Masterson refers "to Bowlby's studies of children's response when removed from their mothers in the early separation -individuation stage of development. He describes them as going through three stages, first, protest and wish for reunion; despair; and finally detachment if the mother is not restored. In other words after a certain level of deprivation, the child removes all emotional investment in the object and the affect becomes detached from the object. What appears to be relatedness is really manipulation for gratification". Masterson, J. F. (1981, p. 46)

This paper will attempt to describe addiction as a symptomatic manifestation of Borderline Personality Disorder and will explore the implications of this by way of a social history and vignettes from numerous case studies of the following

• Mothers as addicts
• Children as addicts
• Children who become addicts

In an effort to define the nature of the problem I will examine the historical evidence of its increasing dimensions. This will begin with an illustration, Hogarth's "Gin Lane" (1751) which dates from the beginning of the industrial revolution and follow the cause of its development to the present time.

The aim of the paper is to emphasize the importance of understanding the history and etiology of addiction as a social disorder so that we may attempt to find solutions that will enhance our ability to care for mothers babies fathers and families into the third millenium.

REFERENCE

Masterson, J. F. (1981) 'Differential Diagnosis'. The Narcissistic and Borderline Disorders. Bruner-Mazel, New York. p 46.