The document discusses bio-psycho-social dimensions of vulnerability and sustainability. It states that people become symptomatic at the crossroads of unbearable bio-psycho-social conditions. A kind of balance can be regained through regression that is often accompanied by symptomatic expressions, commonly including addiction. When bio-psycho-social resources are inadequate compared to expectations, taking the path of "doping-coping" can lead to pathological addiction as a maladaptive coping strategy. Everybody lives with unique existential conditions defined by temperament, experiences, values, family relationships, and socioeconomic environment that influence addiction risk.

1. RICERCA – FOLLOW UP
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
Bio-Psycho-Social dimensions of vulnerability
"All happy families are
alike; each unhappy
family is unhappy in its
own way."
Lev Nikolaevic Tolstoj
Anna Karenina
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org

2. Existential state in which, for a specific subject,
bio-psycho-social conditions are “good enough”,
“fairly balanced”, and consent to live
a-symptomatically, or at least non-pathologically
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org
where “EGO” (poetical licence) =
“contextualized living organism”

3. SYMPTOM= BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL unsustainability
• Biological vulnerability (acquired or primary)
• Psychological suffering
• Social “disadvantages”
people become symptomatic at the crossroad of
unbearable bio-psycho-social conditions
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org

4. A kind of (though problematic) balance
can be regained through a regression that
often is accompanied by symptomatic
expressions, quite commonly including
addiction
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org

5. maladaptive strategy/ dysfunctional coping >>>
could end in a pathological addiction
When our bio-psycho-social resources are inadequate compared
to our or to environmental expectations and we take the road to
“doping-coping” …
addiction is close, because
“if it’s not an answer,
at least it make us forget the question”
(as goes a german saying about alcohol)
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org

6. As in every prayer (cfr.Turgenev), the thing we ask to a substance o
to our maladaptive behaviour is:
“My God, please change my life in sort that two + two
does not make four”
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
maladaptive strategy/ dysfunctional coping >>>
could end in a pathological addiction
When our bio-psycho-social resources are inadequate compared
to our or to environmental expectations and we take the road to
“doping-coping” …
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org

7. Everybody lives peculiar existential conditions
• Temperamental “kit” > risk factors for APP
• Environmental influences / unrepeatable experiences
• Constellation of values / family - relational schemas
• socio/economic/cultural setting
6th International Conference on
Pathological Gambling and
Behavioural Addictions
WARSAW
19-20 Nov
2018
EGO – SUSTAINABILITY
dr. Claudio Dalpiaz - Psychologist, Psychotherapist – Psy+ President – ProgettoOrthosArea South Coordinator – www.psyplus.org
Addiction: a relationship between a subject,
risk factors and a rewarding object / behaviour