Living the Cycle: A Reflexive Autoethnography on Minority Stress, Substance Use, and Attachment Repair in <scp>LGBQ</scp> Relationships

ABSTRACT 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.