ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the possible implications of chaos theory, or the study of dynamical systems, for understanding the etiology and treatment of substance abuse or dependence. It argues that chaos theory can be usefully applied to the progressive oscillation of 'wet' and 'dry' states at both the levels of the individual and the ecological systems context. The chapter illustrates a quasi-periodic bifurcating behavior pattern in which shifts in the client's drinking are contextualized and made meaningful by corresponding evolutions in his feelings of shame, social rituals, and employment status. It shows how several difficulties of linear models of substance abuse can be clarified within the conceptual framework of chaos theory. These concepts will now be applied to describe nonlinearities in the individual trajectories of three male alcoholics, each of whom the first author worked with in outpatient group chemical dependency treatment as well as in individual psychotherapy for over five years.
