title: Ego development, dragon fights, and chronic drug abusers.
abstract: Developmental antecedents of adult behavior are described for four matched groups of chronic drug users (cocaine, amphetamine, opiates, barbiturates, and sedative-hypnotics) and a comparable group of nonusers, each group having been studied intensively for approximately 1.5 years. Integration is provided by a theory that views psychological development as a series of ego transformations, which appear metaphorically in legend and mythology as dragon fights. Each group is characterized theoretically by a core conflict, an upper limit on individuation, and a typical character. Results imply that radically new approaches to psychological treatment may be needed, especially for chronic users of barbiturates, opiates, and cocaine.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000661:Amphetamine; D001463:Barbiturates; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003042:Cocaine; D004532:Ego; D006801:Humans; D007207:Individuation; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009229:Mythology; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010553:Personality Development; D011582:Psychological Theory; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D001463:Barbiturates; D000661:Amphetamine; D003042:Cocaine