Treating Alcoholism as a Disorder of the Self

Abstract

Psychological susceptibility to alcoholism can be viewed as being related to failures in establishing healthy attachments of the child to their parents. These difficulties interfere with the child's separation and eventual individuation from the parent and also leave the child susceptible to developing a co-existing disorder of the self. The treatment of alcoholism, combining both Alcoholics Anonymous and Masterson's approach to the treatment of disorders of the self are described. Following Masterson's approach, there is a differential treatment orientation that follows an accurate diagnosis of the disorder of the self. Awareness of these theoretical approaches may help the therapist treat both the patient's alcoholism as well as their co-existing disorder of the self. The combining of both AA along with his object-relations treatment approach is felt to be more clinically effective than attendance in AA or psychotherapy alone. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1