Games Abstainers Play

Abstract

The authors review transactional analysis (TA) approaches to treating addicted clients and describe the stages of the psychotherapeutic process in such work. They use clinical examples to illustrate a new TA conceptualization of recovery from alcohol addiction and problems that recovering clients may face. Such problems often relate to clients’ engagement in so-called “dry” games, which sometimes involve their therapists and relatives. The authors discuss the implications of these games for therapy aiming at clients’ complete recovery. The article singles out two types of recovery: Type 1, which corresponds to transference cure and is incomplete, and Type 2, which corresponds to script redecision and represents an ultimate treatment goal in the therapy of addictions.

Keywords:

• Alcohol
• addiction
• psychotherapy
• abstinence
• recovery
• cure
• script
• games
• transactional analysis

Disclosure Statement

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Dmitri I. Shustov

Dmitri I. Shustov, MD, PhD, Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), is professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry of the I. P. Pavlov Ryazan State Medical University (named after I. P. Pavlov). Dr. Shustov runs a transactional analysis training program in Moscow and maintains a private practice in Ryazan and Moscow. His professional interests are focused on the treatment of substance use disorders and self-destructive behavior. He can be reached at 26A Grazhdanskaya Str., Ryazan, 390000 Russia; email: [email protected].

Olga D. Tuchina

Olga D. Tuchina is a psychologist and a university teacher in the Department of Medical and Social Rehabilitation for Substance Use Disorders of the People’s Friendship University of Russia. She also maintains a private practice in Moscow. She can be reached at 13-679 Marshala Golovanova Str., Moscow, 109144 Russia.

Tatiana V. Agibalova

Tatiana V. Agibalova, MD, PhD, Certified Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy), is chair of the Department of Medical and Social Rehabilitation for Substance Use Disorders of the People’s Friendship University of Russia and chair of the Psychotherapy, Psychology and Rehabilitation Department of Moscow Treatment and Research Centre for Substance Use Disorders. She can be reached at 20-453 Ugreshskaya Str., Dzerzhinsky, Moscow Oblast, 140091 Russia; email: [email protected].