ABSTRACT
Addiction is an attachment disorder, a disease of isolation, which may be expressed through substances or compulsive behaviors. Substances include alcohol, nicotine, stimulants (cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine), opiates (heroine, oxycodone, fentanyl), sedatives (benzodiazepines, barbiturates), and hallucinogens (marijuana, LSD, psilocybin, peyote, ayahuasca, ketamine). Compulsive behaviors involve the dysfunctional use of food, money (gambling and shopping), sex and the Internet.
Bowlby’s work on attachment validates the use of group psychotherapy and mutual support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous to support recovery from addiction. A focus on attachment is readily integrated with relational perspectives to group psychotherapy as well as psychodynamically oriented approaches. Successful treatment leads to a secure base of attachment and effective affect regulation. The secure base of attachment allows the instinctual interacting systems to engage in careseeking, caregiving and exploration in the service of recovery. Implications of attachment theory for virtual groups include attention to time boundaries and absence of physical engagement.
