Attachment Theory, the Self Medication Hypothesis and Individual Psychology are brought together to revitalize marginalized men. "Bath of Steel" shows how therapy validates trauma through building a purpose by finding a meaning to live. This is the psychological escape ladder from chronic depression. Drawing on Frankl, Adler, Stack Sullivan, Bowlby, Khantzian, Winnicott and Fromm, hope is kindled. Then a practical therapeutic team intervention from skilled life builders harnesses this energy to create a custom built future. This is a psychologically informed environment. Detailing early traumatic lives through 40 case histories of homeless men Dr. Dean Whittington PhD illuminates the various self medication strategies used to obliterate memories. Substance use allows these men to negate meaninglessness through creating a psychological withdrawal from the world. Psychologists, psychotherapists, psychopathologists, social policy makers, gender practitioners, criminologists and "addiction" experts will all find this revelatory.

This book explores the emotional worlds of white working class men and why they self medicate using heroin, alcohol, crack and amphetamines. It drawn on the therapeutic work that the author undertook in Deptford South East London over a fifteen year period and highlights how familial, institutional, cultural and historical violence has shaped white working class masculinities in terms of love and violence. The book transcends current research paradigms drawing on relational theory to move beyond the 'front' presented in current social research to look at what emotions have been masked and kept secret. The book then highlights the failure of current stratgies to engage with the defined problem by taking the presenting masculine 'front' as an issue to be resolved through discipline The research draws on Alice Miller, Gitta Sereny, Klaus Thewelait, Jim Gilligan, Deleuze and Guattari to open up new ways of conceptualising violence and addiction relevant to social science researchers, criminologists, psychologists, gender studies as well as the general public.

Attachment Theory, the Self Medication Hypothesis and Individual Psychology are brought together to revitalize marginalized men. "Bath of Steel" shows how therapy validates trauma through building a purpose by finding a meaning to live. This is the psychological escape ladder from chronic depression. Drawing on Frankl, Adler, Stack Sullivan, Bowlby, Khantzian, Winnicott and Fromm, hope is kindled. Then a practical therapeutic team intervention from skilled life builders harnesses this energy to create a custom built future. This is a psychologically informed environment. Detailing early traumatic lives through 40 case histories of homeless men Dr. Dean Whittington PhD illuminates the various self medication strategies used to obliterate memories. Substance use allows these men to negate meaninglessness through creating a psychological withdrawal from the world. Psychologists, psychotherapists, psychopathologists, social policy makers, gender practitioners, criminologists and "addiction" experts will all find this revelatory.

This book explores the emotional worlds of white working class men and why they self medicate using heroin, alcohol, crack and amphetamines. It drawn on the therapeutic work that the author undertook in Deptford South East London over a fifteen year period and highlights how familial, institutional, cultural and historical violence has shaped white working class masculinities in terms of love and violence. The book transcends current research paradigms drawing on relational theory to move beyond the 'front' presented in current social research to look at what emotions have been masked and kept secret. The book then highlights the failure of current stratgies to engage with the defined problem by taking the presenting masculine 'front' as an issue to be resolved through discipline The research draws on Alice Miller, Gitta Sereny, Klaus Thewelait, Jim Gilligan, Deleuze and Guattari to open up new ways of conceptualising violence and addiction relevant to social science researchers, criminologists, psychologists, gender studies as well as the general public.