Addiction - Prognosis
The prognosis for addictions is varied. Many factors are involved in determining whether a person can recover from an addiction, including:
- The substance or activity to which a person is addicted
- The reasons for the addiction
- The length of time the addiction has existed
- The patient's desire to be cured of the addiction
- The amount and type of support available to the addict
Medications may be successful in treating the immediate symptoms of some addictions. But recovery is likely to be partial and temporary unless underlying issues that led to the addiction have been resolved.