Addiction as a Relationship: When Substance Use Becomes a Way of Regulating the Psyche
In public discourse, addiction is often described in oversimplified terms. At times, it is viewed as a moral failure, at others as a sign of weak character, and more recently, as a purely biological ‘brain disease. None of these approaches is entirely wrong. Yet none of them is sufficient Η κλινική εμπειρία, αλλά και η […]
Addiction as a Response to Social Decline and Loss of Meaning
When we talk about addiction, our perspective often becomes narrow. It focuses on the substance, the behavior, the ‘wrong choice’—as if the problem exists exclusively within the individual. However, both history and therapeutic practice suggest something different: addictions do not emerge in a vacuum. They arise during periods of social distress, disconnection, and loss of […]
Addiction as an Identity Story
A Narrative and Sociological Approach to Addiction Therapy Addiction is often treated as an individual pathology or a lack of self-control. This dominant perspective, though widespread, overlooks a crucial factor: identity. In practice, addiction is not just about the relationship with a substance or a behavior, but about a person’s relationship with themselves and the […]
Holidays and Substance Use: When Joy Coexists with Difficulty
Holidays are often described as a period of light, connection, and rest. In public discourse, they appear almost monochromatic: family dinners, smiles, wishes, “let’s have a good time.” However, in clinical practice, and often in people’s private experience, holidays are something more complex. They are a period when emotions that remain on the periphery throughout […]
When Addiction Says ‘I’m in Control’: How We Reclaim Our Own Voice Through Narrative Therapy
Addiction’s Frequent Phrase: ‘I’m in Control’ In psychotherapeutic practice with individuals striving to negotiate their relationship with addiction, a phrase recurs repeatedly: “I’m in control.” I encounter it very frequently, and almost never do I hear it as a sign of weakness. On the contrary, I view it as a human endeavor for stability, normalcy, […]