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Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
Using TikTok in recovery from substance use disorder
Alex M Russell1, Brandon G Bergman2, Jason B Colditz3
1Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
TikTok videos featuring substance use disorder (SUD) recovery content reach millions, showcasing journeys and milestones. These digital narratives offer social support and normalize addiction experiences, potentially engaging more individuals in seeking help.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Social Media Research
- Addiction Studies
Background:
- Substance Use Disorder (SUD) affects many, yet formal treatment engagement remains low.
- Innovative digital platforms like TikTok are explored to connect individuals with SUD to recovery resources.
- Understanding user-generated content on TikTok can inform new engagement strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize how individuals in SUD recovery utilize TikTok for support and to inspire others.
- To analyze popular TikTok videos related to substance use reduction and recovery maintenance.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 82 highly-liked TikTok videos concerning SUD recovery efforts.
- Iterative codebook development for demographics, user sentiment, video type, and recovery mechanisms.
- Independent double-coding of videos with inter-rater reliability assessment.
Main Results:
- Videos achieved high engagement, averaging over 2 million views and 325,000 likes.
- Dominant themes included recovery journeys (40.2%) and milestone celebrations (37.8%).
- Key recovery mechanisms observed were social identity (81.7%), social support (45.1%), and alternative activities (39.0%).
Conclusions:
- TikTok recovery content mirrors established therapeutic strategies and reaches vast audiences.
- Further research is needed to validate the effectiveness of digital recovery narratives in normalizing addiction and help-seeking.
- Social media platforms offer a promising avenue for disseminating recovery support and hope.
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