Speaker
Description
The theory of rite of passage has long been used in clinical and developmental psychology as an explanatory notion for crises, trauma-related conditions, and addictions. A liminal hotspot (unlike the liminoid), is the state of being stuck in the liminal phase of the transition, leading to emotional overheat and burnout (Greco & Stenner, 2017). A liminal hotspot is an impasse in the order of the transition process, establishing a context of entrapment/helplessness. In late modern environments, consumerist patterns support the use of identity prostheses instead of genuine transformations, and reinforce craving, a mechanism conducive to excessive consumption. Substance use disorder (SUD), an ideal-typical pathology in these societies, is characterized by the inherent paradoxes and conflicts of the consumer: the controlled loss of control finally proving uncontrollable, forced sustainment of unsustainable lifestyles, and being paralyzed while in the process of change. We used a deductive thematic analysis to explore liminal hotspots in the life stories of novel psychoactive substance users diagnosed with SUD. We could identify double bind patterns, enmeshment of boundaries in users’ families, and lack of resources to support identity transformations. Addicts recreate liminal hotspots through their use. The resulting emotional overheat seems unmanageable without drug use, which in turn maintains entrapment in a liminal hotspot. Employing ritual elements to promote identity transition from user to recovering identities is part of the therapeutic practice in several institutions for persons with SUD. We conclude that studying liminal hotspots could add to our understandings and the enhancement of current therapeutic practices.
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