The Hidden Playbook of Authoritarianism Through Schema Therapy
Imagine this: a leader stands before a packed crowd. His voice cuts through the air like a blade, delivering sharp, brutal words. “Thugs,” “animals,” “invaders.” Each label strips away layers of humanity. Each insult is more than just an attack. It’s a signal—one designed to divide, to incite.
This isn’t history repeating itself from a distant past. It’s happening now.
The question is: why does this kind of language still work? How do entire populations, in the heart of democracies, rally behind a figure who uses words to fracture and dehumanize? The answer isn’t found in politics alone. The answer lies within us. Deep in the human mind.
When you look through the lens of schema therapy, things become clearer. It’s a kind of psychological roadmap. One that shows how authoritarian leaders don’t just manipulate the surface—they dig deep. They poke at our most vulnerable places, triggering fear, anger, and blind loyalty. Especially in moments of uncertainty. With just the right rhetoric, they activate our oldest coping mechanisms, making violence seem justified and loyalty feel like survival.
This article is the first in a series. Together, we’ll explore the hidden tactics of authoritarianism. How leaders exploit psychological vulnerabilities, how their rhetoric mirrors some of the darkest regimes of the past, and how—through understanding—we can resist their pull.
The Power of Dehumanization: A History Repeated
Throughout history, certain leaders understood the power of words. But not just any words—words that dehumanize.
Adolf Hitler. Joseph Stalin. These are names drenched in blood. But behind their brutal actions was a simple, terrifying strategy: turn enemies into something less than human.
Hitler did it. He called Jews “vermin” and “parasites.” Posters of the era showed Jews as rats. Stalin did it, too. He labeled his political enemies “poisonous weeds.” Their propaganda didn’t just insult—it stripped away humanity. Once you believe your enemy is no longer human, the door to atrocity opens wide.
But why did this work? How could entire societies be led to such cruelty?
The answer is chilling in its simplicity: fear. When people feel fear—real, intense, gut-wrenching fear—they will accept anything. And that’s what these leaders counted on. By dehumanizing their enemies, they reframed the conflict. It wasn’t about ideology. It became about survival. A fight between the pure and the impure. And survival justifies anything.
This isn’t ancient history. The playbook is alive and well.
We see it now, in a modern political figure. Instead of “parasites,” he calls his enemies “animals.” Instead of “poisonous weeds,” he talks about “invasions.” The language is carefully chosen. It’s designed to trigger. It’s designed to control.
But here’s where things get more interesting: why do people still fall for it?
Why It Works: Schema Therapy and Human Vulnerability
The human brain is a maze of emotions, patterns, and fears. It’s complicated. But there’s a way to make sense of it: schema therapy.
Developed by psychologist Jeffrey Young, schema therapy shows us how deep-seated emotional wounds—often from childhood—shape how we see the world. These wounds, or schemas, are powerful. They are mental patterns formed when basic needs—like safety, love, and acceptance—aren’t met. And these schemas drive how we react to the world as adults.
Now, imagine this: a child grows up in a chaotic household. They are often betrayed or hurt. They learn early that the world is dangerous. Fast forward to adulthood. They still carry this emotional map—this Mistrust/Abuse schema—that says danger is everywhere. They see threats around every corner. That’s when an authoritarian figure steps in.
The leader says, “You are right. The world is dangerous. Look at these people—‘animals,’ ‘thugs,’ ‘invaders’—they are coming for you.”
That person’s Mistrust/Abuse schema lights up like a firework.
They don’t question. They don’t reason. The schema makes them feel justified in their fear, their anger. They trust the leader because he reflects their deepest fears. They believe him because he confirms what their schema already tells them: the world is a threat.
But that’s just the beginning. There’s more.
Some people carry a different wound—a Social Exclusion/Alienation schema. Maybe they grew up feeling different. Maybe they were outcasts. Or maybe they were just made to feel like they didn’t belong. These individuals are hungry for connection. They are desperate to be part of something.
So, when an authoritarian leader steps in and says, “You belong with me. We are the righteous ones. The rest of them? They don’t deserve to be part of this. You’re special. You’re chosen,” something inside them ignites.
Now they’re not just a follower. They’re part of something bigger. They feel seen. They feel important. And they’ll defend that sense of belonging with everything they have.
Do you see the pattern yet? It’s not just about politics. It’s about deep, emotional needs. Needs that authoritarian leaders are experts at exploiting.
But there’s another wound we haven’t touched yet.
The Defectiveness/Shame Schema: A Dangerous Projection
Some people don’t feel fear or isolation. They feel something darker. They feel defective. Broken.
The Defectiveness/Shame schema is one of the most insidious wounds a person can carry. It tells them that they are inherently flawed. That they are worthless. That they don’t deserve love, respect, or success. These feelings can eat away at a person’s soul.
Enter the authoritarian leader.
He doesn’t fix their feelings of defectiveness. But he does offer a solution—an escape. He gives them someone to blame. “It’s not you who’s defective,” the leader says. “It’s them.”
The scapegoat. Immigrants, minorities, political opponents—these people become the embodiment of the follower’s own self-loathing. Instead of feeling defective, the follower projects their shame onto these “others.” The leader makes them feel righteous in their hatred. He tells them that the problem isn’t inside them. The problem is out there.
The result? Followers who are more than willing to attack, exclude, and even dehumanize others. Because in doing so, they escape their own pain. At least for a while.
Coping Modes: The Dark Path of Survival
Schemas don’t just sit there, quietly influencing behavior. They lead to coping modes—ways people react when their emotional wounds are triggered. Authoritarian leaders understand this, even if they don’t use the terminology. They exploit these coping modes with surgical precision.
Let’s take a closer look.
Bully/Attack Mode: This is the most dangerous coping mode. When followers enter Bully/Attack mode, they lash out aggressively at anyone they see as a threat. This behavior stems directly from the Mistrust/Abuse schema. The world feels hostile. So, aggression becomes a defense mechanism.
When a leader uses violent, dehumanizing language, followers in this mode feel justified. Their aggression isn’t just permitted—it’s encouraged. “We have to defend ourselves,” they think. “It’s us or them.”
And once someone enters Bully/Attack mode, the door to violence opens wide.
Overcompensation Mode: Overcompensation is all about control. When someone feels vulnerable, they overcompensate by asserting dominance, often in extreme ways. For someone with a Vulnerability to Harm schema, this coping mode can make them support authoritarian measures that promise safety, even if those measures are violent or oppressive.
The leader says, “We need to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves.” And the follower, driven by their deep fear of harm, agrees. No measure is too extreme if it means keeping danger at bay.
Approval-Seeking Mode: For those with a Social Exclusion/Alienation schema, approval-seeking becomes their coping strategy. They desperately want to fit in, to be valued. An authoritarian leader can turn this need into loyalty, using praise and inclusion as rewards. Followers in this mode will go to great lengths to please the leader and secure their place in the in-group.
The rhetoric of “us versus them” becomes their lifeline. They don’t just follow—they conform, often at the expense of their own moral compass.
These coping modes, once activated, are hard to break. That’s what makes authoritarian manipulation so dangerous. It doesn’t just touch the surface. It burrows deep into the psyche.
The Unexpected Vulnerability Schema
Among the most dangerous schemas that authoritarian leaders exploit is the Vulnerability to Harm or Illness schema. This schema convinces people that disaster is imminent—that catastrophe is always just around the corner.
Leaders who prey on this schema paint a picture of a world teetering on the edge of collapse. They warn of economic disasters, pandemics, or societal breakdowns. And they position themselves as the only ones who can prevent it.
For followers with this schema, the fear becomes overwhelming. Every word the leader speaks feels like a prophecy. The world feels unsafe. The leader becomes their only source of security.
This is why you see authoritarian leaders talk endlessly about threats. It keeps their followers in a constant state of anxiety. When people feel vulnerable, they cling to anything that promises safety. Even if it means giving up their freedoms.
For those trapped in the Vulnerability to Harm schema, this fear overrides everything. It justifies actions they would otherwise never consider.
Coping Modes and the Dark Triad: The Authoritarian Playbook
It’s not just about schemas. Authoritarian leaders tap into what psychologists call the Dark Triad: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.
These traits allow them to manipulate followers’ coping modes to terrifying effect.
Narcissism: Authoritarian leaders thrive on admiration. They create a cult of personality, convincing followers that only they can solve the problems facing the world. This appeals to people’s Approval-Seeking mode. They crave the leader’s validation, and in return, they offer unquestioning loyalty.
Machiavellianism: This is the art of manipulation. Authoritarian figures are master manipulators, using lies, half-truths, and strategic deception to control their followers. They exploit the Vulnerability to Harm schema by constantly shifting the narrative to keep people in a state of uncertainty and fear. When people feel confused and scared, they’re easier to control.
Psychopathy: The lack of empathy. Authoritarian leaders dehumanize their enemies, encouraging their followers to enter Bully/Attack mode. In this mode, followers lose empathy. The “enemy” isn’t seen as human anymore. Violence becomes justifiable.
Each of these traits plays into the authoritarian’s toolkit. But they only work because they tap into the schemas and coping modes of their followers.
The Path Forward: Understanding, Resistance, and Healing
Here’s the truth: this manipulation isn’t invincible. Once you understand how it works, you can break free.
Schema therapy offers a way to not only recognize the emotional wounds that authoritarian leaders exploit but to heal from them. Awareness is the first step. When you know your schemas—when you understand the fears and insecurities that drive your behavior—you can start to take control. You can see when a leader is manipulating you.
Rebuilding the Healthy Adult Mode
In schema therapy, the goal is to strengthen the Healthy Adult mode—the part of you that’s rational, empathetic, and grounded in reality. When the Healthy Adult mode is strong, you can face fear without giving into it. You can resist the pull of authoritarian manipulation.
By fostering critical thinking, empathy, and self-awareness, the Healthy Adult mode helps individuals and societies resist the divisive tactics of authoritarianism. It builds resilience.
This is the power of understanding. When you see how the playbook works, you stop being a pawn in it.
In the next part of this series, we’ll dive deeper into specific strategies authoritarian leaders use to activate these coping modes—and how you can start to dismantle their influence over your thoughts and actions.
The battle for the mind is real. But with the right tools, it’s a battle we can win.
This is just the beginning. By understanding the psychological patterns that authoritarian leaders exploit, we can reclaim our minds, our communities, and our democracies.
