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Recovery Insights Lab · Partner Deliverable
What people in recovery actually experience — and what the public is ready to support. Prepared for Cura.
The Optimism Gap
People in recovery are far more optimistic (44% better) than the public (19%) — recovery is more visible from inside than outside.
44%
of people in recovery say the crisis has gotten better
vs. 19% of the general public
46%
of the public says the crisis has gotten worse
vs. 39% of people in recovery
Who's paying less attention than before
What Helps Most
The public ranks family first. People in recovery rank medication first — ahead of family, faith, and counseling.
General public: what should help most
In recovery: what actually helped most
Treatment Effectiveness
% very or somewhat effective · the recovery-public gap is widest on medication (88% vs 70%) and abstinence (68% vs 30%).
Medication prescribed by a doctor
Counseling or therapy
Inpatient or residential rehab
Peer support or 12-step program
Faith-based programs
Quitting without any of the above (abstinence)
The Awareness Gap
Only 34% of the public has heard of long-acting injectables — and even among people in recovery, barely half (51%).
53%
of the public aware FDA-approved medications exist
77% in recovery
34%
has heard of long-acting injectable medication
51% in recovery
62%
say 'didn't know the options existed' was a barrier
gen pop
Aware FDA-approved medications exist
Aware of weekly/monthly injectables (among aware)
Heard of inpatient or residential treatment
Heard of peer-support or recovery programs
Heard of medication taken daily
Heard of long-acting medication administered by a provider
What Stands in the Way
% calling each a major or moderate barrier · gen pop n=772
The Should-vs-Did Gap
What the public prescribes as the first step vs. what people in recovery actually did first.
Credible Messengers
Elected officials rank last — just 24% of the public trusts them. Lived experience is the second-most-credible messenger.
Doctors and treatment providers
Other people in recovery
Advocacy organizations
Pharmaceutical companies
Elected officials
Coverage & Policy
Across every measure, huge majorities support coverage continuity and immediate access to treatment.
Concerned Medicaid changes disrupt treatment
Shouldn't lose Medicaid over paperwork error
Coverage continuity important
Immediate treatment access after jail/prison
What This Means for Cura
Recovery is real — and visible
44% of people in recovery say the crisis is getting better, vs. 18% of the public. The recovery community sees progress the public doesn't. That story needs to be told.
Medication is the #1 thing that helped
People in recovery rank medication first (23%) — above family, faith, and counseling. The public still ranks it second (20%). Closing that gap is the advocacy opportunity.
People try to quit alone first
26% of people in recovery tried to quit on their own before anything else — but only 10% of the public thinks that's the right first step. The path to treatment is not the path the public imagines.
Awareness is the first barrier
62% say 'didn't know the options existed' was a barrier. Only 34% have heard of long-acting injectables. Education is the on-ramp to access.
Lived experience is credible
82% of people in recovery trust other people in recovery to speak about what they need — second only to doctors (83%). Peer voices are the advocacy channel.
The public is on our side
81% say no one should lose coverage over a paperwork error. 71% support immediate treatment access after incarceration. The policy consensus exists — it needs organizing.