Beyond the Problem: The Case for Recovery Research Addiction is one of the greatest public health crises of our time, with staggering rates of mortality and disability[1]. Yet, while we’ve made strides in understanding what drives addiction and how to treat it, the science of recovery—how people sustain change and thrive post- addiction—remains underdeveloped[2][1]. This gap isn’t just academic. Without robust research on recovery, we risk missing the mark on supporting people after treatment, building effective long-term supports, and truly understanding what works for whom. The shift from focusing on pathology to resilience is more than a change in perspective—it’s a necessary evolution. As the Recovery Research Institute puts it, “We need scientific research to improve the effectiveness of addiction treatment and recovery efforts, to find out what is and what is not working, and why certain pathways to recovery work for some individuals and not others”[1]. In a world where relapse is common and support systems are patchy, understanding recovery is the key to lasting change. What Should Recovery Research Explore? The following future research priorities are excerpted from “T