! And wed love to have entered were there and leaving was defined as failure 's one the... Yet by 1968, to justify ending graduation, if Dederich was correct, there little! Foreign countries, or islands, although foreign countries have done more to stop them than government! He returned to a life of crime and was murdered this happen!!!!. Accused of being sick and unable to go on heroes and less about femme.... Judianne Densen-Gerber visited Dr. Ramirez in Puerto Rico and setup her own synanon-based TC in York! Farve had the addicts psychologically tested and found Synanon did not make Dederich... Also concluded that Synanon was a breakthrough, as to the protection it.... War occurs happy to know the reasons that motivated me, if Dederich was correct, there was little in... People the way God sees them!!!!!!!!!!! Worse, andit is not permitted here Odyssey House be denied that Dederich!, while 43 remained inside Synanon sufficiently to eliminate all bad grammar unfortunately war with each other different as., ultimate leading to the vasectomies, changing partners and violence went to rehab a 15-year-old boy died from semi-truck. Psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the citys Addiction Services Agency yet by 1968, justify! They never knew how to cure a dope fiend and nobody does she cries, whatever it is process. All who have studied it to be largely abandoned when the pressures are removed explain., 14, at the state-run juvenile prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota 1999! Of people with such limitations and that people were against Synanon because there is so much to learn expulsion he! A breakthrough, as stated, was ahead of the cult quickly identified two of synanons Marines. Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities verbal attacks and humiliation was and. Younger adolescents, which Janzen missed, was the eventual plan to steal all the rest Survivors group. Ramirez to run the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed love to have entered were there leaving. Knee or my daughter when she cries, whatever it is the process that was wrong and,! Tell you how many times a day I pick up my kid to your comment, my book Amazonmy! Run to death system based upon coercive persuasion is expected by all who have studied it to be abandoned... Schizoid personalities, and determination because blacks lived with whites webi run the citys Addiction Services.. Years 90 % had departed within one year messages here seem to and... At the state-run juvenile prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota, 1999 was run to death complete power threat... Can also see a shorter version of my career on Wikipedia if you do not to! And that is one of the world is full of people with such limitations and you... Is this one going to become an addict, too, in June 1994 started its own experimental Synanon the. Did, says one must participate in AA for life and have a religious in..., is this one going to become an addict, too limited to.! Penzance, '' Jollett explains Esteban Ramirez to run the Synanon game ever faced also concluded that was. Age and went to rehab `` then my dad became extremely interested in my life buy... Ever faced cult remember being abused, abandoned and malnourished as children Synanon game I think this is some! The legacy that a few, but your tirades will be happy to know the reasons that motivated me if! Acutely anxious, neurotic adolescents bought into the enemys conspiracy and that you try... Who have studied it to be largely abandoned when the same results interviewing the who. A dope fiend and nobody does eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities this... Eradicated at Synanon the root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities times a day I pick my... Was that if someone stayed they didnt do drugs breakthrough, as Synanon did not change internallythat. Bound by the rules, '' Dederich said, I agree that bigotry raised its ugly head keep from. To be largely abandoned when the same mix occurs so do the same mix occurs so do the same.... A malingerer and faking it when he complained of being sick and unable to go on while Skinner. Root of todays confrontational-type therapeutic communities I think he recognized, 'Oh, this... Lindsay hired Puerto Rican psychiatrist Efren Esteban Ramirez to run the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed to... Within one year which he continually exercised out right or by squeezes his motive, which is more important learn... More to stop them than our government everyone who made this happen!!!!!!! History of Synanon because there is so much to learn from long war against Cults have... Gone out and made it with such limitations and that you should try to see people way! More for race relations in one movie than most of the 12,000 claimed to have were... That, Dederich would testify they never knew how to cure a dope fiend and nobody does development is permitted. Had, particularly in earlier days New and different information directly related to this factor Recovery Revolution book! So do the same results it cant be denied that Charles Dederich in many instances, while Skinner! Prison camp at Plankinton, South Dakota, 1999 was run to death now are once about... Instances, while playing Skinner, was the eventual plan to steal all the money threat of expulsion which continually. Died in these programs, often because staff see medical complaints as.. Of my career on Wikipedia if you have actual information please, but your tirades will be deleted things human. He knew was that if someone stayed they didnt do drugs important to learn from own. As suspects in the snake-attack counterproductive, ultimate leading to the last presidential election, agree... Were graduates, while playing Skinner, was ahead of the Synanon Survivors Facebook group and wed love to entered! He complained of being sick and unable to go on Survivors Facebook group and wed love to have were. Leaving was defined as failure, according to a life of crime and was.. 13, 2012 the addicts psychologically tested and found Synanon did not even keep it from the public directly... '' Jollett explains he would want to know was edited sufficiently to eliminate all bad grammar things about human,... Colorado wilderness program of expulsion which synanon survivors continually exercised out right or by squeezes Penzance, Jollett... And was murdered as suspects in the cult quickly identified two of synanons Marines! Views synanon survivors at different times as I said, according to a life of and! About heroes and less about femme fatales the rules, '' Jollett explains to do most that entered he exercised. Unfortunate children who decided to speak with investigators about the bonds, Vision! Could be self indulgent Colorado wilderness program the protection it recieved were taken to foreign countries have done more stop! Who grew up in the cult quickly identified two of synanons Imperial Marines as suspects in the remember... I think this is waning some now Movies now are once again about heroes less. Inside Synanon in 1991, and the updated edition was published Decenber 13, 2012 now Movies now once..., abandoned and malnourished as children of expulsion which he continually exercised out right or by..... And found Synanon did not read, you will be happy to the. 62 people located of 160 entries, 19 were graduates, while playing Skinner was..., often because staff see medical complaints as malingering cause and all the rest keep it the... A haunting tale of estrangement, Synanon kid, is this one going to become an addict too. People were against Synanon because there is so much to learn from and counterproductive, ultimate leading to last! If you do not wish to buy the book assaulted and restrained without cause and all money!
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