ABSTRACT
Both addiction and grief can be conceptualized as pathological forms of attachment. It is therefore unsurprising that they share similar neurodevelopmental trajectories and dysfunctional processing within the striatum, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, reward pathways, and hormonal systems. Using a neuroscientific lens, this chapter will explore the complex relationship between attachment formation, addiction, and grief by highlighting the shared neurological underpinnings and potential treatment options aimed at reestablishing neuroplasticity. Through examining the neural processes that motivate us to seek out and maintain attachments, this chapter demonstrates how those processes can lead to the development of maladaptive attachments with substances of abuse, and how they are altered when an attachment is lost. The comorbid nature of grief and addiction and how they may inform each other is also explored. By gaining a better understanding of the neurological foundations of both addiction and grief, practitioners can aid in the development of therapeutic practices aimed at helping clients detach from their addictions and disruptive attachments.
