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What Should I Do?: Information and Support Needs Relating to Substance Use on Reddit.

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Title: What Should I Do?: Information and Support Needs Relating to Substance Use on Reddit.
Authors: Choi, Bogeum (AUTHOR), Wang, Lexie C. (AUTHOR), Kang, Ryan A. (AUTHOR), Ho, Isabelle Y. (AUTHOR), Johnny, Shana (AUTHOR), Chaliparambil, Rahul (AUTHOR), Chen, Annie T. (AUTHOR)
Source: Substance Use & Misuse. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 7, p989-998. 10p.
Subjects: Substance abuse treatment, Substance abuse prevention, Substance abuse, Social media, Research funding, Qualitative research, Content analysis, Natural language processing, Emotions, Behavior, Goal (Psychology), Psychological adaptation, Information needs, Thematic analysis, Narcotics, Communication, Social support, Needs assessment, Alcohols (Chemical class), Cannabis (Genus), Community services, Social stigma, Inter-observer reliability
Abstract: Background: Due to the stigma of substance use, individuals often turn to online forums like Reddit for informational and other types of support. While information is a primary unmet need for people who use substances, little research has examined the nature of these needs. This study aimed to identify and characterize the informational and other support needs expressed in Reddit posts related to substance use. Methods: We constructed a dataset of Reddit posts from January 2013 to December 2019, sampling these to include at least one of three substances (alcohol, cannabis, and opioids). We conducted qualitative content analysis to identify the needs expressed by post authors. Two researchers iteratively the data, resolving disagreements through discussion. Results: We examined 189 posts and identified four categories of themes: informational, emotional, coping, and contextual factors. Salient informational needs included quitting approaches and strategies, temporal information needs, barriers in quitting, and communication challenges. Regarding emotional needs, users sought validation and affirmation of progress from others. Additionally, users leveraged the platform to build accountability, regulate emotions in the moment, and share experiences. Contextual factors such as interpersonal challenges, stigma, and low self-worth were also prominent. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the diverse needs of individuals with substance use, including informational and emotional support, coping, and contextual factors. Our main contributions include presenting a typology of contextual dimensions of information needs relating to substance use, highlighting opportunities to improve the dissemination of relevant and personalized information in treatment, education, and prevention programs, and presenting implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: What Should I Do?: Information and Support Needs Relating to Substance Use on Reddit.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Choi%2C+Bogeum%22">Choi, Bogeum</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Lexie+C%2E%22">Wang, Lexie C.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kang%2C+Ryan+A%2E%22">Kang, Ryan A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ho%2C+Isabelle+Y%2E%22">Ho, Isabelle Y.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Johnny%2C+Shana%22">Johnny, Shana</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chaliparambil%2C+Rahul%22">Chaliparambil, Rahul</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Annie+T%2E%22">Chen, Annie T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Substance+Use+%26+Misuse%22">Substance Use & Misuse</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 61 Issue 7, p989-998. 10p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse+treatment%22">Substance abuse treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse+prevention%22">Substance abuse prevention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Substance+abuse%22">Substance abuse</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+media%22">Social media</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Content+analysis%22">Content analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Natural+language+processing%22">Natural language processing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Emotions%22">Emotions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Behavior%22">Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Goal+%28Psychology%29%22">Goal (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+adaptation%22">Psychological adaptation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+needs%22">Information needs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thematic+analysis%22">Thematic analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Narcotics%22">Narcotics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication%22">Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+support%22">Social support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Needs+assessment%22">Needs assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alcohols+%28Chemical+class%29%22">Alcohols (Chemical class)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cannabis+%28Genus%29%22">Cannabis (Genus)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Community+services%22">Community services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+stigma%22">Social stigma</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Inter-observer+reliability%22">Inter-observer reliability</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: Due to the stigma of substance use, individuals often turn to online forums like Reddit for informational and other types of support. While information is a primary unmet need for people who use substances, little research has examined the nature of these needs. This study aimed to identify and characterize the informational and other support needs expressed in Reddit posts related to substance use. Methods: We constructed a dataset of Reddit posts from January 2013 to December 2019, sampling these to include at least one of three substances (alcohol, cannabis, and opioids). We conducted qualitative content analysis to identify the needs expressed by post authors. Two researchers iteratively the data, resolving disagreements through discussion. Results: We examined 189 posts and identified four categories of themes: informational, emotional, coping, and contextual factors. Salient informational needs included quitting approaches and strategies, temporal information needs, barriers in quitting, and communication challenges. Regarding emotional needs, users sought validation and affirmation of progress from others. Additionally, users leveraged the platform to build accountability, regulate emotions in the moment, and share experiences. Contextual factors such as interpersonal challenges, stigma, and low self-worth were also prominent. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the diverse needs of individuals with substance use, including informational and emotional support, coping, and contextual factors. Our main contributions include presenting a typology of contextual dimensions of information needs relating to substance use, highlighting opportunities to improve the dissemination of relevant and personalized information in treatment, education, and prevention programs, and presenting implications for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=193014483
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/10826084.2025.2588322
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        Text: English
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Substance abuse treatment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Substance abuse prevention
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      – SubjectFull: Substance abuse
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      – SubjectFull: Social media
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      – SubjectFull: Content analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Natural language processing
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      – SubjectFull: Emotions
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      – SubjectFull: Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Goal (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Psychological adaptation
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      – SubjectFull: Narcotics
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      – TitleFull: What Should I Do?: Information and Support Needs Relating to Substance Use on Reddit.
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              Text: 2026
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