Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change, 2nd Ed.

With having a severe cult hit too close to home, this book was able to explain to me much of what happens to the people that get involved in cults, and also made me much more aware that given the right circumstances, we are all at risk if we are not educated. Very disturbing, but extremely insightful.

Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change is a well written, well researched book about the influences of cults, mind control, thought reform, coercive persuasion and severe pressure. It explains well what causes people to 'snap', and it also explains how snapping is brought about in cult situations. In addition, the book offers some hope for getting people out of these unethically influenced states of mind in the cases of cults, 'human potential' organisations, and 'self help' seminars. Many 'human potential' organisations, and 'self help' seminars use similar methods to those employed by cults. Beware. Research them well through the Internet and through people who have done these courses beforehand. Too many sad stories are available on the 'net about the negative influence of such organisations. Not all of them are bad, but do the research beforehand. Many of these courses promises breakthroughs. Sadly, the moment of breakthrough is often actually the moment of breakdown. This book will give readers an understanding of sudden personality change and being educated about it is the first step to being able to do something about it if, as in my case, you have had a loved one subjected to these unethical practices. Believe me, it is a frightening and hurtful experience. For me, it has been going on for a year. For others, sometimes it has gone on for decades. Also, if you are interested in Jim Jones, Jonestown, and the People's Temple or David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and the Waco tragedy, this book offers a good breakdown of what happened. I highly recommend it. It is one of the best books on what happens to people in cults, and other situations that cause sudden personality changes.

This book provides an analysis of the techniques used by cults and certain "self help" agencies to alter the personality of the client. It presents a model, using catastrophe theory, in which the person is driven to a snapping point. After this snap, the personality is drastically changed, and often it requires another snap to rectify the situation. The theory presented here is very interesting. The cases discussed include those annoying cults and "self help" groups which roam college campuses (and its good to see that the authors do not bend to political correctness and include some of the more popular groups). In addition, the effects of stress are discussed in industrial settings. And, the governments royal botch-job at Waco is examined. Personally, I consider some of the "cult deprogrammers" as heroes who have tried to uphold a person's fundamental right to freedom of thought, against the sway of politicians. The only problem I have with this book is that there never is made a distinction between genuine religious conversion and cult conversion (snapping). I do not know how such a distinction could be made, but perhaps it would be an interesting area for further research.

This is an excellently reasearched book. All people should be familiar with this information. For people who have been "snapped" in the past, it is healing. For those being enticed to snap, it can be a savior from doing so. For those with friends or loved ones that have snapped it gives insight. For others it gives awareness. My challenge to all therapist is to become educated and/or to further research this phenomenon in great depth.

Understanding this book gives the reader the ability to comprehend why so many people who get into cults will stay despite obvious absurdities associated with the cult experience. The authors demonstrate that the ecstatic/illumination experience so often treasured by spiritual seekers may only be energy releases associated with the mind dealing with high stress. But when that sense of release occurs, people become wide-open to reprogramming. I gave this book to a friend who had a daughter in college who was actively being recruited by one of the more well-known cults, he gave it to her, and she in turn dropped all contact with the followers of the cult. She could see that the ecstatic experience that the cult followers were praising as a reward for all of their hard work and suffering was simply a psychological event.