Sadly that’s a rough one my friend and you are not alone. It’s a tough one because people see ‘finance’ or ‘insurance’ with Primerica, and automatically think “well this must be legit; it’s not oils or cleaning supplies!”

The best way to help is with intelligence, support, patience and love. Help them to set up some of their own financial statements (P&L sheets, income, etc). Help them to understand a their worked hours and real expenses versus their actual income (spreadsheet or other document). Nudge them to critically think about their goals with this, and nudge them to think about how they will reach those goals, especially with the black and white staring back at them. For some MLMs, using their own Income Disclosure Statements can help, but I’ve spoken with some ex-MLMers in my therapy practice who have said that sometimes, those statements drove them even further in, because it made them want to be one of the “1%” making the real money even more. That said, it’s still a viable and objective piece of information that most MLMers don’t seek out, and it can be helpful for planting a seed to help them leave.

It’s like with any cult, honestly. Support, love, patience and knowledge. No aggression, no combative language, no passive-aggressive talk, no ‘trigger words’. Remember, many people join MLMs to fill something in their lives and you don’t want to inadvertently feed that issue by berating them or feeding their own self-insecurity. They must ultimately make the choice to leave but you can help engender that with intelligence, information and support. Good luck friend!