ABSTRACT
The significant relationship between addiction and quality of life was recognized thousands of years ago. The philosophers and scientists have identified the connection between addiction and the aspects of psychosocial integration, a sense of well-being, and life contentment, all of which can actually be more concretely operationalized by the concept of quality of life. Research has consistently emphasized that recovery is better achieved by a combination of pursuing both abstinence and an improvement of a person's global functioning or quality of life. This chapter discusses three areas under the umbrella of psychological well-being: interpersonal relationships, trauma, and existential purpose in life, all of which capture Maslow's safety needs, love needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualization needs and may affect quality of life. Quality of life can comprise not only the dimensions of material poverty and interpersonal relationships/trauma, but also the dimension of meaning in life or a sense of purpose in life.
