SYSK Selects: How Cult Deprogramming Works

# Stuff You Should Know: Cult Deprogramming Summary

This episode dives into the dark and troubling history of cult deprogramming in America, a practice that emerged in the 1970s and 80s following the Jonestown tragedy and widespread panic about new religious movements. Josh and Chuck explore how concerned parents hired deprogrammers like Ted Patrick to forcibly remove their adult children from groups they considered cults, using methods that included kidnapping, physical abuse, sleep deprivation, and torture—all largely protected by the legal system at the time. The hosts examine shocking real-life cases, the eventual legal reckoning that bankrupted the Cult Awareness Network, and how this dark chapter reveals America's tendency to collectively panic over perceived threats to its youth.