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Article on the neurobiology of mother-child attachment

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Dr. Richard Grossman:
Hi everyone,

Yesterday's New York Times had a very interesting article on the neurobiology of mother-child attachment:

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/29/health/psychology/29bond.html

"This latest study is the largest and best of its kind and provides very strong evidence that maternal support has an opiate component," said Dr. Jaak Panksepp, an emeritus professor of psychology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, who more than two decades ago was the first to propose that opiate receptors were important in forming mother-child bonds."

Also, from the author of the article:

"Warm, attentive parenting can in fact help baby animals overcome some genetic differences.  In a series of experiments, scientists at McGill University in Montreal have shown that baby rats repeatedly groomed, cuddled and licked by their mothers grow up to be less anxious than those that received less coddling.  In a study appearing in the current issue of nature Neuroscience, the McGill researchers report that this physical mothering early in life prompts long-lasting changes in the rats' genes that help the animals manage stress throughout their lives."

And:

"'The important part of all this is what we're showing that an attentive caregiver can actually alter the baby's genes, for the better,' Dr. Schore said."

Very interesting read!

Richard

p.s.  I believe that attachment and its neurobiological correlates are key to the success of long term therapy.

Anonymous:
Thanks for the link. I read the article. This will hopefully help with social policy, insurance for therapy, etc.

If "attachment and its neurobiological correlates are key to the success of long term therapy" (agreed), then I am apprehensive about some therapists who are out there. They aren't able to deal with the patient's attachment issues, they exhibit  countertransference, they retraumatize the patient, etc. A former therapist of mine worshipped Schore and tried to loan me his book. She was a huge narcissist who kept talking about herself during the session, even after I got angry with her. I knew more about her life than I ever wanted to know. She was very attached to me and gave me a necklace. She even told me that she wanted to give it her daughter but it was more my style! I also formed an attachment to her that should have been analyzed, but wasn't, since she kept talking about herself. It took me years to decide to leave, and I even knew what was going on.

I guess I'm venting.


bunny

Dr. Richard Grossman:
Hi Bunny,

Thanks for your comment.  I’m sorry you had such a bad experience.  If much of the benefit of therapy comes from the consequences of a healthy attachment, who the therapist is—as a human being—is critical.   I’m afraid that most of the inadequate or hurtful therapists are not lacking in training or qualifications (often they have plenty of these), it is something about their “personhood” that gets in the way.  Obviously, this does not matter so much for cognitive behavioral or other short-term therapists—but if you are going to make an attachment to a therapist, first and foremost, you need to find a wonderful human being.  How one does this is another question…

Best wishes and thanks for all of your wisdom,

Richard

p.s.  no underachievement on this board! :D

Anonymous:
Hi Richard,

You're right. The 'personhood' of the therapist is usually the problem. And thanks for your nice words and feedback.

 :)

bunny

Anonymous:
It is my belief that many N mothers are actually very good in the early stages of motherhood - the baby is needy, and later adoring of the mother and is an excellent source of N supply. The Mother is in total control and therefore happy.

I think that the problems start later, maybe around 2 when the child begins to assert itself, to say 'No', and shows signs of separating that the problems begin.

I would welcome your comments on this

Jessie

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