Combating Cult Mind Control

The #1 Best-Selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults

By: Steven Hassan

Narrated by: Daniel Greenberg

Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's Summary

On November 18, 1978, more than 900 people, including a US congressman, Leo Ryan, died because of cult leader Jim Jones at Jonestown, Guyana. More than 300 were children forced to drink cyanide-laced Kool-Aid by their parents who believed they were doing God’s will. 

The techniques of undue influence have evolved dramatically and continue to do so. Today, a vast array of methods exist to deceive, manipulate, and indoctrinate people into closed systems of obedience and dependency. If you are listening to this updated audiobook for the first time, please know you have found a safe, respectful, compassionate place. 

This audiobook can help you protect or regain your sanity, freedom, and health. It can also help you protect others from the use of mind-control techniques. In this 30th anniversary volume, you will find: 

• New stories of people who fell under the sway of cults and other forms of undue influence but who were able to break free. 
• New information on the many sophisticated ways that social media is now used for mind control. 
• Updates on the many types of organizations that use mind control. 
• Information on the neuroscience behind mind control. 
• A look at what legislators, courts, mental-health professionals, and ordinary citizens can do to resist mind control and make our world a safer place. 

Sadly, the essential information in this audiobook is still not widely known or understood. People around the world remain largely unprepared for the new realities of mind control. But you are far from helpless. There is a great deal you can do to stay safe, sane, and whole - and to help the people you care about to do the same. And if someone you love is already part of a mind-control group, there is much you can do to help them break free and rebuild their life. This audiobook will give you the tools you need. 

As you listen to this audiobook, you will learn to develop, use, and trust your critical thinking skills; your intuition; your bodily and emotional awareness; your ability to ask the right questions; and your skill at doing quick, useful research. You'll also learn to create a healthy balance of openness and skepticism. As you will see, the entire process begins and ends with discernment. 

©1988 Steven Hassan (P)2018 Steven Hassan

A great book filled of testimonials and advice

It's a bit long and there are moments in several chapters which are mildly repetitive. It doesn't go into explicit details of any one cult, and delves deepest into the Moonies as this was the one Steven Hassan escaped, but it is well worth the read.

It provides a clear and academic framework to determine whether or not a group is a "destructive cult," the effects of participating in them, advice for how to escape the cult for members and their families, and testimonials of past members and attempts to rescue the victims of these groups.

There is no mysticism in Steven's words and while it focuses extensively on "mind control," it is not in a magical way at all and is grounded in legitimate psychology.

It is definitely essential reading for those interested in this subject, my harshest criticism is that it can be a bit dry at times.

Getting to know you.

This is a must read for anyone. It could help people better understand themselves, their family, their beliefs, and their social networks. this book as advertised, breaks down processes in which external forces impact individuals in clear concise terms that are easily understood. It has a gentile overtone making it possible for anyone of any background to feel comfortable with its message. the only stupid question is the question that is never asked, or reflected upon.

a must read for excommunicates everywhere

as a former Jehovah's witness this book is hugely instrumental in understanding what happened to you and how to rebuild

Very Insightful

It helped solidify my knowledge that my JW ex-husband has two different identities. I will use this book to keep my children educated.

A must read to understand the current tactics, devices and intention behind Mind Control

I stubbles on to this from another book that referenced it.

I had no idea the amount power, wealth, persuasiveness, tactics, deceiving, etc. that combined to shield many, even considered mainline groups & business, that are actually harmful, secretive and are actively the ability to reduce some basic human rights of individuals.

Some of these human rights lean towards the more marginalized groups in society, ie: LGBTQIA.

They create powerful ideologies endorsing and promoting ideas, ie: losing our “Religious freedom” coalitions, organizations and subgroups that seem to be doing good.

But are NOT. They are actually fighting to get laws passed that would protect them from being liable if Mind Control. And hoping to FORCE THEIR PRACTICES on all society.

He gives a great example of the “Religious Freedom” campaign. It’s NOT able the right to choose a religion (or no religion) without interference by the government. (That is what the first amendment does now).

There are restrictions to all freedoms (ie, he offers great examples, “religious snake handling” is against the law because it kills. You have the right to believe but not a practice that will endanger. We have the right of freedom of speech but there’s also the clear and present danger act that retails what kind of speech where and when, using a bull horn at 3 o’clock in the morning is against the law regardless if it’s your personal belief. It infringes on others. At that time, obviously.

He provides models, questions and resources To help one become more successful in combating destructive mine control groups.

it was alright

it's interesting to me that he would reject cults outright but then support social justice which is basically just another cult...

Thought ls from a Behavior Analyst

Reader/listener be warned! You are entering a book that will equip you with skills that will change your world view and help you detect maniplation attempts by dangerous systems.
This book does an excellent job of defining what constitutes a cult and providing information to ensure you are safe from their maniplations. Those organizations, many quite powerful because of their maniplations, will do their best to stop this information. Because of this, I cannot recommend this book enough. My day job is as a licensed behavior analyst. While the area I work in is not directly related to this topic, the reality is that too often the lack of awareness of these issues increases the chances of people coming to harm. Even in my field, where there is licensing and ethics codes, it is essential for customers and clients to be educated in the event that some of these manipulative tactics are applied to them. But the reality is that while that issue is fairly low, that political, economic, and religious cults are increasingly dangerous and prevalent. This book gives you information that can help you. I wish the language was a bit more precise, but that's more for me since in behavior analysis that is a big part of my field. Either way, this book is more precious than platinum!

For anyone wanting to understand manipulation

Absolutely useful. I'm an ExMormon and so much of what's inside applies to the LDS church I was raised in. It's eerie how similar manipulative organizations behave. We never see it until we leave.

Amazing

Wow! What a great book! I definitely wasn’t aware of how much people are really influenced in the world every day. Whether they know it or not. Whether it’s “good influence” be “bad influence”. This was such a great book with s lot of insight on how to protect yourself & you loved ones from destructive cults. I myself was in a high controlled/destructive group and can honestly say that this opened my eyes to what happens in the subconscious mind & understand how someone who can be considered a “smart person” could easily be roped into these dangerous groups. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! And please, don’t let it end here. Please continue to raise awareness with friends, family & anywhere else that you can. I’ve learned not to be ashamed of being involved in these types of groups. Please don’t allow anyone else to have their lives taken from them.

Life-changing

This book helped me understand from an outside psychological perspective what I was experiencing internally. It gave me the information and courage I needed to leave the cult I was born into. It gave me my freedom.

Outstanding book on cults and mind control

I have been curious about cults for sometime so I thought I would get this book to delve deeper into the subject.
I cannot recommend it highly enough for anyone actually involved with cults (within or outside them), anyone who is helping to extract someone from a cult, or who just has natural curiosity to find out more about these dangerous groups and how they cast their spell over their followers.
It is very comprehensive and the author seems to know the subject matter inside out.
I thought I knew quite a bit about cults until I read this book.

An excellent source of information

as a former 3rd generation jehovah's witnesses that has been out of the organisation for more than 3 years i am really grateful for this book and the hard work and dedication steve has put into it. its helped me realise even now there are still aspects of my mind that i have yet to dwell on and reassess my thinking. this book is an excellent tool to help combat many forms of mind manipulation and control.

A book everyone should read

For me being part of a cult, Jehovas Witnesses, baptised as a child, it was very helpful. But i think everyone should read it, as it will help with identifying if any would try to recruit you or your loved ones.

Combating Cult Mind Control

This piece is good inside into Mind Control groups and also you get to understand how these techniques are used in our everyday environments.
At work, schools our employments etc.
If you don’t like what taking place for example at your work place and you still doing it just because you were told but you know you wouldn’t do it only would you have the chance probably Mind Control is in place..!

Highly encourage you is to read this book.

BRAINWASHING DESCRIBED BY THE BRAINWASHED

The introduction was a lengthy narcissistic explanation of how experienced, well qualified, praised, and successful the author is, which was nauseating enough. He then went on to say "God makes us all different", at which point I was utterly disgusted to learn that I had bought a book about combatting the cult mind, written by someone completely convinced that their cult, that of an Abrahamic God (Judaism), was somehow not a 'destructive' cult, or somehow doesn't involve any kind of brainwashing. I immediately regretted wasting my monthly subcription, which I really look forward to, on a deeply ironic literary masturbation session. He then goes on to describe all the features of 'cults', which of course perfectly describe the cult into which he was born, presumably beginning with a bris, (if that isn't destructive I don't know what is), continually pointing out how great he has been at spotting cult traits and 'saving' people from getting subsumed by 'destructive cults'. I would like a refund in a way, the idiocy and utter lack of intellectual awareness of this author are beyond my tolerance in terms of book-reading, which I suppose is an intellectual weakness of my own, but my intention in buying this book was to gain insight into, and learn how to cope with the cult-minded, not be forced to listen to a hypocrite whose intention appears to be to highlight his own greatness, sell his book, and target cults he regards as destructive, whilst wholly ignoring the one he has been indoctrinated into since childhood. The irony is not lost on me, but my monthly £7.99 subscription cost to Audible was very much lost in the course of the transaction of purchasing this appalling piece of literature.

facininating

this was fascination insight into cults and mind control. not just for cults but even personal relationships. even if u never end up in cults you will pick up tidbits of information that may help personal relationships

literally a life saver.

He emphasizes and teaches you the necessary ingredients and methods to achieve the best possible outcome. Skill and speed are at the forefront. He teaches what to say and do and more importantly what not to do.
This information is priceless.

SHOULD BE BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS

the best book I’ve ever read bar none. Totally life changing. Wish I’d read it 20 years ago.