Is DD in a cult?

[AllEars112232]

I had originally written a long post explaining the situation but realise that it disclosed too much so I didn't post in the end.

I think my adult DD might be in a cult. Not the sort that normally springs to mind, but a more innocuous group (not related to a religion). The goup enjoy a common pursuit- for most people this pursuit is recreational and is very mainstream.

I am nervous about putting more (I've edited this twice already!) but want to make contact with anyone who has had experience of groups that take over a person's life.

It sounds like it to me. The BBC iplayer programme about the Lighthouse group is a good example of a non religious one.

How you deal with it is very hard. I would say the most important thing is keep up soe kind of nominal contact with h er even if you have to pay to buy her lunch out to keep that contact up and don't tell her she is in a cult or mention it at all at first - just get some kind of contact non judgmental going, if you can.

Another one was Keith Raniere's in the US - again not a religious one. (Nexium in which Alison Mack was involved - the documentaries about that one are useful too to see how people are sucked in. I have the book by the mother of one girl who was caught up in it - she is now out - (the daughter was India Oxenburg).

@Xenia Thank you for your reply. I will look up the things you have mentioned.
I have been doing what you've suggested- its very hard though to keep up that nominal contact when you want to shake them until they see sense!
Thank you again for the reply.

Yes I have had experience recently w my late teen DC. I don’t want to put details here, but you can PM me. He is out of it now, but scarred mentally.
Also a non traditional cult setting - we never really found out the end goal of the ‘leader’, but DC got out fairly quickly, within a year.

OP I would need a little more information (about what the common activity is). If it's something like CrossFit, whilst the people doing it can be very annoying and it takes over their life I wouldn't worry. If it's something like TwinFlame then absolutely get help!

If you press on the ‘edited’ button on the OP, you can read all the posts before the poster edited them.

We can’t really say if we think it’s a cult with that little information you have given.

just looked at what had been edited (thanks for pp for telling us we can do that)

definitely sounds like a huge level of control and coercion is happening here. I’d be worried if this was my child. Can you get them on their own at some point to chat and reassure that you are there to help?

Also look up Richard Turner - his website - tothinkagain - he has some good videos explaining cults on YouTube. I’ve spoken to him, he’ll give parents a half-hour free session with advice. Nice guy, but ultimately DS found the counselling brought back tii many memories from his cultic situation.