Insights and Healing

Surviving the Holidays When Your Family Feels Like a Cult

A Therapist's Guide to Protecting Your Peace

The holiday season is often painted as a time of joy, connection, and celebration. But for those who grew up in high-control families—or have left authoritarian religious groups—the holidays can feel less like a celebration and more like walking back into a psychological war zone.Holiday table symbolizing trauma at the holidays

If you're dreading Thanksgiving dinner because you know an interrogation is coming, or if the thought of spending three days with your family makes your chest tight and your jaw clench, you are not imagining things. And you are certainly not alone.

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As a licensed therapist specializing in trauma recovery and helping people reclaim their sense of reality after coercive control, I've been watching a disturbing trend unfold. People are developing what mental health professionals are now calling "AI psychosis"—a state where heavy reliance on AI chatbots blurs the line between what's real and what's artificially generated.

This isn't a far-fetched scenario. It's happening right now to everyday people who started using AI chatbots for innocent reasons—help with work, creative projects, or simply someone to talk to when they felt alone.Visual metaphor for the spiritual dimension and blurring of reality when AI chatbots foster dependence and emotional connection.

Key Takeaway: "AI psychosis" describes a state where heavy reliance on AI blurs the line between reality and artificial generation, affecting individuals who initially sought AI for benign purposes.

 

What Is AI Psychosis?

AI psychosis refers to a psychological state where heavy reliance on AI chatbots causes confusion between reality and artificially generated content. Users may begin to believe the AI has genuine feelings, consciousness, or special insight into their lives—losing the ability to distinguish between human connection and algorithmic pattern-matching.

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Coercive Control Prison and Recovery

How psychological manipulation creates a cage without walls—and how to find your way out

Coercive control is a pattern of behavior designed to dominate, isolate, and manipulate individuals through psychological, emotional, and social tactics. While often associated with intimate partner violence, coercive control is also a defining characteristic of high-control groups and cult-like organizations. Understanding these dynamics is essential for recognizing when relationships or group memberships have become harmful and potentially dangerous.

Research by Dr. Evan Stark shows that coercive control is characterized by three core elements: isolation, control, and regulation of daily activities. These elements work together to create what researchers call "a prison without walls"—a psychological cage that can be more restrictive than physical confinement.

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AI Guide for Mindful Self Reflection
Using AI Chatbots as Therapeutic Tools: Smart Prompting for Better Self-Reflection

If you're using AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or similar tools for personal support or guidance, you're not alone. Across the globe, many find these digital assistants offer valuable perspectives and help process thoughts and feelings. However, understanding how these systems work—and how to use them effectively—can make them much more helpful for your personal growth and healing journey.

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