Adolescence, addictive disorders and psychopathology. Between the brain systems of reward and the self-regulation

Abstract

The author analyzes certain aspects of the psychopathology of addictions in adolescence, from a psychoanalytical and neurobiological point of view. Within the field of present psychopathology we frequently find problems related with use and abuse of substances, particularly in adolescent therapy. Impulsivity, violence, marginalization, and primitive phantasies appear in the setting along with the functioning of the “addictive brain”. Several aspects of vulnerability in adolescence, like depressive symptoms or narcissistic unbalance are connected with two basic principles in addiction: 1) drugs as a mean of obtaining pleasure, and 2) drugs as self regulators. The paper also describes the brain reward systems and the effect of drugs as neurotransmitters within the framework of intersubjectivity. A social approach completes the interdisciplinary work and enables us to use different explanatory models.