ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a theory of psychological individuation to inferences drawn from an 8-year series of clinical studies of men who practice heavy, chronic use of different drugs. The theory postulates that the predisposition to heavy, chronic drug use originates early in life; and that heavy chronic use of a particular substance results from failure or partial success in meeting a particular challenge of normal individuation. A theory is described which conceives adolescent substance abuse as rooted in dysfunctional relationships with parental figures which block or delay the normal individuation process. Some investigations which study only drug users who are incarcerated or in treatment may present an inaccurate picture of substance abusers for such persons are likely to show more personality disturbance than substance abusers who are free. The adolescent substance abuser is a person who is having difficulty "putting away childish things," letting go of past behaviors, and accepting the new ones of the future.
