"Those are extreme situations, with dire consequences for nonconformity, but even in a democracy, disengagement from a leader cult such as Trump’s is a slow process. That’s because the behavior of many cult members is dictated by aversion to loss and intolerance of the cognitive dissonance that comes when the cult belief system is confronted with reality.

The more an individual has invested in the cult world, the more they are reluctant to admit to others, and to themselves, that they have misplaced their trust and love. Just as cultivation and conversion leverage strong positive emotions (belonging, safety), so does disengagement evoke strong negative emotions (shame, humiliation) that many wish to avoid."