Particularly among children and adolescents who have become severely addicted at an early age, there is a strong correlation between addiction, trauma and attachment disorder as a frequent form of comorbidity. In adulthood, as severely and chronically addicted people, the individuals affected often become hopeless long-term consumers. Adolescents= attachment behaviour is complex, and the treatment& which is already difficult& is therefore extremely challenging. Ways of clarifying this situation represent an innovative development in neurobiology that is currently taking place and is having a major impact on the understanding of addiction. Addiction therapy may be able to benefit from these new findings in trauma theory and attachment theory.

Dr. Frank M. Fischer is Senior Physician at the Bult Children=s Hospital in Hannover and heads the ?Teen Spirit Island= addiction therapy unit for children and young adults. Prof. Christoph Möller is Chief Physician for Paediatric Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Bult Children=s Hospital.