In the 1950s, Synanon began as a drug rehabilitation program led by Charles “Chuck” Dederich. Over time, the group evolved into a cult-like movement with a confrontational form of group therapy. By the 1970s, Synanon had devolved into a dangerous paramilitary organization, with Dederich making bizarre demands and followers resorting to violence. The documentary “The Synanon Fix” explores this transformation, tracing the group’s utopian origins to its eventual descent into manipulation and darkness.