Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
08:53
Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
'Anything You Need, You Can Find it': How Adults in Substance Use Recovery Build Recovery Capital on Social Media
F J Griffith1,2, A Viera3, K Carroll3
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Substance Use & Misuse
|July 1, 2026
Summary
Adults in substance use recovery can build recovery capital on social media, gaining human and social support. However, they must also navigate potential online harms and strategically disclose their recovery journey.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Research
- Digital Health
- Qualitative Research
Background:
- Social media is increasingly integrated into daily life, including for individuals in substance use recovery.
- Understanding how social media influences recovery capital is crucial for developing effective support strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how adults in substance use recovery obtain and build recovery capital on social media.
- To identify the positive and negative impacts of social media use on recovery.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative interview study with 49 adults in recovery from substance use disorders.
- Used a combined inductive and deductive content analysis approach, informed by the Recovery Capital Model.
- Semi-structured interviews focused on social media use, motivations, and impacts on recovery.
Main Results:
- Recovery capital built on social media included Human (online information), Physical (instrumental support), Social (emotional support), and Cultural/Community (peer communities).
- Participants identified strategies for gaining recovery capital, such as strategic disclosure of their recovery journey.
- Negative recovery capital, including harmful or deceptive content, was also identified across domains.
Conclusions:
- Social media offers accessible avenues for building human and social recovery capital.
- Online platforms can facilitate strategic disclosure of stigmatized identities, aiding recovery.
- Individuals in recovery must actively navigate potential online risks to their recovery journey.
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