Review article

https://doi.org/10.24869/spsih.2019.497

Dynamics of Shame in Psychotherapy of Alcoholics

Zrnka Kovačić Petrović orcid.org/0000-0001-8763-9090 ; School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, and University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia
Tina Peraica orcid.org/0000-0001-7098-3282 ; University Hospital Dubrava, Department of Psychiatry, Referral Center for Stress-Related Disorders of the Ministry of Health, Zagreb, Croatia; University Department for Forensic Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Dragica Kozarić-Kovačić orcid.org/0000-0003-3239-2056 ; University Department for Forensic Sciences, University of Split, Split, Croatia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to highlight the psychodynamic role of shame in alcoholism and its importance in the psychotherapeutic treatment of alcoholics. Alcoholics are often emotionally immature and have a shame-based personality. Shame has strongly influenced the development of their identity and led to deeply ingrained feelings of mistrust, guilt, inferiority, and isolation. Group psychotherapy is the first line of psychotherapeutic treatment of alcoholism, but its successfulness is limited by the fact that alcoholics find joining and staying in a group quite difficult due to a shame-based script system and accompanying anxiety and emotional lability. We discuss the styles of psychotherapeutic groups that may be more effective with alcoholics. A review of published literature indicated the lack of integrative psychotherapeutic treatment.

Keywords

Alcoholism; Addictive Behavior; Shame; Group Psychotherapy

Hrčak ID:

232535

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/232535

Publication date:

31.12.2019.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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