Santa Monica, CA | How does a group once celebrated for its success treating heroin addicts become a violent cult?  Founded in 1958 by Charles "Chuck" Diederich, Synanon initially presented itself as an innovative and promising program for those struggling with addiction. However, beneath its acclaimed exterior lay a deeply flawed foundation. Despite praise from the media and endorsements from prominent figures - including one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century - Synanon was always rotten at the core. You’ll be shocked by the methods Synanon used to treat drug addiction, all while enjoying public recognition.

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🔎 Want to see how deep this story really goes? Here’s the full set of sources we used:
Books, Documentaries, Podcasts
-Hassan, S. (2015). Combatting cult mind control. Freedom of Mind Press.
-HBO Max. (n.d.). Synanon Fix [Documentary series]. https://www.hbomax.com/shows/synanon-fix/a27b5e0a-68eb-48e2-baa6-2b0f01d5b8be
-Janzen, R. (2001). The rise and fall of Synanon: A California utopia. Johns Hopkins University Press.
-Kubler, K. (Director & Executive Producer). (2024). The program: Cons, cults, and kidnapping [Documentary film]. Netflix. https://www.netflix.com/title/81579761
-Paramount+. (n.d.). Born in Synanon [Documentary series]. https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/born-in-synanon/
-That’s So Fcked Up. (2024, April 17). TRENDING TOPIC: Synanon—drug rehab turned dangerous cult [Audio podcast episode]. Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-so-fcked-up/id1508752329?i=1000652758034
-The Sunshine Place. (2022). [Audio podcast]. Team Downey; Wink Pictures. Audacy. https://www.audacy.com/podcast/all

Websites & Articles
-https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/sexual_orientation/events_cle/troubled-teen-industry-multi-series/
-https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/resources/newsletters/childrens-rights/five-facts-about-troubled-teen-industry/
-http://khanna.house.gov/media/press-releases/khanna-merkley-cornyn-tuberville-and-carter-introduce-bipartisan-legislation
-https://lamag.com/lahistory/synanon-cult
-https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-29/synanon-rattlesnake-mailbox
-https://www.law.upenn.edu/live/news/15963-the-troubled-teen-industrys-troubling-lack-of
-https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2007/08/cult-spawned-tough-love-teen-industry/
-https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/18/the-shadow-penal-system-for-struggling-kids
-https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/19/opinion/troubled-teens-industry-regulation.html
-https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/01/business/media/david-mitchell-dead.html
-https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/arts/television/synanon-love-has-won-documentary.html
-https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-peak-experience/202209/maslow-and-the-utopian-vision
-https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-synanon-fix-review-2024
-https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/bay-area-family-rescued-children-synanon-19402428.php
-https://www.teenvogue.com/story/this-1970s-cult-inspired-abusive-teen-rehabilitation-methods-still-used-today
-https://time.com/6962417/synanon-fix-true-story-hbo/

-https://web.archive.org/web/20080430083101/

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