The ties that bind: strategies for counseling the gay male co-alcoholic

Within the gay male subculture, strong pressures strengthen the ties between the gay male alcoholic and emotionally significant other persons in his life. This article is an attempt to describe a theoretical model for viewing co-addiction with a more specific discussion of how this model applies to gay male relationships. The brief theoretical discussion is followed by a discussion of common presenting complaints of gay co-alcoholics and a more detailed treatment of counseling strategies, from initial contact to participation in support programs, that have proven effective in an outpatient setting.