Abstract
The disclosure of recovery journeys on social media by individuals with substance use is a growing trend, but its impact on public attitudes toward stigmatized groups is not well-understood. To address this gap, an experiment was conducted with 1,438 U.S. adults who viewed a series of Instagram posts about a person's recovery journey. Participants were randomly assigned to view posts that either included a relapse episode or not. Structural equation modeling was used for data analyses. The results revealed that presenting a relapse narrative increased feelings of compassion, anger, and pity. In addition, mediation analyses provided evidence supporting the role these emotions played in mediating the effects of a relapse narrative on stigma beliefs and desire for social distance. These findings prompt a reevaluation of digital storytelling practices in health communication strategies, aiming for a balanced representation that can effectively reduce stigma and promote community support for those navigating substance use recovery. It is recommended to incorporate the study's insights into educational content, therapeutic interventions, and policy formulations to foster a more supportive and understanding environment for individuals in recovery.