Integrating Positive Psychology into Substance Use Treatments
Definition
:1. Introduction
2. Positive Psychology
2.1. Emergence of Positive Psychology
2.2. Positive Psychological Interventions
3. Substance Use Treatments
4. Integration of PPIs into SUD Treatments
4.1. Animal Models
4.2. Human Translation
4.3. Rationale
5. Application Guidelines
- Simple Design: PPIs may be more effective if they are simple and brief. Individuals in substance use treatments may not be interested in longer, more complex activities given that many of them may not want to be in treatment, may be experiencing negative medication side effects, or withdrawal symptoms [44]. As such, it may be easy to lose attention and motivation to engage with PPIs, the clinician, or other individuals in treatments. For example, having an individual complete the long-form VIA Character Strengths Assessment [64] may be too much for someone going through withdrawal or presenting strong cravings. Using clinical judgment to assess the benefits and drawbacks of PPI complexity for each patient may provide a better experience than using a template PPI for all patients.
- Problem-Solving: The PPI may be more effective if the intervention addresses a common problem related to substance use or a problem experienced by the patient. Due to the limited information on integrating PPIs into substance use treatments, it may be imperative that the PPI has a theoretical application or addresses deficits and issues caused by substance use and SUDs. For example, if someone is experiencing much social conflict, it would not be as efficacious to conduct a savoring PPI as it would be to provide an empathy PPI to help with perspective-taking—thereby reducing social conflicts. The benefits of matching PPIs to SUPs are that the clinician may improve patient engagement and the treatment may be more relevant, thereby being more effective. The author provide examples in Table 1 using seven major PPI categories outlined by Bolier in 2013.
- Management of Resources: Scientists and practitioners may have a responsibility to manage scarce resources, time, and effort to improve the scientific and clinical outcomes for patients and participants. As such, it is possible that selecting PPIs with better literature support for patients in clinical settings and less literature support for participants in experiments in research settings may optimize the progress. The reason for this management is twofold: (1) when working with patients in a clinical setting, it is important to prioritize their care and well-being by using evidence-based treatments; and (2) when working with participants in clinical settings, there is more flexibility with the intervention selection because the purpose of the study is to find empirical support and the participants have provided informed consent. Focusing on well-supported PPIs for patients and less-supported PPIs for participants may allow for the effective use of resources to propel the scientific and clinical progress of the field.
- Modification: Finally, it may be beneficial to slightly modify the PPIs to better fit the patient population or presenting problems. Researchers validated many of these PPIs on undergraduate students, so the generalizability to clinical practice may not be direct, and participant characteristics may influence the PPIs’ effectiveness. Accommodating strategies (e.g., shortening activities) and providing relevant examples may allow for a better, more efficient patient experience. Further, these small modifications can provide essential information on this integration through case studies while promoting better patient care.
6. Advantages
7. Limitations
8. Future Directions
9. Conclusions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Nieweglowski, K.; Dubke, R.; Mulfinger, N.; Sheehan, L.; Corrigan, P.W. Under-standing the factor structure of the public stigma of substance use disorder. Addict. Res. Theory 2019, 27, 156–161. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M. Positive psychology for substance use disorders: A rationale & call to action. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2022, 83, 959–961. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Stone, B.M. The war on drugs has unduly biased substance use research. Psychol. Rep. 2022. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Yang, L.H.; Wong, L.Y.; Grivel, M.M.; Hasin, D.S. Stigma and substance use disorders. Curr. Opin. Psychiatry 2017, 30, 378–388. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Bryan, M.A.; Mallik, D.; Cochran, G.; Lundahl, B. Mindfulness and savoring: A commentary on savoring strategies and their implications for addiction treatment. Subst. Use Misuse 2022, 57, 822–826. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Maslow, A.H. Motivation and Personality Harper and Row; Harper & Row Publishers: New York, NY, USA, 1954. [Google Scholar]
- Seligman, M.E.P. The Hope Circuit: A Psychologist’s Journey from Helplessness to Optimism; Penguin Random House Australia: Sydney, NSW, Australia, 2018. [Google Scholar]
- González-Moreno, A.; Molero-Jurado, M.D.M. Personal well-being during adolescence based on the PERMA model: A systematic review. Rev. Latinoam. Cienc. Soc. Niñez Juv. 2023, 21, 252–278. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kun, Á.; Balogh, P.; Krasz, K.G. Development of the work-related well-being questionnaire based on Seligman’s PERMA model. Period. Polytech. Soc. Manag. Sci. 2016, 25, 1–8. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Walsh, S.; Cassidy, M.; Priebe, S. The application of positive psychotherapy in mental health care: A systematic review. J. Clin. Psychol. 2017, 73, 638–651. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Levin, J. Human flourishing and population health: Meaning, measurement, and implications. Perspect. Biol. Med. 2020, 63, 401–419. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- VanderWeele, T.J. Activities for flourishing: An evidence-based guide. J. Posit. Sch. Psychol. 2020, 4, 79–91. [Google Scholar]
- Christopoulou, M.; Lakioti, A.; Pezirkianidis, C.; Karakasidou, E.; Stalikas, A. The role of grit in education: A systematic review. Psychology 2018, 9, 2951–2971. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M.; Schmidt, K. Comparing the grit scales’ structural validity and measurement invariance across educational attainment and age. Int. J. Appl. Posit. Psychol. 2022, 7, 301–326. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Carr, A.; Cullen, K.; Keeney, C.; Canning, C.; Mooney, O.; Chinseallaigh, E.; O’Dowd, A. Effectiveness of positive psychology interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Posit. Psychol. 2021, 16, 749–769. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Cobbs, A.M.; Stone, B.M.; Parks, A.C. The efficacy of happiness interventions: An overview. Que. J. Psychol. 2017, 38, 159–184. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M.; Parks, A.C. Cultivating subjective well-being through positive psychological interventions. In The Handbook of Well-Being; Diener, E., Oishi, S., Tay, L., Eds.; DEF Publishers: Salt Lake City, UT, USA, 2018; pp. 1–12. [Google Scholar]
- Seligman, M.E.; Steen, T.A.; Park, N.; Peterson, C. Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. Am. Psychol. 2005, 60, 410. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Mauss, I.B.; Tamir, M.; Anderson, C.L.; Savino, N.S. Can seeking happiness make people unhappy? Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness. Emotion 2011, 11, 807–815. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Parks, A.C.; Della Porta, M.D.; Pierce, R.S.; Zilca, R.; Lyubomirsky, S. Pursuing happiness in everyday life: The characteristics and behaviors of online happiness seekers. Emotion 2012, 12, 1222–1234. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kelm, Z.; Womer, J.; Walter, J.K.; Feudtner, C. Interventions to cultivate physician empathy: A systematic review. BMC Med. Educ. 2014, 14, 219. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Parks, A.C.; Biswas-Diener, R. Positive interventions: Past, present, and future. In Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Positive Psychology: The Seven Foundations of Well-Being; Kashdan, T.B., Ciarrochi, J., Eds.; New Harbinger Publications, Inc.: Oakland, CA, USA, 2013; pp. 140–165. [Google Scholar]
- Stone, B.M.; Schmidt, K. Integrating Positive Psychological Interventions into Acceptance & Commitment Therapy. Eur. J. Appl. Posit. Psychol. 2022, 6, 2397–7116. [Google Scholar]
- Lyubomirsky, S.; Dickerhoof, R.; Boehm, J.K.; Sheldon, K.M. Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: An experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being. Emotion 2011, 11, 391. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M.; Schmidt, K. Positive psychological interventions and cognition. J. Posit. Psychol. 2020, 15, 629–632. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bartholomay, E.M.; Stone, B.M.; Koran, J.; Björgvinsson, T.; Kertz, J. Repetitive negative thinking explains the relationship between attentional control and generalized anxiety. J. Psychopathol. Behav. Assess. 2022, 45, 181–193. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M.; Lindt, J.; Rabinovich, N.; Gilbert, D.G. Effects of the gratitude letter and positive attention bias modification on attentional deployment and emotional states. J. Happiness Stud. 2021, 23, 3–25. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Boehm, J.K.; Lyubomirsky, S.; Sheldon, K.M. A longitudinal experimental study comparing the effectiveness of happiness-enhancing strategies in Anglo Americans and Asian Americans. Cogn. Emot. 2011, 25, 1263–1272. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Altintas, E.; Karaca, Y.; Moustafa, A.; El Haj, M. Effect of best possible self-intervention on situational motivation and commitment in academic context. Learn. Motiv. 2020, 69, 101599. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Brown, L.; Ospina, J.P.; Celano, C.M.; Huffman, J.C. The effects of positive psychological interventions on medical Patients’ anxiety: A meta-analysis. Psychosom. Med. 2019, 81, 595–602. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Celano, C.M.; Beale, E.E.; Mastromauro, C.A.; Stewart, J.G.; Millstein, R.A.; Auerbach, R.P.; Bedoya, C.A.; Huffman, J.C. Psychological interventions to reduce suicidality in high-risk patients with major depression: A randomized controlled trial. Psychol. Med. 2017, 47, 810–821. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Proyer, R.T.; Gander, F.; Wellenzohn, S.; Ruch, W. Positive psychology interventions in people aged 50–79 years: Long-term effects of placebo-controlled online interventions on well-being and depression. Aging Ment. Health 2014, 18, 997–1005. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Schick, M.R.; Kirk-Provencher, K.T.; Goldstein, S.C.; Nalven, T.; Spillane, N.S. A framework for the adaptation of positive psychological interventions to North American Indigenous populations. Prev. Sci. 2021, 22, 913–922. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bolier, L.; Haverman, M.; Westerhof, G.J.; Riper, H.; Smit, F.; Bohlmeijer, E. Positive psychology interventions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health 2013, 13, 119. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- White, C.A.; Uttl, B.; Holder, M.D. Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions: The effects are much smaller than previously reported. PLoS ONE 2019, 14, e0216588. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- American Psychiatric Association. Substance-related and addictive disorders. In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC, USA, 2022. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hasin, D.S.; O’Brien, C.P.; Auriacombe, M.; Borges, G.; Bucholz, K.; Budney, A.; Compton, W.M.; Crowley, T.; Ling, W.; Petry, N.M.; et al. DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders: Recommendations and rationale. Am. J. Psychiatry 2013, 170, 834–851. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Gaertner, S.J.; Krishnasamy, V.P.; Simone, P.M.; Schuchat, A. Leveraging Rapid Response Activities to Build Public Health Capacity: Development of the Opioid Rapid Response Team Model. Health Secur. 2022, 20, 87–91. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kariisa, M.; Davis, N.L.; Kumar, S.; Seth, P.; Mattson, C.L.; Chowdhury, F.; Jones, C.M. Vital signs: Drug overdose deaths, by selected sociodemographic and social determinants of health characteristics—25 states and the District of Columbia, 2019–2020. Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 2022, 71, 940. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Drug Overdose Death Statistics [2023]: Opioids, Fentanyl and More. 1 January 2023. Available online: https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/ (accessed on 24 January 2023).
- Pearce, L.A.; Min, J.E.; Piske, M.; Zhou, H.; Homayra, F.; Slaunwhite, A.; Irvine, M.; McGowan, G.; Nosyk, B. Opioid agonist treatment and risk of mortality during opioid overdose public health emergency: Population based retrospective cohort study. BMJ Br. Med. J. 2020, 368, m772. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Han, B.; Compton, W.M.; Blanco, C.; Crane, E.; Lee, J.; Jones, C.M. Prescription opioid use, misuse, and use disorders in US adults: 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Ann. Intern. Med. 2017, 167, 293–301. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Results from the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings; NSDUH Series H-48; HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4863; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Rockville, MD, USA, 2014.
- Rogers, S.M.; Pinedo, M.; Villatoro, A.P.; Zemore, S.E. “I don’t feel like I have a problem because I can still go to work and function”: Problem recognition among persons with substance use disorders. Subst. Use Misuse 2019, 54, 2108–2116. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Connor, J.P.; Stjepanović, D.; Le Foll, B.; Hoch, E.; Budney, A.J.; Hall, W.D. Cannabis use and cannabis use disorder. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 2021, 7, 16. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Benishek, L.A.; Dugosh, K.L.; Kirby, K.C.; Matejkowski, J.; Clements, N.T.; Seymour, B.L.; Festinger, D.S. Prize-based contingency management for the treatment of substance abusers: A meta-analysis. Addiction 2014, 109, 1426–1436. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Daigre, C.; Rodríguez, L.; Roncero, C.; Palma-Alvarez, R.F.; Perea-Ortueta, M.; Sorribes-Puertas, M.; Martinez-Luna, N.; Ros-Cucurull, E.; Ramos-Quiroga, J.A.; Grau-López, L. Treatment retention and abstinence of patients with substance use disorders according to addiction severity and psychiatry comorbidity: A six-month follow-up study in an outpatient unit. Addict. Behav. 2021, 117, 106832. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Frimpong, J.A.; Guerrero, E.G.; Kong, Y.; Kim, T. Abstinence at successful discharge in publicly funded addiction health services. J. Behav. Health Serv. Res. 2016, 43, 661–675. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Pagano, M.E.; White, W.L.; Kelly, J.F.; Stout, R.L.; Tonigan, J.S. The 10-year course of Alcoholics Anonymous participation and long-term outcomes: A follow-up study of outpatient subjects in Project MATCH. Subst. Abus. 2013, 34, 51–59. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Rosenberg, H.; Grant, J.; Davis, A.K. Acceptance of non-abstinence as an outcome goal for individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders: A narrative review of published research. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2020, 81, 405–415. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Dennis, M.L.; Scott, C.K.; Funk, R.; Foss, M.A. The duration and correlates of addiction and treatment careers. J. Subst. Abus. Treat. 2005, 28, S51–S62. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Fleury, M.J.; Djouini, A.; Huỳnh, C.; Tremblay, J.; Ferland, F.; Ménard, J.M.; Belleville, G. Remission from substance use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016, 168, 293–306. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Venniro, M.; Caprioli, D.; Shaham, Y. Animal models of drug relapse and craving: From drug priming-induced reinstatement to incubation of craving after voluntary abstinence. In Neuroscience for Addiction Medicine: From Prevention to Rehabilitation: Methods and Interventions; Ekhtiari, H., Paulus, M., Eds.; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2016; pp. 25–52. [Google Scholar]
- Venniro, M.; Zhang, M.; Caprioli, D.; Hoots, J.K.; Golden, S.A.; Heins, C.; Morales, M.; Epstein, D.H.; Shaham, Y. Volitional social interaction prevents drug addiction in rat models. Nat. Neurosci. 2018, 21, 1520–1529. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- von dem Knesebeck, O.; Mnich, E.; Daubmann, A.; Wegscheider, K.; Angermeyer, M.C.; Lambert, M.; Karow, A.; Härter, M.; Kofahl, C. Socioeconomic status and beliefs about depression, schizophrenia and eating disorders. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 2013, 48, 775–782. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Higgins, S.T.; Heil, S.H.; Lussier, J.P. Clinical implications of reinforcement as a determinant of substance use disorders. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2004, 55, 431–461. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Dennhardt, A.A.; Acuff, S.F.; Yurasek, A.M.; Murphy, J.G. Deprivation in Rewards and Alcohol Misuse. In Neuroscience of Alcohol; Preedy, V.R., Ed.; Academic Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2019; pp. 297–305. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Bickel, W.K.; Johnson, M.W.; Koffarnus, M.N.; MacKillop, J.; Murphy, J.G. The behavioral economics of substance use disorders: Reinforcement pathologies and their repair. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 2014, 10, 641–677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Field, M.; Heather, N.; Murphy, J.G.; Stafford, T.; Tucker, J.A.; Witkiewitz, K. Recovery from addiction: Behavioral economics and value-based decision making. Psychol. Addict. Behav. 2020, 34, 182–193. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Murphy, J.G.; MacKillop, J.; Vuchinich, R.E.; Tucker, J.A. The behavioral economics of substance abuse. In Treating Substance Abuse: Theory and Technique, 3rd ed; Walters, S.T., Rotgers, F., Eds.; Guilford Press: New York, NY, USA, 2012; pp. 48–80. [Google Scholar]
- Murphy, J.G.; Dennhardt, A.A. The behavioral economics of young adult substance abuse. Prev. Med. Int. J. Devoted Pract. Theory 2016, 92, 24–30. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Teeters, J.B.; Murphy, J.G. The behavioral economics of driving after drinking among college drinkers. Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. 2015, 39, 896–904. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Bukman, A.J.; Teuscher, D.; Feskens, E.J.; van Baak, M.A.; Meershoek, A.; Renes, R.J. Perceptions on healthy eating, physical activity and lifestyle advice: Opportunities for adapting lifestyle interventions to individuals with low socioeconomic status. BMC Public Health 2014, 14, 1036. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Conoley, C.W.; Pontrelli, M.E.; Oromendia, M.F.; Carmen Bello, B.D.; Nagata, C.M. Positive empathy: A therapeutic skill inspired by positive psychology. J. Clin. Psychol. 2015, 71, 575–583. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Niemiec, R.M. VIA Character Strengths: Research and Practice (The First 10 Years). In Well-Being and Cultures; Springer: New York, NY, USA, 2012; pp. 11–29. [Google Scholar]
- Copeland, J.; Swift, W.; Roffman, R.; Stephens, R. A randomized controlled trial of brief cognitive–behavioral interventions for cannabis use disorder. J. Subst. Abus. Treat. 2001, 21, 55–64. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Magill, M.; Kiluk, B.D.; Ray, L.A. Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol and other drug use disorders: Is a one-size-fits-all approach appropriate? Subst. Abus. Rehabil. 2023, 14, 1–11. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Flanagin, J. The Surprising Failures of 12 Steps. The Atlantic. 25 March 2014. Available online: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/03/the-surprising-failures-of-12-steps/284616/ (accessed on 10 September 2023).
- De Shazer, S.; Dolan, Y.; Korman, H.; Trepper, T.; McCollum, E.; Berg, I.K. More than Miracles: The State of the Art of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy; Routledge: Oxfordshire, UK, 2021. [Google Scholar]
- Franklin, C.; Hai, A.H. Solution-focused brief therapy for substance use: A review of the literature. Health Soc. Work 2021, 46, 103–114. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- McCollum, E.E.; Trepper, T.S.; Smock, S. Solution-focused group therapy for substance abuse: Extending competency-based models. J. Fam. Psychother. 2004, 14, 27–42. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Miller, W.R.; Rollnick, S. Motivational Interviewing: Helping People Change; Guilford Press: New York, NY, USA, 2012. [Google Scholar]
- Mann, D. Gestalt Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques; Routledge: Oxfordshire, UK, 2020. [Google Scholar]
- Krentzman, A.R. Review of the application of positive psychology to substance use, addiction, and recovery research. Psychol. Addict. Behav. 2013, 27, 151–165. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Block-Lerner, J.; Adair, C.; Plumb, J.C.; Rhatigan, D.L.; Orsillo, S.M. The case for mindfulness-based approaches in the cultivation of empathy: Does nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness increase capacity for perspective-taking and empathic concern? J. Marital. Fam. Ther. 2007, 33, 501–516. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Maslowski, A.K.; Owens, R.L.; LaCaille, R.A.; Clinton-Lisell, V. A systematic review and meta-analysis of motivational interviewing training effectiveness among students-in-training. Train. Educ. Prof. Psychol. 2022, 16, 354–361. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stone, B.M.; Chamberlain, A.B. The PPI Companion: Empirically Supported Positive Psychological Interventions for the Promotion of Well-Being; Amazon Publishing: Seattle, WC, USA, 2023. [Google Scholar]
- Schoenwald, S.K.; Garland, A.F. A review of treatment adherence measurement methods. Psychol. Assess. 2013, 25, 146–156. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Charlet, K.; Heinz, A. Harm reduction—A systematic review on effects of alcohol reduction on physical and mental symptoms. Addict. Biol. 2017, 22, 1119–1159. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Domain | Definition | Intervention | Description | Substance Use Relevance | Benefit |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kindness | Taking extra steps to support and help others, making others feel loved, or promoting well-being in others | Novel Acts of Kindness | Completing five novel acts of kindness in one day | Some behave unkindly out of fear of withdrawal or intoxication (e.g., stealing money) | Compensating for or improving on former unkind behaviors |
Gratitude | Writing, thinking about, or expressing appreciation towards people, places, or things in life | Gratitude Letter | Writing a letter outlining the way someone has helped oneself | Appreciation of life may become challenging when focused on substance use | Shifting focus on people and values that support oneself |
Savoring | Focusing carefully on important and positive experiences to enhance sensations and memories | Reminiscing | Remembering a positive experience in detail | Substances may take the focus away from positive external experiences and onto physical sensations or internal experiences | Enhancing the experience, relevance, and desire for positive non-substance rewards |
Character Strengths | Qualities that an individual finds valuable in oneself | Characte Strengths Assessment | Completing an assessment that provides someone with their strongest positive traits | SUD-related stigma may result in lower self-esteem and confidence | Promoting self-esteem through positive qualities despite stigma and helping find self-worth |
Meaning | Coherence and purpose in life | Life Story | Writing about one’s life from birth until now—highlighting pivotal moments and finding running themes | It may be challenging to understand how substances are involved in one’s life in a cohesive, logical manner | Helping patients build insight and understand substance use in their life |
Optimism | Examining the positive outcomes in life | Best Possible Self | Writing about an ideal future where everything turns out well | SUDs may challenge a positive outlook given daily struggles and pessimism | Helping individuals build hope and goals to work toward |
Empathy | Understanding and sharing the emotional experiences of others | Perspective-Taking | Delineating and attempting to experience a situation from another person’s point of view | SUDs may lead to relationship difficulties with romantic partners, friends, and families | Easing conflict by understanding others’ perspectives |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2023 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Stone, B.M. Integrating Positive Psychology into Substance Use Treatments. Encyclopedia 2023, 3, 1133-1144. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3030082
Stone BM. Integrating Positive Psychology into Substance Use Treatments. Encyclopedia. 2023; 3(3):1133-1144. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3030082
Chicago/Turabian StyleStone, Bryant M. 2023. "Integrating Positive Psychology into Substance Use Treatments" Encyclopedia 3, no. 3: 1133-1144. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia3030082