Days of Darkness: How one woman escaped the conspiracy theory trap that has ensnared millions
Associated Press
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"Ramona" stands for a portrait Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Cordova, Tenn. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the conspiracy theories it spawned, would change Ramona's life forever, sending her down a dark path of paranoia and isolation. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)"Ramona" stands for a portrait Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Cordova, Tenn. Consumed by visions of an apocalyptic battle between good and evil, convinced by her boyfriend that a New World Order would begin at any time, she fell into a trap that has ensnared millions of Americans and even, at times, hijacked our national politics. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)"Ramona" stands for a portrait Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Cordova, Tenn. The world is scary enough without conspiracy theories, she says. But when you believe them, at least they can give you answers. If youre scared of the unknown, conspiracy theories offer an answer, no matter how farfetched it is. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)Antonio Perez looks out at Kawailoa Bay in Kauai, Hawaii on Nov. 5, 2023. I was suicidal before I got into conspiracy theories, said Perez, who became obsessed with Sept. 11 conspiracy theories and QAnon until he decided they were interfering with his life. Back then, when he first found other online conspiracy theorists, he was ecstatic. Its like: My God, Ive finally found my people! (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)In this 2006 photo provided by Hector Tapia Perez Jr., his brother, Antonio Perez, holds a sign which reads "911 = Inside Job!" in Detroit. "I fully bought into the lie that it was an inside job. I had watched (the documentary series) "Loose Change." I watched a bunch of Alex Jones documentaries. ... I think that was the last conspiracy I started to fall out of. Even up until like maybe 2012, there still parts of me that that almost believed it." (Hector Tapia Perez Jr. via AP)Antonio Perez holds his book "Converting Conspiracy Theorists" in Kauai, Hawaii on Nov. 5, 2023. I was suicidal before I got into conspiracy theories, said Perez, who became obsessed with Sept. 11 conspiracy theories and QAnon until he decided they were interfering with his life. Back then, when he first found other online conspiracy theorists, he was ecstatic. Its like: My God, Ive finally found my people! (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)Antonio Perez stands for a portrait in front of Waimea Canyon in Kauai, Hawaii on Nov. 5, 2023. I think I got a sense of self-importance from conspiracy theories, Perez said. He believed that he alone was figuring everything out. It all ties into wanting to be a hero. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)
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"Ramona" stands for a portrait Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023, in Cordova, Tenn. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the conspiracy theories it spawned, would change Ramona's life forever, sending her down a dark path of paranoia and isolation. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
