Addiction as a Dissociative Healing Mechanism
The conceptual redefinition of addiction, as articulated in O’Brien’s work (2023a), fundamentally challenges established psychological paradigms by postulating that Addiction is a healing response/solution rather than a primary disease. This perspective is critical within the larger framework of Systemic Pathology/Dysfunction, arguing that the pervasive implicit irony and incompetence in professional and governmental systems stem directly from their failure to recognize and operationalize this core psychological truth.
I. Operational Definition: Addiction as a Dissociative Healing Mechanism
The sources assert that modern psychology’s categorization of addiction as a disease is flawed, and instead provide an operational definition that ties addiction directly to psychological coping strategies related to trauma.
A. Trauma-Related Dissociation
Addiction is operationally defined as Trauma-Related Dissociation. This definition establishes that dependence is the measure of the addictive state. Because dissociation is not a disease, but rather a normal response to all too common traumatic or stressful events, addiction itself is viewed as a dissociative healing response.
The physical expression of this mechanism is that the addictive behavior represents an unconscious choice conditioned into the physical body that is living dissociated to heal. Therefore, dissociation is conceptualized as the start to the healing process. In this revised framework, addictions are classified as transdiagnostic and transferable.
B. The Psychological Unconscious as the Context
This healing response is deeply connected to the psychological unconscious. The sources posit that the physical body is the psychological unconscious that “keeps the score” of trauma and emotional content. When the rational, conscious mind experiences trauma, the body dissociates to cope; addiction becomes the dependent mechanism used by the system to maintain this dissociation and avoid confronting the full reality of the trauma.
II. Systemic Pathology and the Misinterpretation of Addiction
The failure of the established professional system—particularly the DSM and formalized psychology—to define addiction and dissociation accurately sustains the system’s pathology and prevents moral maturity.
A. Addiction to Not Knowing
The systemic failure to recognize addiction as a solution results in an institutionalized psychological defense: an addiction to not knowing (amnesia/denial). This denial is necessary because recognizing addiction as a trauma response would force systems to acknowledge their own role in creating societal trauma and their resulting dysfunction. The system’s insistence that addiction is a disease confirms its pathological state, keeping the “sick psychological professions sick with the ‘disease’ that they don’t know they have”.
B. Addiction as Solution, Not Problem
The central irony is that the system focuses on eradicating symptoms, viewing addiction as a problem, when it should recognize that addictions are not wrong, they are the solutions. This misperception leads to the enforcement of policies and laws based on flawed moral logic, rather than evidence-based healing principles.
By understanding addiction as a healing response to trauma, the focus shifts from punishment and legal enforcement (such as the War on Drugs and illegal COVID mandates) to moral-ethical action, recovery, and healing. This recovery framework is necessary to correct the “abusive marriage” dynamic perpetuated by systems living dissociated from their values.
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References
O’Brien, A. (2023a). Addiction as Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Addictive State. International University of Graduate Studies. (Dissertation). Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/courses/addiction-as-dissociation-model-course/
O’Brien, A. (2023b). Memory Reconsolidation in Psychedelics Therapy. In Path of the Wounded Healer: A Dissociative-Focused Phase Model for Normative and Pathological States of Consciousness: Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/courses/addiction-as-dissociation-model-course/
O’Brien, A. (2023c). Path of the Wounded Healer: A Dissociative-Focused Phase Model for Normative and Pathological States of Consciousness: Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2024a). Healer and Healing: The re-education of the healer and healing professions as an advocation. Re-educational and Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2024e). Path of the Wounded Healers for Thrivers: Perfectionism, Altruism, and Ambition Addictions; Re-education and training manual for Abusers, Activists, Batterers, Bullies, Enablers, Killers, Narcissists, Offenders, Parents, Perpetrators, and Warriors. Re-Education and Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2025). American Made Addiction Recovery: a healer’s journey through professional recovery. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2025a). American Made Addiction Recovery: a healer’s journey through professional recovery. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2025b). Applied Recovery: Post-War on Drugs, Post-COVID, and What Recovery Culture and Citizens Require Moving Forward. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2025c). Recovering Recovery: How Psychedelic Science Is Ending the War on Drugs. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
*This is for informational and educational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.
