Living the Cycle
A Reflexive Autoethnography on Minority Stress, Substance Use, and Attachment Repair in LGBQ Relationships
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12927424 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jacob Perkins (0009-0000-3480-0872, Virginia Tech, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-31 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Family Theory & Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1756-2570 • E-ISSN: 1756-2589 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/jftr.70056 |
| OpenAlex | W7147386189 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) individuals experience disproportionately high rates of substance use disorders (SUDs), often linked to chronic exposure to minority stress and disruptions in relational support. This article integrates minority stress theory, attachment perspectives on addiction, and emotionally focused therapy (EFT) to examine how family scholars and clinicians may conceptualize and support LGBQ couples navigating substance use concerns. Drawing on feminist reflexive autoethnography, this article combines personal narrative with theoretical analysis to illustrate how lived experience can illuminate broader sociocultural processes shaping relational health and recovery. I reflect on my experiences as a gay man in recovery and as a counseling trainee to contextualize how minority stress, attachment insecurity, and substance use may intersect within romantic partnerships. Building on this reflexive foundation, I explore how EFT's focus on emotional accessibility and secure bonding may be adapted to support LGBQ couples affected by addiction
Autoethnography · Lived experience · Minority stress · Narrative · Queer · Reflexivity · Romance · Sociocultural evolution · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Family and individual risk factors for triangulation
Couple-Level Minority Stress and Mental Health among People in Same-Sex Relationships
Internalized homophobia and relationship quality among lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals
A meta-analysis of longitudinal associations between substance use and interpersonal attachment security
Sexual minority stress and changes in relationship quality in same-sex couples
Feminist theory, method, and praxis
Couple-level Minority Stress
Minority Stress and Stress Proliferation Among Same-Sex and Other Marginalized Couples
Multiple risk factors of substance use among lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) adults
Attachment Theory and Substance Abuse
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |