International Journal of Human Research and Social Science Studies

Art-based interventions have gained increasing recognition as complementary strategies for substance use disorder (SUD) recovery and prevention, yet the field remains fragmented across clinical art therapy, community-based programs, and expressive digital practices. This article advances a unified neuroaesthetic framework that integrates sensory regulation, narrative integration, and interpersonal synchronization as the core mechanisms of healing. Drawing on recent U.S.-based empirical studies (post-2020), the paper synthesizes evidence from multiple modalities, including visual arts, music therapy, dance/movement practices, and digital storytelling, each demonstrating measurable effects on craving reduction, stress regulation, identity reconstruction, and social connection. Neuroscientific insights are central: findings highlight how creative engagement activates dopaminergic reward pathways, modulates amygdala-driven stress circuits, and fosters neuroplasticity in memory reconsolidation. Practical program models—ranging from inpatient music therapy groups and outpatient movement-based protocols to community photovoice projects and digital media workshops—illustrate the adaptability of arts interventions across prevention, after-treatment, and clinical tiers. Policy and funding implications are also discussed, including opportunities for integration into Medicaid waivers, SAMHSA recovery initiatives, and hospital-based innovation pilots. By bridging art and neuroscience, the proposed neuroaesthetic framework positions creativity not as ancillary recreation but as an evidence-based therapeutic modality that aligns with circuit-level dysfunctions in addiction. This interdisciplinary paradigm provides a scalable foundation for future research, training, and program development, reframing art as a neuroadaptive technology for healing in the context of substance use recovery and preventative care.

Neuroaesthetics, Art therapy, Substance use disorder, Recovery interventions, Digital storytelling

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