The Synanon Fix

Synanon, the brainchild of Charles “Chuck” Dederich, began in 1958 as a storefront rehab serving heroin addicts. Synanon quickly grew, evolving into a complex system of businesses and egalitarian communal living led by Chuck and his wife, Betty. Over time, the therapies became increasingly extreme, devolving into paranoid behavior and cult-like mandates and culminating in charges of child abuse, assault, and even attempted murder. The four-part documentary series The Synanon Fix explores how the organization’s potential to revolutionize healing spiraled into a destructive force.