title: [Destructive cults: part curse, part blessing].
abstract: Psychiatrists and Psychologists often reject new religious movements as dangerous to their members' mental health or they defend such groups against criticism. These position lack a thorough understanding of the psychodynamic function of new religious commitments. In order to show such functions the author will present and discuss a current member's report about his life and experience. He suggests that commitments to new religious movements strengthen individual defense structures and thus relieve of stress, yet also hamper psychological development.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D012069:Religion and Psychology