We Are Watching The Film Panic In Needle Park With A Psychologist. The Vicious Circle Of Close Conflict Relations - Relations

Needle is slang for intravenous drug use. Panic in Needle Park is about two young drug addicts whose lives and relationships are gradually destroyed by drugs. Alas, this topic remains relevant for many years.

Also, the film is notable for the fact that in it we see Al Pacino's first major role in cinema - initially he played only in the theater. It was after playing the role of drug addict Bobby that director Francis Coppola suggested that the actor star in The Godfather, after which Al Pacino gained worldwide fame and has been one of the most famous and beloved actors for 50 years.

• Panic in Needle Park, USA, 1971
• Director: Jerry Schatzberg
• Starring: Kitty Win, Al Pacino

Drug use is usually caused by a variety of reasons. There is the so-called "BPSD concept": biological, psychological, social and spiritual, influencing the formation of addiction. Let's dwell on the psychological ones.

Psychological reasons

There is a vicious circle effect: initial personality traits can lead to drug use, and then the use itself changes the personality, strengthening and developing certain traits. This is exactly what we see in the film "Panic in Needle Park" on the example of the main characters - a couple in love: Helen and Bobby.

Artist Helen and thief Bobby, very young, meet and fall in love. At first, their relationship looks tender and touching, a little naive: they care about each other, dream of a common future. When they decide to get married, older brother Bobby asks what they will live on and gets a naive and shortsighted answer: "I have 20 dollars in my pocket!"

By the end of the film, their relationship is ruined by conflicts, insults, betrayal and fights for a dose. And the roles change: if at the beginning of the film the thief and drug dealer Bobby looks like the "bad guy", then gradually Helen becomes a liar, a thief, a prostitute and an informer, while Bobby retains the principles to which he is faithful.

What psychological characteristics can lead to drug use?

Infantilism, irresponsibility, escapism (runaway behavior). Helen and Bobby are united by the fact that they are both losers, losers in life. They have no home, no job, they are not adapted in society. They do not want to grow up and take responsibility - first of all, for their own life, behavior and choice. Namely, responsibility is the main feature of maturity. So, Helen does not even know who she is pregnant with, and goes to an abortion, as if not even attaching much importance to it. And Bobby commits theft, as if it were some kind of entertainment, a funny prank.

They run away from hardship and adulthood. The film does not say how old they are, but their behavior is clearly not age appropriate, it is adolescent or even childish. For example, they buy a puppy, but cannot look after him, and the dog dies in an accident.

Infantilism, escape from difficulties, unwillingness to grow up and live a real life, solving problems and taking responsibility - all this can lead to addiction. Note that it is not the partner who draws Helen into drug use: she draws herself in and even tries to hide it from Bobby.

Further, the addiction leaves its mark on the personality. Drugs destroy the body, including the nervous system, and also lead to certain psychological changes. There are "emotional swings" - mood swings; there are more difficulties, and there are fewer resources to cope with them, and the runaway behavior increases; lies are spreading; Money is needed at any cost, the value system changes - theft, betrayal, prostitution appear … This is a vicious circle, from which there is only one way out - remission, complete rejection of drugs, change in lifestyle.

Relationships among addicts

For addicts, the so-called "close-conflict relationship" is characteristic, which is best described by the words "instead of nauseous, apart from boring." Infantilism makes you build a symbiotic relationship, dependent, when a partner is needed only because it is impossible to be alone. And at the same time, dissatisfaction with life pours out on the partner, many claims are addressed to him.

Need in combination with hatred - this is the pattern of relationships that the characters get, instead of the initial tenderness and care

Moreover, relationships become destructive, pushing towards degradation. “I can't watch how it breaks you when I'm high,” Bobbie says to Helen who was stuck, provoking her to inject herself a dose. And Helen persuades Bobby to accept the fact that she became a prostitute, although initially it was unacceptable for him.

Close-conflict relationships stimulate partners not to develop and progress, but to sink and degrade. And to what point they can get, viewers can guess and guess. The film does not give an answer as to how the story of the heroes and their relationship will end, it's like sketches from their lives, episodes. But assumptions can be made and they are not optimistic …