STRING FOR POWER AND DRUG. ABUSE-RESEARCH ACCORDING TO THE ADLERIAN MODEL

Abstract

The autor deals with the possible relationships between the “phenomenon narcissism” and the “phenomenon drug”. She summarizes the point of view of the Freudian school on this theme. Abraham is mentionned with his hypothesis on oral narcissist regression in drug abuses,
with a latent origin tied to the removal of homosexuality. The work then synthetizes the Junghian point of view. As far as drug dependencies are concerned, the text dwells more upon the von Franz theories, which outline the features of the neurotic personality of the “puer aeternus” that are fundamentally narcissistic. It is possible to see in this context, the drug addict situation deprived of the social responsability sense and attracted by estatic revolutions. The text dwells more upon the hypothesis of Individual Psychology, remembering how Adler compared alcoholics and drug addicts, ascribing them the life style of the spoilt child outstretched to exploit his parents, with his own private logic.
The text then deals with Schaffer who broadens this view, by describing the passage from a later on frustrated selfovervaluation to an escape from the reality of life, sometimes this escape leads to drug abuse. Always within an Adlerian framework, the author presents the views of Steffenhagen, who links drug usage to a low level of self-esteem, then those of Parenti and Pagani who dwell upon a consequent, hypertrophic sense of “right to receive”, and then those of Coimpan on narcissism deriving from an excessive idealization from the mother, followed by a withdrawal of cathexis from others in favour of one-self. The text develops the theme of the relationship between narcissism and drug abuse, underlining in the personal story of the drug dependents a childish hyperprotection which later leads, after environmental frustrations, to isolation in an unreal world of egocentric almightyness, supported, paradoxically, by drug abuse. The study concludes with the description of two cases, observed during a psychotherapeutic treatment, the Adlerian analysis brings on the surface the subjective dynamics founded on the ambivalence “inferiority-superiority” and the unproductive narcissistic compensation into which drug use appears insertable