5th Edition of Addiction World Conference 2026

Abstract

Drug addiction costs hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide and robs people of agency, self-respect, and generativity. While rehabilitation programs are widespread, their impact is often short-lived, with many individuals relapsing after treatment. Addiction is an even greater challenge for the unhoused, whose conditions expose them to ongoing trauma and continual opportunities for relapse.

This e-poster proposal asks: What is required to help the unhoused population achieve lasting sobriety?

I argue that the answer lies in creating a sustainable community where unhoused individuals struggling with addiction live for up to five years. This community would provide stable housing, meaningful work that equips residents for independent livelihoods, access to weeky psychotherapy and a daily meditation practice. Additional supportive modalities will be guided by both textual research and consultation with experts in the field. These experts will include both leaders of addiction recovery centers and members of the unhoused population who have successfully recovered from addiction (5+ years sober).

The design will be organized through the Theory of Change (ToC) framework, which clarifies intended outcomes, identifies interventions, and establishes pathways of change. ToC also allows for systematic evaluation of progress should the model be implemented.