Attack Therapy

Attack therapy (also called confrontation therapy or "the Game") originated in the Synanon community founded by Charles Dederich in 1958 for drug addiction treatment. Participants were subjected to aggressive verbal confrontation by peers and facilitators, intended to break down defenses and denial. This is not a legitimate therapy: it is an abusive practice with no scientific basis.

Method: group sessions where one member is subjected to intense, hostile, degrading verbal attacks by the rest of the group. The stated goal was to strip away ego defenses and force the person to confront their behavior honestly. Sessions could last hours. In reality, this method constitutes systematic psychological abuse.

Synanon and its legacy: Synanon evolved from a drug rehabilitation program into a cult. The attack therapy model was adopted by numerous "therapeutic communities" and later by controversial programs for troubled teens (e.g., Straight Inc., CEDU, WWASP programs). Many such programs have been closed after abuse investigations.

Psychological harm: extensive documentation of psychological damage including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicidality among participants. The approach violates basic principles of psychological safety, informed consent, and therapeutic alliance. No credible evidence of effectiveness; substantial evidence of harm.

Current status: universally condemned by mainstream psychology and psychiatry. The APA and WHO have explicitly opposed coercive therapeutic practices. Attack therapy is considered an abusive practice, not a legitimate therapeutic modality. It persists in some unlicensed programs, particularly in the troubled teen industry. It is important to study as an example of how pseudotherapeutic practices can cause harm.