Self-medication, traumatic reenactments, and dissociation: a psychoanalytic perspective on the relationship between childhood trauma and substance abuse

Costanzo, Antonino; Santoro, Gianluca; Schimmenti, Adriano

doi:10.1080/02668734.2023.2272761

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Similarly, trauma in early life can lead to both structural and functional changes in the brain and the body's stress regulatory systems that affect emotional regulation and fear responses (Bellis et al, 2014). Such changes may predispose adults to engage in health-harming behaviors when faced with adversity as opposed to responding in more functional and adaptive ways, especially given the more immediate pharmacological and psychological benefits that come from health-harming behaviors such as substance use (Costanzo et al, 2023;Grigsby et al, 2020).…”

Section: Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) and Adults' ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Prospective Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood

Kaufman-Parks,

Longmore,

Manning

et al. 2024

Journal of Human Services

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Previous research indicates that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk for illicit drug use. Yet, much of this research relies on retrospective ACE reports and does not consider the wide array of more proximal life experiences that may impact adults’ substance use. The present research used two waves of data from the longitudinal Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) to examine the impact of ACEs reported during adolescence on illicit drug use frequency in adulthood (average age 32) among 930 (403 men and 527 women) respondents. Findings indicated that ACEs had a cumulative effect on adults’ illicit drug use. Each additional ACE increased drug use frequency by 0.087 units (p < 0.05). Biological sex (b = -0.446, p < 0.001), number of biological children (b = -0.155, p < 0.01), anxiety symptoms, (b = 0.071, p < 0.001), adolescent drug use (b = 0.166, p < 0.001), and residing with other substance-using individuals (b = 1.127, p < 0.001) were also significant correlates of illicit drug use in adulthood. Mediation analyses revealed that respondents’ anxiety symptoms and adolescent drug use mediated the total effect of ACEs on adults’ drug use frequency. Based on these results, it is argued that clinicians and others working with those who are at risk for or who are presently using illicit substances should consider how early life adversity influences drug use, both directly and indirectly via proximal risks.

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Section: Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) and Adults' ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Prospective Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood

Kaufman-Parks,

Longmore,

Manning

et al. 2024

Journal of Human Services

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“…Research suggests that failures in mentalizing are involved in addictive behaviors [ 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 ], including problematic online behaviors such as PSMU [ 71 , 72 , 73 ]. In fact, difficulties in identifying and regulating distressing feelings may increase the risk of resorting to substance use or engaging in dysfunctional behaviors as a means of seeking relief [ 74 , 75 , 76 ]. Accordingly, failures in mentalizing one’s own and others’ mental states might lead to the development and maintenance of PSMU as a coping strategy to deal with unprocessed feelings and to avoid the perceived unpredictability of face-to-face interactions [ 72 , 73 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insecure Minds through the Looking Glass: The Mediating Role of Mentalization in the Relationships between Adult Attachment Styles and Problematic Social Media Use

Santoro,

Costanzo,

Franceschini

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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Research shows that insecure attachment styles and failures in mentalizing are associated with increased problematic social media use (PSMU). This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of failures in mentalizing in the relationships between attachment styles and PSMU within a large sample of individuals from the community. The study involved the participation of 3600 adult volunteers (2312 females, 64.2%) aged between 18 and 60 years old (M = 29.92; SD = 10.68). Participants completed measures to assess socio-demographics, adult attachment styles, mentalization, and PSMU. Findings showed that secure and dismissing attachment styles predicted reduced levels of PSMU, and that preoccupied and fearful attachment styles predicted increased levels of PSMU. The relationships between adult attachment styles and PSMU were mediated by failures in mentalizing. Thus, individuals with preoccupied and fearful attachment styles may excessively resort to social media as a means of coping with unprocessed mental states. Clinical interventions that focus on improving mentalizing abilities and promoting the adoption of appropriate self-regulation strategies might reduce maladaptive engagement in social media.

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2024

The Multilevel Community Engagement Model

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Self-medication, traumatic reenactments, and dissociation: a psychoanalytic perspective on the relationship between childhood trauma and substance abuse

Cited by 3 publications

References 54 publications

A Prospective Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood

A Prospective Study of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Illicit Drug Use in Adulthood

Insecure Minds through the Looking Glass: The Mediating Role of Mentalization in the Relationships between Adult Attachment Styles and Problematic Social Media Use

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