Just as a CHF exacerbation can be
triggered by too much fluid, or a person with diabetes can have a reaction if
they eat too much sugar, a drug addict can be triggered to return to drug abuse.
With other chronic diseases, here relapse serves as a signal for returning to
treatment. The same response is just as necessary with drug addiction. As a
chronic, recurring illness, addiction may require repeated treatments until
abstinence is achieved. Like other diseases, including COPD, drug addiction can
be effectively treated and managed, leading to a healthy and productive life. However,
to achieve long-term recovery, treatment must address specific, individual
patient needs and must take the whole person into account. You cannot simply
get a person off of drugs but you have to address each physical, social and
psychological change that has taken place in order to help people stay away
from drugs for good.
