Brainwashing: Signs That You Are Being Brainwashed (Without Even Realizing It)

Published by
Janey Davies, B.A. (Hons)

Hear the term brainwashing and you might think of government agents ‘turning’ unwilling spies against their own countries, or cult leaders using mind control to manipulate their followers.

You might even go so far as to think of the term brainwashing in relation to propaganda spread during the First and Second World Wars, in order to influence vast amounts of people.

But what exactly is brainwashing and should we confine it to the past?

What is brainwashing?

The term brainwashing was first coined in the 1950’s during the Korean War. It was used to explain how totalitarian regimes were able to completely indoctrinate American soldiers through a process of torture and propaganda.

Brainwashing is the theory that a person’s core beliefs, ideas, affiliations and values can be replaced, so much so that they have no autonomy over themselves and cannot think critically or independently.

Who is likely to be brainwashed?

In the book and film ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, a successful senator is captured by Korean soldiers during the war and brainwashed into becoming a sleeper agent for them, with the intent of assassinating the presidential candidate.

The film shows that even an intelligent and powerful man can be brainwashed, but in truth, the opposite is more likely.

It is generally people that are vulnerable in some way and are, therefore, susceptible to a different way of thinking that are more likely to become brainwashed.

This could include people that have:

  • Lost their loved one through divorce or death.
  • Been made redundant or sacked from their job.
  • Been forced to live on the streets (especially young people).
  • Are suffering from an illness they cannot accept.

How can you be brainwashed?

The person who is trying to brainwash you will want to know everything about you in order to manipulate your beliefs. They will want to find out what your strengths are, your weaknesses, who you trust, who is important to you and who you listen to for advice.

They will then start the process of brainwashing you which typically take five steps:

  1. Isolation
  2. Attacks on self-esteem
  3. Us vs. Them
  4. Blind obedience
  5. Testing

Isolation:

The first step towards brainwashing begins with isolation because having friends and family around you is dangerous to them. The last thing a brainwasher wants is for someone with a different opinion to theirs questioning what you are now being asked to believe. The isolation could start in the form of not allowing access to family or friends or constantly checking where someone is and who they are with.

Attacks on self-esteem:

A person who wants to brainwash another can only do so if their victim is in a vulnerable state and has low self-confidence. A broken person is much easier to rebuild with the brainwasher’s beliefs.

The brainwasher, therefore, needs to break down the victim’s self-esteem. This could be through sleep deprivation, verbal or physical abuse, embarrassment or intimidation. A brainwasher will start to control everything about the victim’s life, from food, the time they sleep to even using the bathroom.

Us vs. Them:

In order to break a person down and reshape them in a different image, an alternative way of living must be introduced that is far more attractive than their present one. This is usually achieved by the victim only mixing with other people who have been brainwashed and will, therefore, praise the new regime. Or it could be that everyone wears a kind of uniform, have a set diet or other rigid rules that encourage a group dynamic.

There is evidence to suggest that humans are, by nature, tribal and want to be part of a group, the brainwasher needs to convince their victim that they lead the elite group that everyone wants to be in. A victim might also be given a new name, as in the case of kidnapped Patty Hearst, later called Tania by her captors, who eventually, after being brainwashed, sided with her kidnappers.

Blind obedience:

The end goal for a brainwasher is blind obedience, where the victim follows orders without question. This is usually achieved by positively rewarding the person when they please the brainwasher and negative punishing them when they do not.

Chanting a phrase over and over again is also a good way of controlling a person. Not only is repeating the same phrase over and over is a way of calming the brain, but studies have shown that the ‘analytical’ and the ‘repetitive’ parts of the brain are not interchangeable. This means we can only do one or the other, so how better to stop those doubting thoughts by chanting.

Testing:

A brainwasher can never think that his or her work is done, as there are always scenarios where the victim could start to regain their own autonomy and start thinking for themselves again. Testing their victims not only shows that they are still brainwashed, it allows the brainwashers to see just how much control they still have over their victims. Tests could include committing a criminal act, such as robbing a store or burglarizing a home.

Brainwashing is not just the stuff of fiction or the past, it is real and present in many forms of today’s society.

There are things you can do to stop yourself from being brainwashed:

  • Don’t believe all that you read
  • Don’t believe the hype
  • Don’t buy into fear or scare tactics
  • Watch for someone’s agenda
  • Look out for subliminal messages
  • Follow your own path
  • Do your own research
  • Listen to your own intuition
  • Don’t follow the crowd
  • Don’t be afraid to be different.

If you suspect someone you know has been brainwashed, get them away from their brainwasher, put them in touch with a professional and support them through the process.

Someone who has been brainwashed can recover, as research and past studies have shown that brainwashing is a temporary condition at best and leaves no lasting damage on a person’s psyche.

References:

  1. http://www.wikihow.com
  2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manchurian_Candidate

View Comments

  • I keep track of a lot of this type of stuff on the internet. I came to this article thinking it was going to be another young communist league usa propaganda based on some "illuminati" conspiracy theory variation ( these ideas about "illuminati" are widespread through the controlled dissident groups which obviously proves intelligence agency activity ). Interestingly enough I found this very insightful and very close to the clarity of mind that someone might find in a senior analyst. Perhaps a further analysis based on O.S.S. study would be helpful to the readers as well. The term "brainwashing" was actually coined by the O.S.S. propaganda expert Edward Hunter in a book he aptly named "brainwashing; the story of men who defied it", which can be easily found on archive.org. In this text he breaks down the term brainwashing into an interesting term he describes as more aptly named "mind attack", later called "psychological warfare" and "active measures". He describes in his book exactly what you are talking about in this article and goes slightly more into the conditioning techniques that might be utilized on youth. Our current study is on the "propaganda backend oppositional support mechanism", that is maintained through the "over stimulation of the hyper compwtitive model of conditioning being utilized by the compulsory schooling system". And before you ask, no, I am not in support of any radical group or any crazy conspiracy theories like "info wars" or any other such nonsense.

    • You are a non sentient humanoid
      The illuminati is real, it is printed on your one dollar bill and the star of remphan is super imposed spelling the words mason. Cope. Cope. Cope. Cope. Cope. You are a bot with no intelligence. Always using these words like "conspiracy theory" yeah any one using words like this is eather cia or brainwashed.

  • I don't hang around anybody don't bother anything or anyone or even depend on anybody but Jesus christ don't depend on human for any or even worship them started hearing voices on 2015 being tortured to the point rushed to the behavior health center was released still heard them in the behavior health center i have always suffered been suffering since middle school days have never seen not one happy day in my life i been considering commiting suicide strongly cause i no longer feel god helping smothered with some Kimberly daniels woman i don't know she calls herself a prophet and a state representative she thinks she helping she has made things worse by causing pressure that i never suffered from i feel like this is my last days on earth of living

  • I find manipulation very unethical. To me it doesn't matter even manipulator has a good intent (these are often social psychologist and social workers) I find them equally disturbing. If you are in some kind of similar situation where you are in touch with social services; homeless/unemployed after jail, even crooked 12 steps. Get the fuck out of that situation and try to stand up on your own feet as quick as possible. Do not drag yourself in these institutions, or surely your will soon to be a victim. I understand that addictions is hard and being in touch with people might be the only way to stay sober and clean. If so don't let your guard down.

    Article has mentioned about getting help. You can also help yourself and to get results more quickly. Of course authority/police intervention might be needed for more severe or life threatening cases where violence and physical abuse might be in place already. Do not suffer a second longer. Get the fuck out any bad relationships/situations and claim back your life and happiness you are entitled.

    Quick helpful tips.

    Awareness - Be alert and be aware of everything what happening around you. Be aware with your relatives since you spend most of the time with them. Observe their behavior and all actions that they are directing towards you. You will learn a lot.

    Learn to say NO - There is nothing to be afraid of, practice saying no in every area of your life. You don't have to come aggressive to your friends suddenly, but be aware and say no to every single thing that you don't want to do.

    Books - Go on amazon and buy 1-2 highest rated books on manipulation. You'll be amazed with the knowledge it will provide you.

    Don't be a victim - Practice self confidence, don't come out to people as weak person, go exercise, get bigger, get stronger and faster. Be assertive and always speak your opinion, don't allow other people silence. Tell them to shut the fuck up and let you speak if you have to. Don't let people pick on you. Always have your own opinion on everything.

    • I agree Mike. I had been trapped in 12 step institutions the past 4 years. I recently liberated myself and it feels amazing. I won.

  • I saw two documentaries(one on the Krishna Killers and the other on Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps) and former members of both groups said they were not allowed to watch movies or tv, listen to the radio or read magazines. A lady from Aggressive Christianity also said they were sleep deprived so they couldn't think for themselves.

    • >movies or tv, listen to the radio or read magazines

      All of those things are brainwashing hello???
      You people are non sentient humanoids.

  • This is why I no longer adhere to certain conspiracy theories about the entire film industry being steeped in witchcraft. Of course some movies and shows are not okay to watch for obvious reasons(inappropriate and or too violent or gory). But nothing in me believes me everything and everyone has evil intentions and is out to corrupt everyone. There are wholesome family shows from the 50's, classic family movies and tv shows that are perfectly fine to watch. They even have people thinking that gospel music has ill effects. That's a little too much brainwashing and fear-mongering for my taste. Sounds like 'truthers' may be in on the mind control techniques.

    • You are a blind
      Anyone using the phrase conspriacy theory is already too brainwashed to even be bothering with. My comments will be deleted by mason feds cause i exposed to much on the clear net lmao

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Published by
Janey Davies, B.A. (Hons)