Scientists from Marshall University have found that the level of cortisol in saliva is an indicator of success in getting rid of addictions. In particular, it can be used to judge how effectively a person fights the consequences of using psychoactive substances.
American scientists conducted an observational study in which they assessed the level of cortisol in saliva, determining the impact of stress on it. The childhood experiences of a whole group of men who were undergoing alcohol and drug addiction treatment were also studied. Cortisol levels show the physiological response to stress. The study found that if patients were on an addiction treatment program for less than 90 days, they had significantly higher baseline cortisol levels than those who were treated for more than three months.
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An association has been found between elevated cortisol levels, marital or relationship status, and the risk of early termination of the program, that is, simply a relapse, after which the person resumes the use of hazardous substances. Therefore, cortisol may be a biomarker to help clinicians decide which of their patients require a more intensive therapeutic approach.
Doctors talk about the treatment of alcoholism without abstinence
The level of prevalence of addiction to psychoactive substances in the developed world is growing. And in America there is a whole epidemic of addictions to narcotic drugs, the victims of which are hundreds of thousands of people every year. (READ MORE) 
Marshall University
Medicine
Huntington Public Research University, state of West Virginia