Attitudes about addiction, in both professional and public spheres, often reflect a tendency to believe that addiction as a chronic illness means that one dependency is replaced by another. However, a new study has found the opposite could be true. Those who achieve sobriety may be at a lessened risk of developing a different substance dependency.

Research on this topic has yielded conflicting results, but ultimately the assumption that addiction leaves a person vulnerable to further addictions does not have a strong body of empirical support.

This latest study surveyed 35,000 people about their usage of various drugs, including: painkillers, cannabis, heroin, alcohol, sedatives, stimulants, tranquilizers, cocaine, crack inhalants, hallucinogens and nicotine. Based on their answers, they were classified as having a diagnosis of substance abuse disorder or not.

At the follow up survey three years later it was determined that 3,275 people continued to have a substance abuse disorder while 2,741 had managed to achieve sobriety. Around 20 percent of all participants developed a new substance addiction. 27 percent of those still struggling with their original addiction had developed a new one, while only 13 percent of those who had entered treatment for their dependencies experienced new ones.

Addiction frequently accompanies difficulties in personal and social functioning that leads to homelessness, criminal activity, and health complications. Successful treatment of the addiction tends to coincide with an improvement in all of these areas.

Researchers believe that this increases in quality of life are part of the reason that those recovering from addiction are less than half as likely to develop a new one. Increased capacity for coping and awareness of the disorder can lead recovering individuals to avoid situations and people who could threaten their sobriety. They learn relationship building skills and are able to form better support networks. Basically, researchers think that the life skills adapted during treatment and remission actually serve to reduce the risk of future addictions developing.

These results challenge stereotypes about addiction that often haunt young people during their recovery, according to researchers. They hope that spreading awareness that counters the misconceptions can reduce stigmas and discrimination that hinder recovery and social contributions for those getting clean.