Recovery Research Institute

People in treatment for opioid use disorder say humor helps them cope with difficult experiences, improve their mood, build stronger connections with others, and take their minds off stress and substance use. Laughter may be more than just a distraction, it could be a meaningful part of recovery.

Learn more here: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/does-recovery-have-a-punchline-perceived-role-humor-recovery/

Does recovery have a punchline? The perceived role of humor in recovery In this geospatial modeling analysis done in Ohio, more than a third of opioid use disorder treatment need was outside a 15-minute drive time of an Opioid Treatment Program to access methadone trea…

Kratom-related poison center reports have increased dramatically over the past decade, with potentially serious health consequences.

From 2015 to 2025, kratom poison center reports increased 12-fold, with sharp rises in kratom-related hospitalizations, serious medical outcomes, and deaths. As expected, the most severe outcomes occurred when kratom was used alongside other substances.

Learn more here: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/kratom-related-poison-reports-increased-12-fold-2015-2025/

Sometimes the most effective treatments require an upfront investment.

Providing incentives for meeting recovery goals through contingency management is projected to be a cost-effective method that reduces overdoses for people with methamphetamine use disorder. The largest benefits were seen with a 24-week (vs. 12-week) program.

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/ec2HPeg

Trainings to start a SMART Family and Friend Group appear helpful and are well liked, but groups ultimately may be difficult to implement

About 2 out of every 3 people who completed SMART Family & Friends facilitator training went on to start or lead a support group, helping expand support for families affected by addiction. The biggest barriers to implementing new groups weren't the training, they were stigma, limited resources, and finding enough participants.

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/aTdZNZP

Feeling accepted and supported may be one reason recovery communities make a difference.

In a new study, psychological safety, the feeling that you can be yourself without fear of judgment, was linked to greater hope, stronger social connections, better mental health, and more motivation to stay sober among members of The Phoenix.

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/bjxxpCG

Join us today, Wednesday, July 8, at 12:00pm ET for the latest session in our Opioid Response Network webinar series, featuring Dr. Sarah Bagley on integrating overdose prevention and OUD treatment in pediatric primary care.

Register for free: https://buff.ly/UFg997p |

A hospital stay can be a critical opportunity to connect someone with medications for alcohol use disorder, but it rarely happens.

In this study, only about 3% of hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder received medication to support their recovery before leaving the hospital, highlighting a major gap in care and a missed opportunity to start evidence-based treatment.

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/F7ytaaY

Many people with substance use disorder can be identified in primary care but connecting them with ongoing treatment remains a challenge.

This study highlights how recovery management checkups could help close that gap, while also identifying the practical challenges clinics face in making them part of routine care.

Learn more here: https://buff.ly/exwvv9I

Stress may increase people’s tendency to choose alcoholic over non-alcoholic drinks to begin with, but may not explain why people continue to drink.

Learn more here: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/does-stress-lead-alcohol-use/

Alcohol-related content on social media overwhelmingly focuses on drinking as fun, social, and positive, while rarely mentioning known cancer risks.

Posts about alcohol commonly emphasize enjoyment and lifestyle benefits, but references to alcohol’s link with cancer are notably uncommon, despite growing public health concern.

Learn more here: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/alcohol-content-social-media-emphasizes-positives-rarely-mentions-cancer-risk/