I think that what Nyder means is pretty much that once you fix the underlying problems in your head and with your life, there is no longer a need to hang out with people that have yet to even acknowledge that there is a problem in the first place. What could you possibly gain by that other than depressing the heck out of yourself? And what he was talking about is not what they are reproducing with the treatment because the focus of the treatment is the substance and some common situations where the substances are used or obtained, not the patient seeking treatment and the cause of him or her turning to drugs in the first place.

Well said! I know it's not the same, but I had serious problems with alcoholism years ago and got the same impression that you did from reading this article. After-school special peer pressure users or drinkers are not suffering from a real addiction. My addiction was a very personal thing for me that no one else who knew me would understand or approve of which is why I had to keep it secret. I felt OK and was able to cope only when I was under the influence, or knew that I was not far removed from being able to achieve that state. I lacked the mental toughness and tools to fix the problems that the sober me could not reconcile and turned to liquor to define me because I just could not be bothered with it. After coming face to face with the fact that I had irrevocably altered my life in a profoundly negative way, I made the choice to live life sober and take control.