Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

352 Substance Abuse
as help stabilize mood, reduce cravings for drugs
or alcohol, and provide a sense of purpose and
routine.
Long-Term Outlook
Though many people successfully maintain sobriety
and a drug-free lifestyle, relapse into addiction
is not uncommon. Maintaining sobriety is an
ongoing effort that requires continuous attention
that many people find more challenging than they
can manage. The more skills a person acquires for
finding alternatives to drugs and alcohol—jobs,
education, community involvement, sports and
athletics, and other activities that provide a productive,
fulfilling experience of everyday life—the
more likely he or she will also create long-term
success with treatment.
Support from family members and friends is
also essential. Many people who relapse do so
because they do not separate from the circumstances
and relationships that supported their
addictions. Underlying or co-existing psychiatric
disorders or psychologic conditions often contribute
to relapse. When considering and evaluating
potential substance abuse treatment programs,
it is important to ask what about the program’s
rate of success and how the program measures it.
See also ALCOHOLISM; EXERCISE AND HEALTH; ILLICIT
DRUG USE; NUTRITION AND HEALTH; PRESCRIPTION DRUG
ABUSE; SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION; SUPPORT GROUPS.