Attachment and addiction. Addiction attachment: Or: How can I avoid getting caught up in it?

This paper explores how attachment-oriented thinking can be implemented in the 'Chratten Addiction Therapy' programme and how entanglements in the therapeutic relationship can be avoided. The findings are presented in the form of illustrative tables and serve as a potential practical tool. In Part I, Bowlby's concept of attachment theory is explained to facilitate an understanding of attachment; attachment disorders in the context of psychopathology are examined; and the link between an insecure attachment style and the risk of mental illness is highlighted. Furthermore, connections between attachment styles and addictive behaviour are demonstrated, and study findings are presented which argue against a general link between a single attachment pattern and substance use disorders. The fundamentals of attachment-oriented psychotherapy are presented, along with its specific features in the context of substance dependence. In Part II, the findings are interpreted and their implications for therapeutic practice are discussed, whilst the fundamental importance of attachment theory for psychotherapeutic treatment is explored.