Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
What Should I Do?: Information and Support Needs Relating to Substance Use on Reddit
Bogeum Choi1, Lexie C Wang2, Ryan A Kang3
1School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Individuals with substance use disorders seek diverse support online, including information on quitting, emotional validation, and coping strategies. Understanding these needs can improve treatment and prevention programs.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Public Health
- Digital Health
Background:
- Substance use stigma drives individuals to online forums like Reddit for support.
- Limited research exists on the specific informational needs of individuals with substance use disorders.
- Online platforms offer a space for users to seek and share information and support related to substance use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and characterize the informational and support needs expressed in Reddit posts concerning substance use.
- To analyze the types of support sought by individuals discussing alcohol, cannabis, and opioids online.
- To understand the role of online communities in addressing substance use challenges.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative content analysis of 189 Reddit posts from January 2013 to December 2019.
- Dataset sampled to include posts mentioning alcohol, cannabis, or opioids.
- Iterative data analysis by two researchers to ensure reliability.
Main Results:
- Four main categories of needs were identified: informational, emotional, coping, and contextual factors.
- Informational needs included quitting strategies, temporal information, and barriers to cessation.
- Emotional needs involved validation and affirmation, while contextual factors included stigma and interpersonal challenges.
Conclusions:
- Individuals with substance use disorders have multifaceted needs, encompassing informational, emotional, and coping support.
- A typology of contextual dimensions for information needs in substance use is presented.
- Findings offer insights for improving information dissemination in treatment, education, and prevention programs.
More Related Videos
09:29Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
08:05A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers
Published on: January 5, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Drug Dependence
Self-Help Support Groups
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
Stimulants
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...