Numerous stories about pain management and drug addiction are available online, but do they really help in recovery? According to a new study led by the University of Nottingham and published in World Psychiatry, they do, at least in mental health settings. A digital library containing hundreds of audio, video, written word, and image files recounting stories of mental health recovery was curated. Study participants were given access to these stories over a year, resulting in an uplift in their quality of life. The study, known as NEON, revealed that hearing someone else’s narrative far exceeded the harms. The researchers hope to implement NEON in different healthcare settings and see it as part of a broader shift towards harnessing the power of shared experience in healthcare. If you appreciate their work, consider making a financial contribution to support our solutions journalism and to benefit more people. Join the community today and let’s change the news for good.
