When Feeling Good Isn't Enough: Hedonic Well-Being Hinders the Use of Coping Strategies Following Detoxification for Alcohol Use Disorder.

Abstract

Introduction: Hedonic well-being has been conceptualized as a protective factor in recovery from substance use disorders. However, its specific role in the early stages of abstinence remains unclear. The present study examined the relationship between emotional well-being and the use of coping strategies in response to alcohol consumption in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) following detoxification. Methodology: A cross-sectional observational design was employed with a sample of 92 patients in treatment (between 1 and 3 months of abstinence). Coping strategies were assessed using the Coping Behaviors Inventory (CBI), and hedonic well-being was measured using scales for positive and negative affect (PANAS), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), enjoyment orientation (EOS), happiness (PHI), and cognitive responses to positive affect (RPA). Descriptive analyses, Pearson correlations, and multiple linear regression were performed. Results: Participants showed inverse associations between well-being and the use of coping strategies. In the final regression model, PANAS Positive, RPA Self-Focus, and age emerged as significant inverse predictors of the total CBI score, explaining 17.4% of its variance (adjusted R2 = 0.146). These relationships were particularly evident in strategies such as positive thinking and distraction. Conclusions: The results suggest that, following detoxification from AUD, hedonic well-being is not necessarily associated with a greater use of coping strategies. On the contrary, high levels of positive affect may be linked to a lower perception of risk and reduced engagement in preventive behaviors. These findings challenge the hypothesis that well-being is exclusively a protective factor and highlight the need to integrate its promotion with the maintenance of vulnerability awareness following detoxification.