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“We are all thiswe?
A poignant quote from Natalie to Misty in Season 2, Episode 6 of Showtime. yellow jacketThe woman is in her 40s. Nearly 25 years ago, they were on a high school soccer team together heading to a championship game when their plane crashed into the wilderness. what they did to survive in the wilderness for 19 months (including cannibalism seen in great detail on-screen this season) and how that affects them in the present. .
Now, halfway through the season, Natalie is slowly beginning to find herself struggling to form attachments with other people in the aftermath of a very serious shared trauma. The location of the is important. It’s a “wellness center” where she and Misty are together – in reality, the rural waterfront campus that’s home to the cult – where another survivor of the crash, Lottie Matthews, is located. We operate. Schizophrenia’ and possessed vision and a sort of mystical power while out in the wilderness.Former footballer her teammates aren’t exactly at her R&R wellness center. Natalie was kidnapped during a suicide attempt by some of Lottie’s followers, and she ended up there after Misty came to her rescue. However, a few days after reluctantly joining the group activity, Natalie also seems to realize that they are not all that different from Lottie’s followers. this”: Emotionally distressed and isolated.
As a psychiatrist, I have observed these scenes with interest and wondered if people with mental health histories, particularly trauma, were affected by places such as Lotti’s Center where participants had limited contact with the outside world. I was wondering if there was something that would make it easier. Put their personal files on “willingly” and dress up all in purple. A place with a glamorous, gorgeous exterior and irresistible promises of health and healing hides a rigid system of rules, authoritarian leadership, and a spirit of control…a cult, so to speak.
In my psychiatric practice, to the best of my knowledge, none of my patients have joined (or started) a cult, but how vulnerable my patients are to wellness practices from influencers. They have tried excess green tea, microdoses, or supplements in hopes of curing their depression. It is even more appealing as a solution to my patients who feel that they are not successful, are negative or harmful in some way, or have failed completely. What I’m really looking for is hope.
The cult offers that hope with non-traditional answers and can fill the gap where other mental health treatments (such as See Me!) have failed, says trauma therapist and board chair Glenn Patrick Doyle. says. search safelyis a non-profit organization that advocates for ethics and accountability in the self-help industry. And the hope the cult offers can be stronger and longer-lasting than a bottle of CBD oil. “We often offer hypotheses and stories that make sense,” he explains. , and philosophy.” But this support doesn’t just provide a new framework, says Doyle. “Perhaps most importantly, it often provides a supportive environment for those who have suffered similarly but who seem to have achieved relief via this nontraditional path.” For those seeking, or struggling to find, cults offer a promise of belonging.
Some Aspects of Lotti’s Cult yellow jacket. Doyle says they are a real hallmark of a cult-like group operating in Wellspace. Unwritten “rules”. “
took teal swan For example, her followers.swan explain yourself Having been born with extrasensory abilities, she states that her mission is to “transform human suffering into an empowered and authentic life”. She started with her YouTube series, expanded into her books and retreats, and now has millions of followers. Many deal with trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts.She’s Controversial for Many Reasons — Watch the Hulu Documentary deep end Many experts feel that many are dangerous and even encourage suicide.
Both Thiel and Lottie are charismatic leaders, self-proclaimed spiritual gifts as well as their own significant mental health history with psychiatric admissions. Their rules only apply to followers and not to them (like Lottie keeping his door locked). They also have long, flowing hair, sharp eyes, and few signs of aging.yellow jacket can make the actress look like a relatively normal woman, but not Lottie. )-I’m ready,” says Rachel Bernstein, a therapist who works with former cult members and hosts. indoctrination, a weekly podcast. Physical beauty and charisma are no accident. They are essential in packaging. Becoming a celebrity (Misty even says she feels popular because she knows Lottie) and speaking as if she’s giving a TED talk “ultimately It’s not a very spiritual goal,” points out Bernstein.
It’s easy to dismiss joining a cult as “something I wouldn’t do” or even as a totally unintelligent choice. But Doyle says this is simply not the case. “Predatory groups and leaders prey on people in distress,” he explains. “Pain cuts through the intellect. When we are in pain, we do almost anything to get out of it. We believe in anything or anyone we think we have an answer to.”
It’s easy to dismiss joining a cult as “something I wouldn’t do” or because I’m completely unintelligent. Selection.
Pain is an incredibly human condition that manifests in many different forms and reasons. A person also doesn’t need a history of mental health struggles to be susceptible to cult influence. why behind their experience. The problem is, for no reason. Bad things can happen to good people. Pooja Lakshmin is a psychiatrist who specializes in women’s mental health. True Self-Care: Innovative Programs to Redefine Wellness (Crystals, Cleansing, Bubble Bath Not Included)says: yellow jacket Or the illusion that there is a simple, clear solution, whether it’s something my patients experience every day, such as a toxic work environment or difficult relationships. ” Lakshmin speaks from experience. After a difficult period in her twenties, she joined an orgasmic meditation commune. she later wrote, that she “found the answers to life’s problems.” (The group was later investigated by her FBI.) That’s what a cult like Lottie offers: not just the answer, but perhaps the of answer. Lottie herself describes her center as follows: She just strongly discourages her followers from being their “best selves” elsewhere.
What else can Lotti’s followers do to meet their need for explanation instead of dressing up in animal costumes and chanting in the wilderness? , say that art or anything that enhances your identity is a good place to start. Of course, the one thing he has to do now is go to trauma therapy. This helps people better understand themselves and their patterns and ultimately teach them new ways to survive. It’s unclear how many Yellowjackets are currently seeking mental health treatment. But we do know Lottie has, and she’s seeking support to help others.
However, Doyle cautions against assuming that trauma therapy and traditional mental health treatments are a healthy, harmless experience for everyone in all circumstances. Trauma therapy can be unhealthy if it provides psychiatric support or manipulates vulnerable patients in any way. It offers unhelpful advice on platforms such as. Even when done correctly, trauma treatments often make symptoms worse before they improve. Patients should be aware of what they are about to do and be ready to commit.
Doyle instead recommends not having hard and fast rules about what is healthy and what is not. can find healing and help. He tells his patients: Please note that many resources can be helpful or healing in our journey. But be aware that any resource can become dangerous if you lose awareness of your personal needs, boundaries, and values (which is what wellness-oriented cults clearly demonstrate). encouragement). “I think mysticism, like all things, can be borderline or moderate.
“You want to make sure it’s okay to move from one belief to the next,” Bernstein says. It’s time to leave.
central mystery of yellow jacket It’s their way out of the literal wilderness. But just as important may be how they find their way to recovery and a more sure way to see and interact with other people. world.