Although some practitioners may have a philosophical conflict with this approach, having access to this information can be helpful to clients. Practitioners are able to intervene early in a relapse pattern, re-assess clients' needs, and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. Those who inject drugs and do not seek treatment are up to six times more likely to become infected than clients who do enter and receive treatment. These clients also increase the risk of infection for their family members and partners. Drug addiction treatment should include screening, counseling and referral for services regarding infectious diseases for clients and significant others.
Drug addiction is a chronic illness which can include relapse.
As with other chronic illnesses, treatment needs to be available throughout the course of a client's recovery process. One treatment episode will probably not be sufficient for most clients. Therefore, relapse prevention is a critical component of any drug addiction treatment program. For further information on evidence based treatment approaches, the Mid-Atlantic ATTC and Mountain West ATTC are offering an online course starting May 1. A NIH publication, No.