PSY BEH 164C Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Codependency
21 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Nov 21, 2017
Involving & Working with Family
Background:
Including a significant other (SO) adds whole new layer of complexity
oFamily dynamics
oTraining in couples' therapy
Including SO can significantly increase chances of recovery
Addiction is hard on family members and relationships
Recovery & Relationships
Disproportionate number of relationships end after addiction treatment
Addiction is likely not only source of conflict in relationship
oHard to remember what it was like before addiction
oBuried conflicts come to light
oRedistribution of power and roles in relationship
Direction of conflict and drinking reciprocal
Most relationships stabilize and improve wit treatment
oEnough worsen to warrant attention
History of Ideas:
Disturbed Spouse Hypothesis
o1940
oPsychodynamic
Wives had deep-rooted personality problems themselves
Women sought out alcoholic husbands to meet own unconscious needs
Wife would sabotage man's attempt to quite drinking
Individual psychotherapy for wife
Codependence Hypothesis
Addiction is "family disease": both addicted person and family
members have complementary and interlocking disorders
o"Codependence" - preexisting personality pathology/disease
Symptoms: emotional pain, inability to recognize one's own needs and
illness, high tolerance for inappropriate behavior, compulsive dishonesty and
pretending
None of these hypotheses have been supported with research
Family Adjustment Model
Spouses and other family members do show high levels of emotional distress
Stress-coping hypothesis
oBehaviors represent normal adjusted reaction to addictive behavior of loved
one
Teach family to reinforce sobriety
oPart of CRAFT
Al-Anon
Al-Anon: for those whose loved one struggles with addiction
"loving detachment": give up attempts to influence loved one's drinking; powerfless
over loved one's drinking
Focus on own well-being
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
