[Associations between Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Addiction].

Abstract

Isolation and loneliness have been reported to be associated with premature death and are therefore considered to be serious public health issues. In animal studies, social isolation beginning in adolescent rodents has consistently been shown to increase alcohol consumption over time; however, this trend was observed only in males. In adult rodents, isolation has little effect on alcohol consumption. In human studies, population surveys have reported that isolation and loneliness are associated with less frequent drinking, whereas another study reported that greater loneliness is associated with alcohol problems in men. A nationwide Internet cohort study in Japan revealed that non-high-risk drinkers experiencing significant loneliness were more likely to become high-risk drinkers than those not experiencing significant loneliness. Another study examined the effects of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic on drinking behavior among young adults and showed that the harmful use of alcohol was reduced only among women. Notably, in participants with increased depression and anxiety, loneliness was associated with increased alcohol use. Behaviors such as gambling and gaming have also been reported to be associated with loneliness and stress. A follow-up study in Finland determined that loneliness increased gaming problems, but not gambling problems. Interestingly, stress was reported to increase both gambling and gaming problems.