To change what we cannot accept: acknowledging and addressing the impact of climate change on addiction recovery capital

Abstract

Although an extensive body of research examines the implications of climate change for various aspects of human health, little conceptual or empirical work has focused on how climate change may affect addiction recovery. This paper addresses this gap by identifying probable pathways through which climate change may impact recovery, drawing on environmental, public health, and recovery research. Applying the theory of recovery capital, I outline the potential effects of climate change on social, physical, human, and cultural recovery domains. For example, in the domain of social capital, extreme weather and climate-related displacement are likely to make it more challenging for people in recovery to attend social events and support groups, though the use of digital support services may partially mitigate negative impacts. I synthesize this research in a model of probable pathways through which climate change will affect recovery capital and recovery outcomes, highlighting the ways in which marginalization related to factors such as race, income, and age is likely to shape the magnitude of effects. Building from this model, I discuss research implications, including the need for qualitative studies that examine how people engage as resilient actors pursuing recovery in the face of this ongoing global crisis, as well as quantitative studies that test hypotheses about the specific links between climate change and recovery capital. This paper concludes with implications for practice at individual, organizational, and societal levels, describing actions that service providers and people in recovery can take to build recovery capital while pursuing climate justice activism.