No, this is not a joke. Humor should be taken seriously. Humor-based interventions have been associated with improvements in mental health symptoms, including reductions in depression and anxiety. Yet, little research has examined the role of humor in recovery from substance use disorders. This study explored how adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder perceived and experienced the role of humor in their recovery.
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Humor is a common part of the human experience, yet the psychological study of humor and its therapeutic applications is a relatively recent development. Humor-based interventions have included both passive activities, such as watching comedy videos, and active skill-building approaches designed to help individuals cope with stress and reframe difficult experiences. This work has been influenced by positive psychology and research on personality and humor styles, which suggests that people differ in how they use and respond to humor. Prior studies have found that humor-based interventions can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults. However, little is known about whether humor may play a supportive role in recovery from substance use disorders. The present study explored how adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder perceived the role of humor in their daily lives and recovery experiences.
This qualitative study included 11 adults receiving outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder at a treatment center in Columbus, Ohio. Participants were recruited from a larger primary study examining enjoyable experiences during recovery and had previously expressed interest in participating in additional research. All participants were receiving methadone and had been in recovery for less than 2 years; 45% were in recovery for less than 6 months, 27% for 6-12 months, and 27% for more than 12 months. Most participants identified as White, non-Hispanic, and female. With respect to age, 36% were 25-34 years old, 36% were 35-44, and 27% were 45 and older.
Participants completed in-person, semi-structured interviews at the treatment clinic that explored whether humor was important in their daily lives and whether it played a role in supporting recovery (see graphic below for example interview questions). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach to identify recurring themes and patterns.
Most participants indicated that humor played an important role in their lives, and many felt it was also important for their recovery.
“One thing that really keeps me going, I guess, is humor.”
“I think humor should be used to support everything in life, really. I really think it makes
a huge difference. You know, raising our vibration. We should always be striving for a
state of joy and gratitude and humor.”
Participants did have mixed feelings about using addiction humor, specifically, in a humor-based intervention. Most were in favor of doing so, but a few preferred only including general humor. Some concerns were related to a fatigue around identity associated with addiction-related groups, while another was the possibility for lapsing into unhelpful “war stories”.
Four themes emerged from the interviews on humor in recovery as shown in the breakout boxes below.
Although humor is often viewed as beneficial for emotional well-being, there has been limited empirical research examining its role in recovery from substance use disorders. This study found that adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder generally viewed humor as supportive in their daily lives and recovery experiences. Participants described humor as helping them cope with difficult experiences, improve mood, strengthen social connections, and shift attention away from stress and substance use. At the same time, the findings highlighted important variability in how humor was experienced, including differences in the type of humor preferred, the timing of humor, and the social contexts in which humor felt supportive or unhelpful. The authors suggest that humor may function both as a facilitator of recovery and as a sign of improved well-being during recovery. Additional research is needed to better understand how humor-based interventions could be tailored to support individuals recovering from substance use disorders.
Adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder in this study generally viewed humor as supportive in both their daily lives and recovery experiences. These findings highlight the potential value of humor-based approaches within substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. Whether interventions based on humor could be developed and tested remains an open question.
Stull, S. W., Wakely, M. E., Saunders, E. C., Jacobson, N. C., Marsch, L., & Lanza, S. T. (2025). A qualitative study investigating the role of humor in supporting recovery from addiction. Open Science Framework. doi: 10.31219/osf.io/k58fd_v1.
l
Humor is a common part of the human experience, yet the psychological study of humor and its therapeutic applications is a relatively recent development. Humor-based interventions have included both passive activities, such as watching comedy videos, and active skill-building approaches designed to help individuals cope with stress and reframe difficult experiences. This work has been influenced by positive psychology and research on personality and humor styles, which suggests that people differ in how they use and respond to humor. Prior studies have found that humor-based interventions can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults. However, little is known about whether humor may play a supportive role in recovery from substance use disorders. The present study explored how adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder perceived the role of humor in their daily lives and recovery experiences.
This qualitative study included 11 adults receiving outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder at a treatment center in Columbus, Ohio. Participants were recruited from a larger primary study examining enjoyable experiences during recovery and had previously expressed interest in participating in additional research. All participants were receiving methadone and had been in recovery for less than 2 years; 45% were in recovery for less than 6 months, 27% for 6-12 months, and 27% for more than 12 months. Most participants identified as White, non-Hispanic, and female. With respect to age, 36% were 25-34 years old, 36% were 35-44, and 27% were 45 and older.
Participants completed in-person, semi-structured interviews at the treatment clinic that explored whether humor was important in their daily lives and whether it played a role in supporting recovery (see graphic below for example interview questions). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach to identify recurring themes and patterns.
Most participants indicated that humor played an important role in their lives, and many felt it was also important for their recovery.
“One thing that really keeps me going, I guess, is humor.”
“I think humor should be used to support everything in life, really. I really think it makes
a huge difference. You know, raising our vibration. We should always be striving for a
state of joy and gratitude and humor.”
Participants did have mixed feelings about using addiction humor, specifically, in a humor-based intervention. Most were in favor of doing so, but a few preferred only including general humor. Some concerns were related to a fatigue around identity associated with addiction-related groups, while another was the possibility for lapsing into unhelpful “war stories”.
Four themes emerged from the interviews on humor in recovery as shown in the breakout boxes below.
Although humor is often viewed as beneficial for emotional well-being, there has been limited empirical research examining its role in recovery from substance use disorders. This study found that adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder generally viewed humor as supportive in their daily lives and recovery experiences. Participants described humor as helping them cope with difficult experiences, improve mood, strengthen social connections, and shift attention away from stress and substance use. At the same time, the findings highlighted important variability in how humor was experienced, including differences in the type of humor preferred, the timing of humor, and the social contexts in which humor felt supportive or unhelpful. The authors suggest that humor may function both as a facilitator of recovery and as a sign of improved well-being during recovery. Additional research is needed to better understand how humor-based interventions could be tailored to support individuals recovering from substance use disorders.
Adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder in this study generally viewed humor as supportive in both their daily lives and recovery experiences. These findings highlight the potential value of humor-based approaches within substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. Whether interventions based on humor could be developed and tested remains an open question.
Stull, S. W., Wakely, M. E., Saunders, E. C., Jacobson, N. C., Marsch, L., & Lanza, S. T. (2025). A qualitative study investigating the role of humor in supporting recovery from addiction. Open Science Framework. doi: 10.31219/osf.io/k58fd_v1.
l
Humor is a common part of the human experience, yet the psychological study of humor and its therapeutic applications is a relatively recent development. Humor-based interventions have included both passive activities, such as watching comedy videos, and active skill-building approaches designed to help individuals cope with stress and reframe difficult experiences. This work has been influenced by positive psychology and research on personality and humor styles, which suggests that people differ in how they use and respond to humor. Prior studies have found that humor-based interventions can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety among adults. However, little is known about whether humor may play a supportive role in recovery from substance use disorders. The present study explored how adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder perceived the role of humor in their daily lives and recovery experiences.
This qualitative study included 11 adults receiving outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder at a treatment center in Columbus, Ohio. Participants were recruited from a larger primary study examining enjoyable experiences during recovery and had previously expressed interest in participating in additional research. All participants were receiving methadone and had been in recovery for less than 2 years; 45% were in recovery for less than 6 months, 27% for 6-12 months, and 27% for more than 12 months. Most participants identified as White, non-Hispanic, and female. With respect to age, 36% were 25-34 years old, 36% were 35-44, and 27% were 45 and older.
Participants completed in-person, semi-structured interviews at the treatment clinic that explored whether humor was important in their daily lives and whether it played a role in supporting recovery (see graphic below for example interview questions). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic approach to identify recurring themes and patterns.
Most participants indicated that humor played an important role in their lives, and many felt it was also important for their recovery.
“One thing that really keeps me going, I guess, is humor.”
“I think humor should be used to support everything in life, really. I really think it makes
a huge difference. You know, raising our vibration. We should always be striving for a
state of joy and gratitude and humor.”
Participants did have mixed feelings about using addiction humor, specifically, in a humor-based intervention. Most were in favor of doing so, but a few preferred only including general humor. Some concerns were related to a fatigue around identity associated with addiction-related groups, while another was the possibility for lapsing into unhelpful “war stories”.
Four themes emerged from the interviews on humor in recovery as shown in the breakout boxes below.
Although humor is often viewed as beneficial for emotional well-being, there has been limited empirical research examining its role in recovery from substance use disorders. This study found that adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder generally viewed humor as supportive in their daily lives and recovery experiences. Participants described humor as helping them cope with difficult experiences, improve mood, strengthen social connections, and shift attention away from stress and substance use. At the same time, the findings highlighted important variability in how humor was experienced, including differences in the type of humor preferred, the timing of humor, and the social contexts in which humor felt supportive or unhelpful. The authors suggest that humor may function both as a facilitator of recovery and as a sign of improved well-being during recovery. Additional research is needed to better understand how humor-based interventions could be tailored to support individuals recovering from substance use disorders.
Adults in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder in this study generally viewed humor as supportive in both their daily lives and recovery experiences. These findings highlight the potential value of humor-based approaches within substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services. Whether interventions based on humor could be developed and tested remains an open question.
Stull, S. W., Wakely, M. E., Saunders, E. C., Jacobson, N. C., Marsch, L., & Lanza, S. T. (2025). A qualitative study investigating the role of humor in supporting recovery from addiction. Open Science Framework. doi: 10.31219/osf.io/k58fd_v1.
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