The aim of this paper is to explore two family models frequently observed during sessions with drug addiction patients: performance-oriented functioning families and, on the other hand, those families with affect-oriented functioning.
Based on over thirty years of clinical experience and observation, this paper analyses how these models affect the genesis and preservation of the addiction, focusing on the psychic mechanism related to the object relationship and the structuring of the “Self”.
Performance-oriented functioning families deny emotional needs, in favor of concrete and tangible achievements, whilst affect-oriented functioning families are characterized by an emotional enmeshment that can hinder self-sufficiency.
Ultimately, the article concludes by highlighting the importance of a specific intervention aimed at restructuring such family dynamics.