Synanon was formed because there was pretty much nowhere an addict could find help back in the fifties. Even Alcoholics Anonymous wouldn't accept them. Heroin addicts were regarded as hopeless cases. In fact, the founder of Synanon came to believe addicts had to remain in a confined supportive community for the rest of their lives in order to avoid relapse. The movie is a remarkably realistic portrayal of what rehab was like for drug addicts back in the day. Countless Therapeutic Communities were patterned after Synanon. Residents who broke the rules underwent a variety of punishments: anything from wearing humiliating signs around their necks to digging "graves" 6 feet deep, 8 feet long and 4 feet wide every morning for a week. Until it was outlawed, sleep deprivation was a common punishment. A resident might be made to stay awake for 72 hours straight. This movie is a fascinating glimpse into the early days rehabilitation.