Addiction and the Paradoxical Theory of Change

I was recently in a psychotherapy group and we were discussing the paradoxical theory fo change. This is the theory from gestalt circles that suggests true change occurs as a side-effect of organismic growth. Organismic growth is what happens when we make full contact with our experience. This thinking offers the idea that actually the more you try to be something you’re not, the more you’ll stay right where you are, i mean think about it, the more you have tried to be something you are not, how hard is that and do you return to what was?

This got me thinking about the conditions and skills needed in the field I work in. Addiction is an adaptation to help people survive, regulate emotion, desensitise and more. To truly make changes this theory would suggest that setting people up with goals that seems distanced from where they are currently at, or not of them, would only contribute to the fixed cycle or the impasse. In therapeutic circles we would look to create the therapeutic alliance and spaces where people can experience becoming more fully yourself, develop a more holistic awareness of who you are; your thoughts, feelings, behaviours, actions, sensation, introjects etc.
As the awareness grows, you can make authentic contact with self in relation to self, other and environment. Yontef (1988) says that awareness offers more flexibility and choice, in the addiction sector this is called RECOVERY. This them permits the organic growth as mentioned above.

In this process, as people make meaning and wrestle with trauma and their life lived they move to the edge of their present self-concept. in this space you can then take risks with what you are willing to be aware of and make contact with, growth can occur. If you are genuinely able to your authentic self and let go of your self-image (who you would like to be, told you must be or through stigma) you change.’ (Mackewn. 1997).

We must always be aware because as the addiction process and adaptations are made, beliefs are constructed about self and the world. This might and often will bring and inner conflict where people can become divided against themselves, with an expectation that we will find part of them unwelcome or undesirable. This can result in a breakdown of communication, increased substance use, other risk taking behaviour and impact on mental health and wellbeing. the pace of this process is key and must be centred on the tolerance of the person seeking awareness.

Within treatment services at the minute and over the years, the success I see is when people supporting take on the role of being a CHANGE AGENT, become an active research partner with people to help find out about their ways of being in the world and how these support or undermine their desires – investigate all the forces for and against change within the intrapsychic script and the field their lives are influenced by.

Creative indifference (Fertile Void and the Zero Point) is a critical and essential attitude in practicing the gestalt approach and becoming a CHANGE AGENT but crucial when thinking about addiction and dependency. Over the years, I have met many people on their recovery journeys as well as so many compassionate people ready to support. The idea of creative indifference is that when supporting someone we hold a therapeutic/ supportive stance that means the person supporting surrenders to the between of the therapeutic relationship, in whatever guise this is (making every contact count https://www.makingeverycontactcount.co.uk) and in doing so equalises the relationship and, with awareness and support ensures we do not create another dependency or where possible avoid repetition in a persons life by becoming someones critic, rescuer, victim or other historic enactments. If w e get stuck here and lack a person, local or systemic awareness of this we too could become part fo the cycle of addiction within a persons field and many years later we may see that nothing is changing accept the emotional, traumatic, social and health consequences to the person trying to separate from dependency as well as all the families, people and others in the field of that person as we align with rather than challenge the process.

As with all that I write, i’m always open to feedback, reflections and thoughts to continue my learning so please do share with me if you have some time.

System change is needed, but only if it builds on the assets and learning we have #DevelopmentalTrauma #HumanityFirst #Change