Can Addiction be cured?
No. Addiction cannot be cured. Once addicted, the risk of relapsed use or cross addiction never returns to zero. Any risk of relapse to use or addiction may be minimized with recovery and treatment. But risk does not disappear and relapsed use may rapidly become worse than any previous.

“I see so many people return to our recovery meeting after relapse. I’m glad they’re back. But things are always much worse - and they feel so badly.

I was told that relapse was a natural part of recovery, but that it was not a necessary part. I choose to stay in recovery. I’ll do whatever I need to do.”

The causes of Addiction - genetic, biological variation and family learning - run far deeper than most people appreciate. The neurobiological changes that may occur during and as a result of addiction can also have lifelong impact.

People are likely born with a greater or lessor tendency, or risk towards Addiction. Family learning and other life experiences interact with this inborn risk - Addiction may or may not result.

But one’s risk - or tendency - towards addiction will persist throughout a lifetime, expressed during active Addiction, hidden during periods of abstinence, but never ceasing to exist.

Changes in lifestyle, medical treatment and daily participation in recovery may all be necessary to protect yourself from a return of the compulsion to use and/or relapse.

“I need to stay connected with others in recovery. Nobody else understands that this disease is waiting for me to believe I am cured.

Everybody else thinks that if I am not using, I am okay - if I am working and look well, then I am back to normal.Only another addict understands how wrong that is. I can’t afford to be fooled again.”

Recovery from Addiction allows for remarkable healing and personal growth. But far too often abstinence is equated with recovery and the underlying risk of relapse is minimized.