The psychology of Cults: part two - what is brainwashing? - Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy

The psychology of Cults: part two - what is brainwashing? - Brighton and Hove Psychotherapy

Brainwashing or thought reform is not a one-off event but a gradual process of breaking down and transformation. Thus, thought reform is a concerted effort to change a person’s way of looking at the world, which will change his or her behaviour. To understand more about mind control, or brainwashing, I will explain it in three stages: attacking the self; invisible social adaptation; and producing a new identity. Attacking the self Brainwashing …