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Continuing Education

Berne's Perspective on Alcoholism: An Addiction or a Game?

Pages 135-136
Published online: 28 Dec 2017
 
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This article reviews Berne's two perspectives on alcoholism—alcoholism as a game and as an addiction—and their implications for determining when someone is cured. Viewing alcoholism as an addiction requires abstinence and getting involved with people to effect a cure; when it is viewed as a game, a cure is achieved when the game stops and the individual can return to social drinking. These views cannot be integrated, and this article concludes that the view of alcoholism as a game must be rejected, although TA theory and treatment can be useful in treating alcholism when used in the context of an addiction/disease model.

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Amos Selavan

Amos Selavan lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.