The Investigation Of The Reasons For Substance Use And Family And Social Relationship Experiences Of Male Addicts Within The Framework Of Self Psychology

Fatumatu Zehra Ercan / Dr. Selcuk University, Turkey f.zehraercan@gmail.com

Introduction: Addiction tendency is an important health problem affected by biological, psychological, social and cultural factors and affecting the system in which the individual lives. The important determinants of the addiction problem are thought to be emotional regulation capacity, family relations, and social relations of the individual. The development of emotion regulation skills is directly related to the primary caregiver. When parental relations within the family are not functional enough to meet the needs of the individual, dysfunctions can occur in the social envi- ronment. The failure to meet the needs in social relations can cause addiction problems. According to Heinz Kohut, the founder of self-psychology, the self is constructed by experiences associated with self-objects. Although emo- tion regulation is more related to the primary caregiver, it is shaped by the relationship between self, self-object, and ideal parent imago. While children’s social worlds are expanding, peer relationships also play a decisive role in the development of the self. This study focused on how addicts experience parental and social relationships. Aim of the study: The study aimed to investigate the reasons for substance use of addicted individuals and how they experience parental and social relationships within the framework of self-psychology. In this context, the relationship between substance abuse and relationship systems was discussed within the framework of Kohut’s theory of self-psychology. Method: The study has a qualitative design. Qualitative research was thought to be appropriate as it allows to gain a deeper insight into experiences and relationships. Data Collection Tools: The Demographic Information Form and the semi-structured Interview Form were used to collect data. Participants: The study sample consisted of 20 male individuals between the ages of 22-28, residing in Konya, Turkey with experience of alcohol and substance addiction. The participants were reached through the snowball sampling method. The interviews were conducted face to face. Findings: No gender discrimination was observed in the research plan; however, only male addicts could be reached. The participants stated that they used the addictive substance mostly to feel good and regulate their emotions. The two thirds of the participants reported that their parents were uncaring in their childhood. They reported that in par- ticular they had an unfunctional, disconnected, conflicted, and distant relationship with their father. In addition, the statements of the participants revealed that the addiction phenomenon has had a determining and limiting effect on their social environment. Conclusion: The participants stated that they generally used addictive substances to feel good and to meet their emotion regulation needs. Emotion regulation skill is often associated with the primary caregiver, the self-object mother.There were positive and negative comments about the relationship with the mother during the interviews. However, the dysfunctions in their relationships with their father was often similar. It has been observed that paternal functions and relations with the father are important. The self-reports of the participants re- vealed that they were exposed to exclusion when their social environment learned that they were addicted and they were included in social relations consisting of addicts like themselves. They acquired twin-mirroring needs through the addiction process, which makes it difficult to break the addiction cycle.

Keywords: Substance Abuse, Emotion Regulation, Parental Relationships, Social Relationships, Self-Psychology.