Catherine Oxenberg, renowned actor from the hit ’80s show “Dynasty,” and her daughter India have overcome immense challenges. Back in 2011, the pair attended what they thought was an “executive success” seminar but soon realized it was a violent cult called NXIVM. Members, including India, were subjected to branding and starvation as a form of control, with blackmail used to force compliance with the leader’s sexual demands. Eventually, Catherine’s activism helped rescue India from these abuses.
Recently, both Catherine and India found solace from their post-cult trauma through the therapeutic use of ketamine, a psychedelic drug. They shared their experiences and established a foundation at the Psychedelic Science conference in Denver in 2023. Their foundation aims to provide ketamine in a therapeutic environment to female survivors of cults and sexual violence. The Food and Drug Administration is on track to approve MDMA and psilocybin for treating PTSD and depression within the next two years.
Psychedelic drugs such as ketamine show promise as treatments for various psychiatric disorders and addictions. However, they come with certain risks. Understanding the power of human connections to both heal and harm is crucial in recognizing the potential benefits and dangers of psychedelics, as well as the correlation between cults and addiction.
Early-life traumatic experiences, such as abuse or parental loss, can wire the brain to respond dysfunctionally to stress, increasing the risk of addiction and other psychiatric conditions. Social support, through good parenting and nurturing relationships, is the most effective method of prevention or mitigation. Talk therapy, coupled with a strong therapeutic relationship, also yields positive results.
However, talk therapy alone may not always be sufficient. Adult brains are less receptive to new information compared to those of youth. Research suggests that psychedelics temporarily open the brain to certain types of learning, comparable to the receptivity during childhood. The purpose of the colorful hallucinations and distortions caused by psychedelics is still uncertain, but their interpretation and experience may play a critical role in facilitating lasting changes.
A recent study on mice published in Nature indicates that psychedelics have the potential to reopen a critical period for learning social and emotional skills during adolescence. Psychedelics with longer-lasting effects seem to extend this learning period in mice. This ability to enhance social learning makes these drugs valuable tools for helping individuals harmed by cults or early-life trauma, but it also poses a risk in toxic relationships or groups.
India’s vulnerability, as a 19-year-old who had dropped out of college, made her an easy target for NXIVM. Lack of a secure job, community, or partner makes it harder for individuals to leave cults and increases the risk of addiction. NXIVM did not drug its victims, relying instead on intense peer pressure and environmental control to create vulnerability. The severe stress within such toxic relational contexts can create a closed loop of thinking, similar to addiction, even without drugs.
India expressed her addiction to the cult, its leader, and the way of thinking. The cult and its beliefs had become central to her psychological survival. In line with addicted individuals, she responded defensively when loved ones attempted to help her. When an unhealthy relationship or behavior is perceived as the only meaningful aspect of life, it can lead to addictive behaviors.
After the arrest of NXIVM’s leader, Keith Raniere, in 2018, India managed to break free. However, both India and Catherine faced significant post-traumatic stress. They tried various conventional and alternative treatments, including psilocybin ceremonies. It was only when they discovered ketamine that they experienced lasting healing.
Motivated to help others who have suffered similar abuses, Catherine and India collaborated with ketamine experts to develop an 11-day retreat, offering the medication to cult survivors, including those born within the groups. The retreat provides individual and group therapy with on-site support from a psychiatrist and therapists, as well as preparatory care and outpatient aftercare. Future sessions are planned for female survivors of military rape and for more women recovering from cults.
While psychedelics have the potential to make the mind more flexible, leading to healing, they also make individuals vulnerable to harm if used inappropriately. The medication amplifies social experiences, meaning compassionate and therapeutic care is crucial during psychedelic use to reset the dysfunctional patterns created by past negative experiences. Without a safe and supportive environment, the influence of psychedelics can be detrimental.
The Oxenbergs acknowledge these risks. During their desperate quest for healing, they encountered predatory behavior in underground ceremonial settings. Therefore, they hold a profound responsibility to ensure the safety of their retreats, providing a zero-coercion environment that empowers survivors to regain agency and control.
The healing potential of psychedelics stems from the same properties that make them capable of causing harm. Prohibiting psychedelics has proven ineffective, but regulating their therapeutic use requires the development of appropriate training, accreditation, accountability, and oversight processes. This approach will ensure that these powerful tools are used to liberate individuals from torment rather than subjecting them to additional harm.
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