Authors: F. Alemi, M. Haack, S. Nemes
At any point in time, a patient's return to drug use can be seen either as a temporary event or as a return to persistent use. There is no formal standard for distinguishing persistent drug use from an occasional relapse. This lack of
standardization persists although the consequences of either interpretation can be life altering. In a drug court or regulatory situation, for example, misinterpreting relapse as return to drug use could lead to incarceration, loss of child custody, or loss of
employment. A clinician who mistakes a client's relapse for persistent drug use may fail to adjust treatment intensity to client's needs. An empirical and standardized method for distinguishing relapse…
