Destructive Cults in Plain Sight: Psychospiritual Subjugation in Everyday Communities

 If you are wondering whether or not there are destructive cults operating in your day-to-day life experience—whether in your neighborhood, workplace, local community organizations, religious institutions, social groups, or even within online spaces you frequent—it’s important to understand that not all cultic behavior wears a dramatic or obvious mask. Many of these environments are subtle in their control tactics, often cloaked in the appearance of goodwill, shared values, or community unity. But when we start to examine these spaces through the lens of the BITE model created by Steven Hassan—which outlines how cults manipulate Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotion—we begin to see that some of the most insidious forms of control and coercion aren’t always found in isolated compounds or fringe groups, but right in the places we’re told are meant to help us belong.

And the reality is that coercive group influence can often hide behind carefully curated community messaging, social routines masked as wholesome tradition or performative progress, strict codes of conduct or ideological purity tests that leave little room for genuine individuality and sovereign self-expression, and even emotionally manipulative rituals of forced unity that demand performative agreement over authentic human connection—where belonging becomes contingent not on mutual respect, but on rigid ideological conformity cloaked in ethical righteousness. So, when these dynamics are packaged as cultural norms or communal ideals that usually can’t be questioned without retaliation, social exclusion, or character assassination, these control tactics—stacked on top of what can now be discerned as a surface-level harmony, a contrived togetherness, and a polished façade of moral alignment (that masks a deeper undercurrent of manipulation, emotional suppression, and behavioral conformity within the community)—they’re often presented as not only normal, but even virtuous—but over time, they begin to slowly chip away at a person’s autonomy, critical thinking, and sense of self. And once you begin to identify the signs of underlying psychological control and emotional dependency within an environment—no matter how benign or well-intentioned they may initially appear—you may realize that the very same spaces you once assumed were safe, supportive, empowering, or spiritually uplifting have been subtly conditioning behavioral compliance, discouraging dissent, suppressing authenticity, dismantling independent intellectual thought, and fostering dependence under the guise of unity or shared purpose.

You may be wondering, isn’t some level of order, shared structure, interdependence, and mutual agreement necessary for any healthy group or community to function? And the answer is yes. But when behavioral compliance, emotional uniformity, intellectual homogeneity, and unquestioning loyalty are taken to an extreme, that’s when a group quietly shifts from genuine cohesion of vision and shared values into something far more oppressive: a tyrannical machine of control that manipulates its members through fear, guilt, and unrelenting pressure to conform. And in these cases of institutionalized coercion, it’s not the presence of structure and order itself that’s the problem—it’s when that structure is weaponized as a means of silencing individuality, punishing critical thought, and stunting progress that would otherwise foster beneficial personal, societal, or cultural transformation (that’s not catered to one singular worldview that’s usually rigid, narrow, and exclusionary—but instead supports the diverse unfolding of psychological development, emotional maturation, ethical reasoning, and spiritual refinement across a wide spectrum of lived experiences and evolving perspectives). So, allegiance to the group, then, is no longer about shared conviction or about being grounded in mutual trust or respect among those within the collective—instead it becomes a demand of psychological submission that overrides one’s ability to form independent, nuanced conclusions shaped by critical reflection, emotionally intelligent reasoning, and psychological self-awareness. And once those inner faculties of discernment, emotional intelligence, and reflective reasoning are compromised, what remains is a gradual erosion of both psychological and spiritual autonomy, making one just a vessel for the ideological preservation, emotional fragility, and unchecked authority of the group’s leadership or collective hive mind—disconnected from their own capacity to think, to feel, and to evolve as a conscious, self-aware, and ethically grounded individual.

Furthermore, when fear of nonconformity becomes weaponized by a leadership structure, ideological framework, or a communal ecosystem as a means of preserving group identity, to enforce a rigid and unquestionable ideological consensus, and to punish any deviation from the prescribed narrative or expected mode of being, that’s when the dynamics shift from healthy communal cooperation, support, and cooperative flourishing—into something far more insidious, which is an entity of cultic control, psychological captivity, and emotional servitude—often without the members even realizing that the boundary into a destructive cult was ever crossed. And so, what initially appeared to be a shared mission or unified community quietly devolves into a coercive system that prioritizes uniform ideological alignment over authentic critical engagement, psychological submission over ethical discernment, and authoritarian oversight over mutual regard—effectively stripping individuals of their freedom to question, evolve, or express themselves without fear of retaliation, rejection, or exile. With that said, this kind of psychological erosion and transformation of group dynamics isn’t always immediately recognizable, especially when it unfolds gradually under the banner of shared goals or a predefined lens of thought and belonging. But once the environment begins to consistently prioritize control over growth and conformity over authentic engagement, it becomes crucial to take a closer look at what exactly defines a destructive cult—particularly in the modern world, where these dynamics often hide in plain sight.

While I have already begun to explore the idea of how coercive dynamics can subtly operate within everyday environments, to define more of what a destructive cult is—especially in modern-day environments you might not normally suspect—it’s important to move beyond the outdated and stereotypical images of what constitutes a cult that is destructive. Because in general, a destructive cult is any group, movement, or environment that uses high levels of control to dominate its members’ behavior, to manipulate the flow of information, to restrict independent thought, and to emotionally exploit people to maintain authority and group cohesion. So when discerning between a healthy and a destructive group, it’s important to understand that destructive environments thrive on control, fear, and dependency at their core—despite how they may outwardly present themselves as virtuous, purpose-driven, or community-oriented. And that it’s not about authentic human connection, mutual respect, and personal empowerment—especially if inclusion is conditional, where unquestionable obedience is demanded, intellectual and emotional autonomy is suppressed, and any form of critical engagement is discouraged. And whether it’s done through the calculated use of guilt, fear, intimidation, peer pressure, or psychological gaslighting—no matter how polished the image and no matter how benevolent the appearance of the community may portray otherwise—the goal is always the same within these types of environments, which is to dismantle individual sovereignty and to replace it with submission to the group’s ideology, image, leadership, or mission—often under the illusion that it’s for your own good or for the good of the collective.

And that’s exactly why it becomes critical to examine these environments not just by their outward appearance, but by the internal mechanisms they use to control, manipulate, and maintain allegiance within their ranks—because without that deeper lens of perception, it’s easy to miss the warning signs of an everyday destructive cult altogether. So, when looking at a group, congregation, workplace culture, community initiative, tight-knit social circle, or spiritually themed collective through the lens of Steven Hassan’s BITE model—which is definitely worth looking into—it becomes easier to identify whether you are dealing with a space that encourages freedom of thought and personal sovereignty, or one that enforces psychological bondage under the guise of shared purpose. And the more that a group demands control over how you behave, what information you are allowed to access, how you are expected to think, and how you should feel—especially when dissent is punished or questioning is framed as betrayal—the more likely you are standing in the presence of a system that may not look like a cult on the outside, but functions like one in every meaningful way on the inside.

While this thought piece will not go into every single detail or the deepest depths of identifying the sects of everyday destructive cults that aren’t as outwardly extreme, visually alarming, or theatrically radical as the ones we tend to see in documentaries, true crime exposés, sensational news segments, or history books, I am bringing forth this information as a way to spark curiosity, to expand awareness, and to validate not only my own lived experience, but also the experience of anyone else out there who may be silently questioning the reality around them. It’s also a way for me to let anyone reading this know that they are not alone in that deep, intuitive recognition that something feels fundamentally off about a particular environment, dynamic, or group they’re a part of—or even just in close proximity to. And that the feeling of internal dissonance you may be experiencing can be especially disorienting when you feel isolated or gaslit for noticing these dynamics. But I want you to know that your discernment is real, your inner alarms are valid, and you are not imagining things. And sometimes, simply putting language to what we’re sensing is the first step toward reclaiming our clarity of perception, our sacred mental, emotional, and spiritual autonomy outside of any psychologically coercive environment—and the deeper truth that our soul already knows about the environments that may no longer be safe—or were never safe to begin with—for our own evolution, our own well-being, or our own continued growth as whole, conscious, and self-possessed human beings.

So, while we may have an innate desire to belong with our fellow human brethren and to find connection in shared spaces, not all communities are built on a foundation of psychological maturity, ethical alignment, emotional accountability, or continued inner, interpersonal, and communal evolution. Which brings us to the sobering truth that not all forms of belonging are healthy, and not all group dynamics are worthy of our trust or participation. Because sometimes, the price of inclusion is far too high—especially when it demands the erasure of our individuality, our capacity for critical evaluation, or our deeply rooted sense of inner authority (all in the context of a healthy, integrated, and grounded expression of self where we are open to more maturation, more refinement, and more personal evolution as time goes on, of course). And that’s why we must remain anchored in the clarity of our psychological insight, grounded in our universal sense of human values where we are able to think critically, to feel deeply, and to remain centered in our own internal compass. And to also be courageous enough to energetically and psychologically break ties with any space—no matter how socially celebrated or outwardly polished the communal environment may be—that begins to feel more like a psychological imprisonment than a true community. Because at the end of the day, real belonging will never require the betrayal of our own soul, our sovereign and higher faculties of thought, our discernment, or our sacred responsibility to uphold what is ethically sound and psychologically life-affirming—something that takes into account the psychological integrity, emotional intelligence, and spiritual autonomy of individuals across diverse walks of life, and not just the comfort, control, or ideological reinforcement of a single insular tribe.

And with all of that said, I want to make something clear: I’m not here to tell you exactly what to think, what to believe, or how to interpret everything I’ve shared. That’s not my place—and it never should be anyone else’s either. I’m simply offering a perspective based on what I’ve observed, lived through, and made sense of in my own journey, where when it really comes down to it, I’m just sharing my opinions on things, which are subjective to me and shaped by my own lived experience. So, despite how passionately I may express certain viewpoints, my hope is that what I’ve shared invites you into your own deeper inquiry, your own critical reflection, and your own connection with the inner wisdom you already carry. Because when it really comes down to it, I’m not asking anyone to adopt my perspective—I’m encouraging you to be your own person, to come to your own conclusions, and to trust what resonates with your deeper sense of psychological insight, emotional clarity, and intuitive discernment. So, let this be less about agreeing with me, whether you agree with me or not, and let it be more about becoming anchored in your own sovereignty. And if anything I’ve said helps you to see things more clearly, to name something you’ve felt but couldn’t articulate, or it empowers you to reclaim what may have been chipped away at in certain environments, then I’ve done what I came here to do—which, outside of becoming more cognizant of my own journey and articulating my inner truth, is simply to encourage others to reconnect with the strength of their own inner compass, the authority of their own lived wisdom, and the courage it takes to stand firmly in who they truly are in their own embodiment of personal growth, evolving awareness, and conscious self-authorship.