PETER MAY'S article on Boston Celtics player Vin Baker's recent alcohol relapse ("As play fell off, suspicions arose," Sports, Jan. 7) was well-intentioned and well thought out, but it was based on a faulty understanding of the nature of alcoholism.
Unfortunately, relapses, or what is known as "recidivism," are part and parcel of recovery from all addictions, and are almost to be expected.
To claim, as May does, that this relapse means that the Celtics can no longer "trust" Baker, since it violates the agreement they had made that he would not drink, is absurd. It presupposes that trust can only be maintained in a "perfect" recovery, which is false. There are very few recoveries that are perfect. The key factors in whether Baker -- or anyone else -- succeeds in his recovery from alcoholism are the degree of insight he has into his condition, how committed he is to getting better, and what positive steps he is willing to continue to take.
Anyone who believes that a relapse somehow changes everything -- that the Celtics are now forced into some kind of momentous decision -- is misunderstanding the natural history of the disease and the perseverance and commitment required to manage it.
ROBERT J. PETRELLA, MD
Chestnut Hill
