If your AH felt he could beat his addiction cold turkey, alone and relapsed I would say I am not surprised and he was wrong. In fact many people go through programs that keep them days or 6 months only to see them get out and use in hours or years later. Do I think they want to, no of course not but they still do and going back is a choice. Addiction is powerful and can be beaten cold turkey by some but probably very few. I feel IMHO that addcition is a horrible physical demand that thier minds create. They want to stop but can't or won't and in some cases I am sure some are not bothered by it either way. The thing that can happen is you allow an addict to USE your resources for his fix or to help them through the down moments. After doing this time and again we get sick and things tend to fall apart around us or at least IMHO. The lust or hunger never goes away but can be dulled in time by not using but they are always addicts. As much as we would like to approach addcition IMHO as a cold or cancer, its not. Addiction is ultimatley about a choice, that leads to the NO choice feeling to the addict and back to they have to make a choice or die. To me that is a horrible disease based on choices and physical dependencies. Do addicts want thier life? I don't think so but they do not have the power nor the will to make that right choice until they have had enough pain and are ready for change assuming they make it that long. Of course what do I know? I hope I helped you with your question on choices of the addict.