An individual who has recovered from an illness or has entered a period of stability in a chronic illness and who subsequently suffers a recurrence of symptoms is said to have experienced a relapse. In the addictions, there has been some controversy over whether the term relapse can be used to indicate any use following a period of abstinence, or whether it should be reserved for more significant episodes of substance use that might indicate a return to problematic use or in some cases dependence. At the present time, there is some consensus in the field that the term lapse should be used for minor episodes of use following a period of abstinence, whereas relapse should be used to connote major episodes of use, such as drinking five or more drinks on two or more consecutive days.

Among the addictions, rates of relapse are relatively high among individuals...