Understanding Addictions Through the Lens of Psychodynamic psychotherapy
Have you ever felt overwhelmed and stressed out, to the point where you needed a distraction?
There are a variety of ways to cope with stress, but sometimes people turn to unhealthy habits or activities that can become addictive. Many of us are familiar with the concept of addiction, but do we really understand what it means and what its impact is on our lives? Addictions are more than just a physical or psychological dependency; they can be seen as an anaesthetic that masks feelings of pain, emptiness, and disconnection. In this article, we will explore the psychodynamic treatment of addictions and how it helps us to uncover the underlying psychological issues.
What is psychodynamic treatment?
Psychodynamic treatment is a form of therapy that focuses on exploring and understanding the unconscious influences behind our behaviours. It looks at how our past experiences shape our present behaviour and emotions. This type of therapy is based on the idea that by bringing these unconscious influences into consciousness, we can gain insight into why we do certain things. With this new insight, we can then start to make changes in how we think, feel, and behave in order to feel better.
Addictions as an anaesthetic
When someone feels overwhelmed or distressed, they may try to cope by numbing their feelings with substances like alcohol or drugs, or activities like gambling or shopping. The idea here is that these addictions act like an anaesthetic; they numb the pain and allow people to temporarily forget their troubles and feel some relief from the stress they’re experiencing. However, this relief is only temporary; eventually those same issues will resurface, often leading to more destructive behaviours as people try harder and harder to escape their problems without success.
How does psychodynamic treatment help with addictions?
When it comes to treating addictions through the psychodynamic framework, the focus shifts away from simply trying to eliminate an addiction and instead towards exploring why people turn to addictive behaviours in the first place. The goal here is not only to reduce or stop addictive behaviours but also to explore why someone might need such an anaesthetic in order to cope with underlying feelings of emptiness or disconnection. By understanding these underlying issues and working through them in therapy, people can develop skills for self-reflection so that they can learn from their experiences rather than repeating patterns of unhealthy behaviour over time.
In addition they also learn healthier coping strategies for managing difficult feelings without relying on an addiction as a crutch.
What are some examples of psychodynamic techniques used to treat addiction?
In psychodynamic treatment for addiction, there are a number of techniques that may be used depending on individual needs. One technique involves exploring defence mechanisms such as denial or repression which can help people avoid facing up to uncomfortable truths about themselves or their behaviour. Another technique involves exploring transference patterns – how patterns from childhood relationships are re-enacted in adult relationships – which can help identify how past experiences have shaped current behaviour. Additionally, dream analysis can be used to uncover hidden motivations behind addictive behaviours and explore potential solutions for overcoming them.
Addiction is more than just a physical or psychological dependence; it can also be seen as an anaesthetic that masks deeper issues such as emptiness or disconnection from ourselves or others. The psychodynamic treatment of addictions helps us gain insight into these issues so that we can develop healthier ways of coping with difficult feelings without relying on an addiction as a crutch. By exploring these defence mechanisms, transference patterns, dream analysis and other techniques in therapy sessions tailored specifically to each individual’s needs, those struggling with addiction can start down the path towards recovery and greater self-awareness.
If you think psychodynamic therapy could help you better understand your own addictions or support a friend in this matter, reach out & share this article today! We here at Therapy with Michaela offer a safe therapeutic space for treatment, please visit our website for more information.