Abstract
Addiction is viewed as resulting from a failure in the separation-individuation process. Due to lack of reliable selfobjects and failure to make transmuting internalizations, the addict remains dependent upon “transmuting externalizations” in an attempt to incorporate soothing objects into the self. As comfort provided by transmuting externalizations cannot be internalized into the self, the process inevitably fails. Treatment of addiction is thus conceived here as a multimodal strategy to help addicts complete separation-individuation and make transmuting internalizations of the soothing and realistic capacities of the therapist and peer group members.
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Graham, A., Glickauf-Hughes, C. Object relations and addiction: The role of “transmuting externalizations”. J Contemp Psychother 22, 21–33 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00952339
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00952339