title: Narrative and attachment in the process of recovery from substance misuse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to illustrate the individual accounts of a small group of substance misusers who had found psychological therapy helpful in their recovery from substance misuse. The study also aimed to highlight the roles that the psychologists played within these narratives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Narrative analysis, a qualitative design, was used to capture the unique recovery narratives of substance users who had received psychological therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven participants (three males and four females, age range 40-54 years, six White British, one White European) were recruited via clinical psychologists from an addictions psychology department and participated in 60-90 min interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of the recovery narratives resulted in an overarching theme; role of the psychologists as a secure attachment figure leading to the development of surrogate internal working models, and the following subthemes which developed and maintained the attachments: closeness and proximity leading to positive expectations about the relationship, safe haven leading to increasing capacities for affect regulation, secure base leading to the experience of being able to mentalize regarding ones mental states and associated actions, and separation distress leading to internalizing the psychologists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study analysed the personal accounts of seven substance misusers regarding their use of psychological therapy in their recovery. The relationship between the therapists and the clients developed as a result of the psychologists serving as secure attachment figures, and providing closeness and proximity, a safe haven and a secure base to the clients. Clients' separation distress also led to the internalizing of the psychologists. Future studies are needed to tease out which substance user clients would most be suited to the above approach. Measures of newer more adaptive internal working models could then be applied to relationships outside of therapy to see in what way the newer, more flexible, and transferable IWMs were truly internalized and influential in the recovering minds of substance misusers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical Psychologists can play a vital role in the recovery of substance misusers who are ready to work through their psychological recovery. Forming a positive therapeutic relationship is dependent on the psychologists fulfilling the role of positive attachment figures for the clients.
authors.affiliation: Eastern and Coastal Kent Older Adults Psychological Service, Kent and Medway Health and Social Care Partnership Trust, Sittingbourne, Kent, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holttum
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Perrin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033262:Narration; D009769:Object Attachment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013811:Psychotherapeutic Processes; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*