Addiction can be viewed as a form of dissociation. The dissociative states are depersonalization, an individual’s separation from a sense of personal identity, and derealization, a detachment from reality, or the external environment. Through addiction there is a separation, an estrangement from both self and environment. It is as though the addiction places a buffer …
Tag: family of origin
Addiction: Are YOU At Risk?
Although the use of alcohol and drugs among young people is widespread, only a relatively small percentage of people who try drugs develops addiction. In many cases it can be difficult to identify particular markers that may lead to increased substance abuse risk and consequent addiction in adult life. There are however, many factors we …
When 12 Step Groups Alone Don’t Work
The average approach to substance abuse treatment for the past several decades has been a crash course on the 12 steps. There is no doubt that 12 step groups provided a much needed solution to issues related to alcoholism, however AA’s stated intention was not to discount or deny the importance of treating core issues …