Stay Safe Big Guy –
August 24, 2018 – More importantly, all the money and support in the world cannot buy a lifetime of guaranteed abstinence. In her statement, both Lovato and Affleck acknowledged this, with Lovato noting that she “will keep fighting” and Affleck writing that his addiction is something he “will continue to confront.” Like Lovato, Affleck and the many others — famous or not, who continue to work towards sobriety — we as a society must constantly remind ourselves that addiction doesn’t end. Addiction — and relapse — are not the result of a lack of effort, but rather the known symptoms of both a medical and psychosocial problem. In this context, relapse is not indicative of a personal failure but rather a systemic one. Our current treatment regimens still too often fail to prevent relapses because they are still struggling to treat the underlying disease.
