Models of Repression in Relation of Addiction

Some thoughts riddled with tangents and asides...

Presuppositions: Repression (I use the term liberally) is integrated into consciousness not only as a defense mechanism but more broadly as a tool of social cohesion. Psyche suppresses itself circumstantially as is appropriate in every environment - socially/culturally and in any interaction with other psyche, whether that is a direct contact or a perceived one with a collective consciousness( IE society, nation/state, ect.), unless the emotional stimulus transcends the bearable threshold, or unless the vehicle for which consciousness has to express itself is so damaged that it is not able to repress or subdue itself enough to adhere to "the rules' (IE Tourette's Syndrome).

We therefore are constantly repressing or subduing our emotions, thoughts, speech, expressions and feelings both consciously and unconsciously (Unconsciously these mechanisms are "zoned out" like driving a car or repeating an action that you have done a thousand times - the action of restraining ones speech ect. as appropriate has been ingrained through thorough enculturation and thousands of hours of rote learning and is not actively thought of without effort of will to focus on the thought processes taking place, they are merely automatic) as a means of maintaining the societal fabric. Again this a learned cultural behavior- politeness and etiquette just being the words we use to affix to our rules of peaceful cohabitation. Each and every type of conditioning is used to enforce these rules and consequently psyche is "limited" in the sense that it is not the fullest expression of self, but rather self within the constraints of a maintained social hierarchy. We (an over generalization - "for the most part" would be more realistic) suppress thoughts, word and deeds that would be perceived as others as hurtful or rude. This allows our consciousness to exist with others' and allows it to grow/learn increasing its own chances for survival along with the other consciousnesses it commingles with. (I see this as an evolutionary mechanism - the universal propensity for integration and collaboration - the formation of unicellular organisms having come from smaller organisms that agreed to specialize cell functioning to increase chance of survival and share a cell, then these unicellular organisms coming together to form colonial organisms, which then formed multicellular organisms capable of retaining a larger capacity for awareness [consciousness] which IS analogous to these consciousnesses banding together at first in kin affiliation, then extending this recognition of "sameness" to church, state, then nation and soon [hopefully] to the entire species. It is analogous if not the same process, our consciousness within a larger societal whole is like the specialization of T-Cells or lymphocytes in the immune system, we remain parts of the same organism while having drastically different functions or individuality.)

How this interacts with Alcoholism: The disinhibitory and more importantly the dissociative neurological effects of alcohol abuse remove the barrier actively in place separating the psyche from emotions / thoughts that may be unpleasant. This removes the veil from the conscious to the preconcious, subconcious and unconscious - in Freudian terms it is like descending down the ladder of ego, superego and id. It is a forced shift in consciousness through the psychoactive properties of the alcoholic agent which opens the proverbial Pandora's box (in relation to alcoholism Louis XV's "apres moi le deluge" seems an apt reminder). This in itself, is inevitable, "for each action there is an equal and opposite reaction", this being the counter-balance or snap back of the rubber band type reaction to the repression of the different facets of psyche. (I see this as evinced in the Alcoholism rates of western-european countires with a more austere, rigid, strict or repressive zeitgeist - Germany, England and the US all have higher alcoholism rates per capita than their easy going contemporaries Spain, France and Italy. Having a siesta, or not having a drinking age alleviates some of the pressures put on self by society). So as intoxication increases psyche now dwells (or rather, can dwell) in the deep well of emotions and repressed thoughts - which is accounted for in our biological/medical apocrypha - as the brain uses the frontal cortex less and less and relies more heavily on the drama queen of the limbic system. Under even heavier amounts of drinking complete dissociation can take place, where the once compartmentalized aspects of consciousness can now assume the driver's seat, so to speak, and in reaction suppress the weakened everyday managerial thought process that normally has the controls. This internal rearrangement of the psyche is commonly known as a blackout, where a different aspect of psyche wields control over the physical vehicle. This dissociation is very similar to a fugue state although here the causes are external, the mechanisms are nearly identical. When these repressed/suppressed parts of being are given/take control their primary objective is the satisfaction of repressed desires (surprise!) : from acting out, violent behavior, to overeating and sex (of course). This process is the equivalent of letting a toddler drive a Mack truck.

For those of us who exist in communities or larger societies where individual expression is limited by the state or by any other controlling entity, or for those of us who use repression as their primary defense mechanism, the danger of alcoholism(or addiction?) is greater, as the caged portion of self desires to be free to roam. The higher the amount of self suppressed the greater the desire for that aspect to be released. Once alcohol abuse begins to be habituated this compartmentalized or fractal aspect of self wishes to continually be in control. After having a taste of power, those aspects of self are reluctant to surrender control of the vehicle back to the dominant portion of consciousness - and this fractal self, being released, builds a "backdoor" so that it can continually gain control while its host is intoxicated. This, in my opinion, is the force behind the progressive nature of alcoholism, and the loss of will and control alcoholics so commonly describe. The description of alcoholism as a spiritual disease by those in AA is very fitting, as it appears to me to be self battling self, and usually our repression is so fundamental to our core identity and so steeped in denial that this battle feels hopeless against a foe that is cunning and ineffable.

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The only solution, that I can see, to really heal the actual problem is too reintegrate the self and develop other cognitive mechanisms for handling life. The reintegration of self would need to be a process designed to "reboot" the system by breaking it down and building it back up again, which would most likely be very unpleasant. Cognitive practices afterward would likely be centered on focus and reflection on all stimulus as they occurr coupled with mature responses like sublimation, humor, ect.

- DJV