INTRODUCTION:
Substance use disorder (SUD) remains a major global health challenge. Many established treatments insufficiently address a core psychological requirement of recovery: acceptance that no “healthy” relationship with the substance is possible. This gap can be understood through a “delayed-reaction allergy” analogy, where continued use perpetuates harm despite short-term relief. This paper introduces Addiction Goodbye Letter Therapy (AGLT), a structured intervention designed to support emotional detachment from substances by formalising the grieving process embedded in recovery.

METHODS:
AGLT integrates protocol-driven narrative letter writing with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) principles. Clients write guided “goodbye letters” that map the relationship with the substance using prompts such as: how the relationship began, perceived benefits, harms, and reasons for ending it. Letter sections are aligned with Kübler-Ross’s grief stages (e.g., denial, anger, bargaining) to promote emotional processing and movement toward acceptance. The approach also incorporates reflection on attachment patterns and childhood experiences that may shape substance-related relational dynamics. CBT strategies are embedded to reinforce cognitive restructuring, and acceptance-focused farewell directives are used to help clients articulate finality.

RESULTS:
Key themes emerging from AGLT include: (1) externalisation of addiction as a separate entity; (2) reframing substance use as a concluded “chapter” rather than a lifelong identity; (3) narrative “opening” of a new chapter where substance use becomes less central as clients build substance-free lives; and (4) increased empowerment through self-authored recovery narratives.

CONCLUSIONS:
AGLT operationalises the under-recognised grieving process in SUD recovery within a replicable framework that bridges acceptance-based concepts and practical intervention. Its structured yet flexible design may be particularly useful for treatment-resistant presentations where intellectual insight precedes emotional readiness. AGLT supports scalable, evidence-informed psychotherapy by translating abstract recovery goals into actionable, patient-centred narrative tools.