Page 50 - Personality disorders and insecure attachment among adolescents

Family re-enactment ‘Family re-enactment’ was defined as freeing group members from familial roles. A few patients mentioned being freed of their familial roles, or that being part of a group had helped them to relive and understand the family in which they had grown up. ‘Some of you were just like little sisters for me. Due to that awareness and that experience with you, my relationship with my sister has become a lot better.’ Self-understanding ‘Self-understanding’ referred to discovering and accepting previously unknown or unaccepted parts of oneself. Self-understanding was described by a minority. ‘I know myself better now. I understand why I do what I do.’ Instillation of hope A few patients mentioned ‘instillation of hope’ by indicating that change was possible. Authors of such farewell letters encouraged other group members not to give up their hope for change. In addition, the ritual of reading a farewell letter itself had the goal of instillation of hope. ‘I saw the Albatros as the last chance to make me feel better and finish my schooling.’ Existential factors A minority referred to ‘existential factors’, defined as taking responsibility for their lives while accepting the good and bad aspects. Also, participants mentioned having learned to accept negative emotions as part of life. ‘I am willing to face the world, to have good but also bad times, and to take control of my own life again.’ ‘I can only make myself happy, that is one of the things I have learned in my treatment on the Albatros.’ ‘Feelings that unfortunately belong to me, which I dare to feel and accept.’ 46