Addiction, Afects and Selfobject Theory
Addiction, Afects and Selfobject Theory
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soothing and calming. The psychic functions which have to do with the internal regulation of feelings of continuity and cohesion of self, with self-esteem and meaningful goals, with modulation of affect and maintenance of ideals are overwhelmed either because they were originally deficient for ordinary external circumstances or because external stressors have become too great. The effect of the addiction itself produces regression and further loss of function of any existing internal regulatory structures. Many physiologic processes produce changes in monoamine systems, neurochemical systems, or hormonal systems and may be used to produce intense sensations, affects, and feelings by internal biochemical manipulation of the brain and assist in the maintenance of a sense of aliveness and self-cohesion. Certain chemicals, such as alcohol, are really external sources of biochemical manipulation of the brain and produce affects and feelings of a similar nature, but it is likely that chemicals are less frequently used for this purpose than our own physiologic functions, which are always so available to us. In many individuals, for example, the use of the sensations, affects, and feelings related to the eating process, that is, tasting, chewing, smelling, swallowing, fullness, and so on is or may be helpful on days when severe blows to self-esteem are experienced. When this activity is used secondary to a relationship with others, and as only one of a number of ways to modulate affect or help with maintenance of self-esteem, it does not become an addiction. When eating or drinking is done with others and the human relationships used as legitimate sources of validation and ideals, healthy constructive dependencies may occur and not destructive, unsatisfying addiction. Eating Disorders as Addiction In developing an outpatient program for eating disorders, the author (L.G.C.) was able to observe these abovementioned processes used in an addictive manner. Bachmann & Rohr (1983) have pointed out that therapies for psychogenic eating problems have neglected to include the addictive aspect of the illness. In anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and in many cases of obesity we see the addictive use of these powerful sensations as intense, archaic stimulators and soothers in a set pattern or system on which the individual desperately attempts to rely to maintain cohesion and continuity in a fragile self. The "high" produced by anorexia nervosa by the phenomenon of starvation, probably through both biochemical and psychological change, is easily observable. The biochemical relationship to anorexia nervosa has been experimentally supported (Kaye et al., 1982). Bulimics and other addictive overeaters speak of similar intense hyperphoric states related to various aspects of the eating process, including fasting and purging. The feelings produced seem to reactivate the experience of a safe yet stimulating early relationship with parental figures, which gives hope of possible further development and provides a temporary, fleeting sense of self-cohesion and vigor. The addictive affect system comes into play because of a reactivation of an underlying intense feeling of abandonment when seeking important peer relationships. One consistently hears from patients with eating disorders and from other addicts the pain of being unable to fully share in the affairs and activities of a cohesion peer group. That important step from parent to peer group for the fulfillment of legitimate self-enhancement needs seems so difficult or impossible for addicts to make. Even in a group these patients tend to develop intense, transference-like, one-to-one relationships which may secondarily become destructive to the group. The addiction in eating disorders, as with any addiction, is ultimately a failure in its attempt to produce self-cohesion and self-development because it represents a regression. The affects and feelings alone without current direct connections with human relationships are only a stopgap measure and do not provide the human empathy and understanding needed for further self-development. Varieties of Addictive Expression Other examples of physiologic processes, which produce intense sensations, affects, and primitive feelings, include sexual activity. Sexualization for purposes of stimulation of a dead self is frequent and addictive. In general, so-called masochistic behaviors of all types are probably more often the result of the desire and need to stimulate, even through pain, affects which will counter deadness and nothingness. They can be seen as the outgrowth of a motivation to be alive (self-cohesion enhancing) rather than a desire to be dead (selfdestructive). Behaviors such as promiscuity, exhibitionism, or voyeurism, seem to be sexualized attempts to fulfill nonsexual stimulating and calming self-needs, that is, mirroring, twinship, and idealization, which are necessary to help maintain a cohesive sense of self. Intense muscular exercise is well known to produce its "high" and to counter
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flict pathology (drive derivatives and defenses against them). Compulsion indicates forcea drive. The driveness in an addiction is more an intense need related to the failure of a developmentally needed important relationship. It is an intense clinging rather than a force; perhaps, a pull instead of a push. The addict believes that the loss of the addiction cannot be tolerated and that survival depends on the behavior. Indeed, the addiction has been used as an attempt to substitute for, or provide, that parental relationship which failed and was needed for further psychic development to take place. The psychoanalytic psychology of the self places self-selfobject relationships at the center of the psychic development and views drives as fragmentation products resulting from failures in those relationships (Kohut, 1977). A selfobject is defined as another who is perceived as part of the self and performs important functions involved in the development and regulation of a cohesive reliable sense of self over time and in space. The basic self-needs of mirroring and idealization are seen as clustering around the two poles of a bipolar self and representing, respectively, the grandioseexhibitionistic pole (ambition and goals) and the pole of ideals. Skills and talents occupy the intermediate area, and their appropriate development and use depends on a vital energizing connection between the two poles. Selfobjects, through empathic responsiveness, supply the basic needs stated above and are necessary in one form or another throughout life. As total empathic responsiveness is never possible, selfobject empathic failures occur, and if these are not massive and traumatic the selfobject functions will be internalized and made a unique part of the self. This process is referred to as transmuting internalization (Kohut, 1977) and results in the development of psychic structure. As self-development proceeds, selfobject need becomes less archaic, less concrete and person-represented, and more abstract and idea-represented. An addiction seems to reactivate affects and positive primitive feelings from the matrix of an archaic self-selfobject relationship which pridefully validated and confirmed, yet soothingly encouraged, further progress and self-development. This seems to be an attempt to re-create the healthier selfobject matrix which existed just prior to the traumatic selfobject failure so that further psychic development could take place. The addiction may be looked at as though it affectively repairs a serious empathic break with an important developmental selfobject and brings the hope of experiencing a different, more helpful selfobject response. However, this is an illusion (a ghost selfobject), and the comforting, encouraging affects and feelings are not the result of a current relationship with a human selfobject and never can truly supply empathic responsiveness and optimal frustration. In fact, the very nature of the addictive process further isolates the individual from current relationships with others. Peer-group involvement is made even more difficult to achieve, and appropriate mirroring, twinship, and idealization needs cannot be fulfilled. At what developmental step does the consistently faulty self-selfobject relationship occur? It appears to be that stage of development when children assertively make their move to give up their parents) as their only resource for self-enhancement and selfobject needs and move to other selfobjects for a broader, more developmentally effective set or series of resources. In the new scheme, the parent is included, but never again will have the level of importance as before. Peers and peer groups become more central in the child's psychological development. If the parent's own selfneeds are counter to this and the developmental process is resisted and discouraged by the parent, the child may not have the necessary selfobject support to take the step. The connection between parental attitudes and addictions is succinctly summarized by Kohut (1978); "Thus, in asking the crucial question concerning the factors in childhood that lead to the addiction-prone personality, we will say that, in the last analysis, and within certain limits, it is less important to determine what the parents do than what they are" (p. 850). At this phase of incomplete development of internal structures for self-validation, the child feels abandonment because of the selfobject withdrawal with resultant depletion and/or fragmentation of the self and regresses back to a former relationship with parental selfobjects and the reassuring affects arising from that level of development. As this is not a healthy situation for further development and causes serious harm but is persisted in for the purpose of maintenance of a sense of self, it is an addiction. The children become addicted to their parents (and the parents to their children). The addiction may continue throughout life by transference and displacement to spouses, therapists, and others, and to chemicals
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selfobject. We see many examples of both nonhuman animate (pets) and inanimate objects (toys) used to modulate affect and in so doing counter depletion and loss and allow for continued psychic cohesion. The transitional object is given up when the child has developed significant self-regulating structure and has begun to establish a series of mirroring and idealized selfobjects, other than parental, in the family and with neighborhood peers. Psychic structuralization never occurs to such a degree that the individual does not need empathic peer selfobject relationships and the modulated use of the transitional selfobject as well. The initiation of relationships within a peer group is a developmental step which further defines the self and is needed for fulfullment of legitimate selfobject functions. It provides a broader, safer supply of empathic selfobjects than was available with parental relationships alone. If this step is not adequately taken or if transmuting internalization of selfobject functions is not adequate because of an overwhelmingly traumatic early selfdevelopmental process, the use of the transitional object may be excessively prolonged and take on the characteristics of an addiction. Similarly Tolpin (1971) states, "I would emphasize that phenomenologically the behavior with the blanket is like an addiction" (p. 321). By addiction, we mean it is used to produce affective stimulation and soothing to attempt to maintain a continuous, cohesive, and alive nuclear self, but producing pathological results with regression and isolation from others as with other addictions. An addiction, in many ways, may be the vain attempt to repeat the function of the transitional object to reduce current frustration to optimal levels by the induction of a certain feeling state. "When the process of effective internalization of maternal regulatory functions is impaired, fixations on the transitional form of mental structure of regressions to earlier autoerotic mechanisms are the result" (Tolpin, 1971, p. 329). One might conclude that the transitional object and its affective prosthetic function may change in appearance tofitthe context of each succeeding developmental stage, but the function remains the same (i.e., the blanket in infancy may be replaced in later years by food, alcohol, sex, etc.). From the varied clinical pictures seen in addiction, it seems evident that the defects in selfdevelopment are also quite varied, from severe to mild. As the addiction progresses with its destructive effect on physical health, social interactions, personal goals, and self-esteem, further regression occurs. Internal regulatory structures, even if present, are overwhelmed. However, it must be realized that children who experience an early failure in parental empathy in regard to their need to develop further autonomy from parents persist in having a basic motivation to continue their self-development. Therefore, if the circumstances with their parental selfobjects change, they may totally or partially complete that developmental step or, at least, build compensatory structures with the help of later selfobjects. If there is a basic drive, perhaps it is a drive toward a greater and more elaborate self-developmenta higher sense of order to life and a greater use of talents. However, as stated by Kohut & Wolf (1978), "To begin with, it seems safe to assume that, strictly speaking, the neonate is still without a self. The newborn infant arrives physiologically pre-adapted for a specific physical environment . . . outside of which he cannot survive. Similarly, psychological survival requires a specific psychological environmentthe presence of responsive-empathic selfobjects" (p. 416). The process is begun by an intense self-selfobject relationship with parents and then, we believe, later must shift to an intense selfobject relationship with peer groups (peer selfobjects). Although, the development of the self is never complete, the major shift seems important to prevent the later development of addictions. The presence or absence and the relative strength of the internalized regulatory structure obtained from archaic parental selfobjects which supports self-cohesion enough to make and maintain that transition to an appropriate selfobject group is where the varied clinical pictures of addiction may arise. The use of the peer group, then, in addiction treatment is necessary. In order to provide the quality of empathic communication and optimal frustration so desperately needed by the severely addicted person, a group of peers with similar problems must become an integral part of that individual's daily life, with full commitment and involvement. This is especially important during the early stages of recovery. The importance of the peer group (self help) as a component in the treatment of addictions and other disorders of the self is also noted by Larke (1985). Individual therapy may be helpful, but only if it promotes and supports peer-group interaction. If it does not, it may cause the patient to experience the same trauma he or she experienced
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