On the trail of Sisyphus – addiction as an existential neurosis?

Frontiers in Psychiatry

Psychiatry

Human-Friedrich Unterrainer¹ 

[1] Faculty of Psychotherapy Science, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna, Austria;Center for Integrative Addiction Research (CIAR), Grüner Kreis Association, Vienna, Austria;Institute for Religious Studies, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria;University Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria;Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria;

关键词: work addiction;    existential therapy;    mythology;    addiction;    search for meaning;    spirituality;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1243792

 received in 2023-06-21, accepted in 2023-08-15,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, king of the Corinthians, dared to deceive the gods and was condemned to roll a boulder to the top of a mountain for all eternity. Shortly before reaching the summit, however, the boulder rolled back down into the valley, and the arduous task had to begin anew. Many of the contents of this classic myth are reminiscent of the therapeutic approach to addictive disorders. In addiction therapy, too, it is often a long and rocky road that ends with a relapse. The therapeutic effort was not entirely in vain, but one often begins to doubt its usefulness. In terms of Sisyphus and a Bio-Psycho-Social Model (BPSM) of health and disease, addiction can be located at the end of a downward spiral. By extension of the BPSM, can addictive disease be considered an expression of existential neurosis? The results of our own research speak in favor of this and show a clearly reduced experience of sense and meaning, but also diminished feelings of hope and forgiveness in addiction patients. However, positive correlations between various parameters of existential well-being and mental health or more appropriate stress coping are also found for the addiction group. These results are supported by neuronal correlates and are mirrored in the general population. Based on this, the consideration of existential issues in addiction therapy can be discussed. Finally, the use of art therapy and work training are proposed as examples of a meaning based therapeutic intervention in dealing with people with addictive diseases.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Unterrainer.