Cinematherapy and use of psychodynamic interpretation of films in addiction treatment and education

Cinematherapy andtThe Use of Psychodynamic Interpretation of Films in Addiction Treatment and Education Introduction: Generally speaking, the dependency can be defined as irrepressible desire toward an object, person or asset or entering under the pressure of another willpower (Uzbay 2015). Whereas, substance dependency is a brain disease characterized by certain behavioral disorders and continuous or periodic substance-taking desire to feel the pleasure-inducing effect of a substance that influences the brain or to avoid the restlessness originated from its absence (Uzbay 2015). As well as biological, genetic, environmental causes there are a number of theories that describe etiology of dependency such as psychoanalytic, cognitive and social learning. Among these theories, especially classical psychoanalytic theory enables understanding of the subjects (empathy) and during applications of cinematherapy film characters' psychodynamic interpretation helps subjects to gain awareness and insight about their own life and at the training sessions through the characters in films to get detailed information on dependency, dependant patients and to understand dependant patients' dynamics and to possess detailed information about the approach. According to psychoanalytic theory, individuals with punisher superego refer to alcohol and substance abuse in order to reduce unconscious stresses. Insufficiency in ego-functions, ego weakness, lowness in frustration threshold, responsiveness to anxiety, insufficiency in coping skills with stress are the important factors that determine dependency behaviors (www.ogelk.net). In the classical psychoanalytic description of dependency, fixation of subjects' psychosexual development on oral period is mentioned. In addition, psychoanalytic theory focuses on the overly tough punisher superego. Cinematherapy is a creative therapeutic initiative involving the use of characters and metaphors and giving a person, patient or group film watching task by a trained professional in order to provide alteration (Powell 2008). Cinematherapy's effect mechanism occurs in 4 phases: Identification, Catarsis, Insight and Universalisation (Gençöz 2007; Sharp et al. 2002). The general aim of cinematherapy is to determine a film that depicts the life of the clients and to help subjects in identifying with the characters and to develop insight on problem and to gain profit from the mistakes of characters or their own correct decisions and to obtain strategies that encourage solving the problems (Sharp et al. 2002; Powell 2008). Cinematherapy can be utilized in mental diseases as well as in educating the mental health professionals (Dave and Tandon, 2011). Objective: This research aims to investigate the use of films in dependency therapies and also the effects of using psychodynamic translations of cinematherapy, films and characters on independency therapy and on the education of clients and mental health professionals (cine-education). Materials and Methods: For this research, literature was scanned in terms of cinematherapy and cine-education, on one hand and three selected films on dependency topic were watched three times, on the other hand (Krisha, Oslo 31 August and Basketball Diaries) film's overall topic and characters were interpreted psychoanalytically. Findings: Krisha film is about a woman in her sixties who were receiving therapy due to alcohol dependency and has not been seeing her family for 10 years but joined the family meeting for thanksgiving. Oslo 31 August movie is a story about Anders who is in his thirties and has been receiving therapy in a rehabilitation center for approximately one year due to multi-substance dependency and about to be discharged. Basketball Diaries tells the story of Jim who is a high school student and lives with his mother; his biggest dream is to be a basketball star in a good team; involving in substance abuse, peer relations, messing with the crime and never stopping writing while getting away from his dreams. Conclusion: Implementing films related to cinematherapy, cine-education and dependency and characters' psychoanalitic interpretation is seen an effective method both in the therapy of dependant subjects and in the education of mental health professionals who are interested in the topic. Keywords: Dependency, cinematherapy, cine-education