ABSTRACT
In Western society, availability and use of alcohol and drugs is widespread and increasing, as are the problems associated with misuse. The attitudes and expectations of family, friends and society at large have a powerful influence on the outcome for the individual, as with many other psychological problems. This chapter considers how much personal choice and responsibility is involved in addictions and in overcoming them. Addiction has physical, psychological and social effects because people not only become addicted to the drug itself but also become entirely enmeshed in the addicted lifestyle. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is regularly attacked in the press on the grounds that its members replace one addiction with another, by becoming dependent on AA. The field of psychodynamics is basically concerned with elucidating the positive and negative psychological influences on the human developmental process in terms of psychological growth. C. G Jung treated many patients who were addicted to alcohol in the course of his working life.
