Addiction as Archetype: storytelling in drug addiction and recovery. Bad Glue for Broken Bones: an addiction memoir.

Abstract

This thesis presents an evaluation of storytelling's relationship with the drug addicted individual and their recovery from addiction. It reflects on how social narratives about addiction have shaped the treatment of addicted individuals, and the addicted individual's view of their self and their condition. The thesis argues that contemporary addiction research is providing society, and the addicted individual, with new social narratives that more accurately reflect how an individual might become drug addicted. The thesis names the social symptom of drug addiction the archetype, as research appears to show that there are universal environmental conditions under which a person is more likely to manifest drug dependency in their lives. Through this thesis I reflect on how my study informed the writing of my own memoir, Bad Glue for Broken Bones. In it I argue that storytelling is a powerful tool in recovery from addiction. I also argue that memoir writing is transformative in assessing the nature of addiction. This study is accompanied by my memoir, which chronologically maps out my own struggles with addiction and the conditions under which the addict archetype manifested in my life.