WHAT PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ADDICTION - Essay Example

Most methods, however, still maintain that it is the personality trends, whether conscious or unconscious, that drive human behavior. Applying psychodynamics as a tool to analyze the nature of drug addiction can be accomplished with a comprehensive understanding of the theoretical perspectives from recognized leaders in the field. Addiction can be described as a complex process and set of behaviors with multiple determinants and multiple functions. Drug addiction is understood to be an adaptive pursuit for providing relief from painful feelings and to create the illusion of control (Bell et al).

Recognizing this type of addiction as a means to mentally alter the perception of reality and as a mechanism to suppress negative emotions can be directly tied to Sigmund Freud, arguably the most influential figure in psychology, theorized that the basis of personality centered around three distinct characteristics in which he labeled the id, the ego, and the superego. Freuds analysis of the dimensions of personality development is that the unconscious (the id) is completely intact from birth and, essentially, acts as the center for subliminal instinct and desire.

The ego, on the other hand, acts as a regulatory structure in personality that functions both consciously and unconsciously in order to logically assess the drives of the id. The ego, according to Freud, bridges the gap between id and superego to prevent a person from acting unrealistically to the demands of the external environment. The superego, therefore, is the personality component that weighs morality against decision-making. Each of the traits of these personality constructs theoretically work together to create a harmonious relationship between the unconscious and the conscious.

According to Freud, an overactive id would dominate both the ego and superego resulting in behaviors based not on logic, but on satisfying the