The majority of respondents (61%) had over 10 years’ experience working in the care, voluntary or community sector and all but seven (11%) had direct contact with service users. Two respondents were commissioners of adult social care, the rest worked or volunteered for organisations providing adult social care or support for older adults. Loneliness is often viewed as a negative state of existence, although some alone time is needed to recharge. A Harvard study mentions “25% to 60% of older Americans suffer from loneliness. Another site reflected loneliness in younger audiences with “79% of Gen Z, aged 18 to 22 feeling lonely” and secondly, “71% of Millennials reported feeling lonely.” The link between loneliness and addiction should be something that people are aware of during these uncertain times. Being alone and being lonely are characteristically different with varying effects on our mind, body, and emotions.
“The challenge we face now is figuring out what can be done about it.” There were statistically significant difference between the scores of all four emotional, social, familial, and romantic dimensions of loneliness loneliness in sobriety in substance dependent individuals. Although there was no difference between the scores of men and women, the mean scores of romantic and emotional dimensions were higher in non-substance dependent women.
Service providers
Many people with addiction fear being judged or condemned if they are open and honest about their struggles with others. This creates a vicious cycle clients can find challenging to break away from. Our negativity and reluctance to give our friends the benefit of the doubt creates a self-fulfilling prophecy in which our own reactions and avoidance pushes them away even further. Because we remain blind to our part in creating the distance, we see their withdrawal as confirmation of our fears and become even more convinced they no longer care about us.
“It’s something every single one of us deals with from time to time,” he explains, and can occur during life transitions such as the death of a loved one, a divorce or a move to a new place. This kind of loneliness is referred to by researchers as reactive loneliness. The tools for dealing with loneliness come from within, which is why those in addiction recovery often say that loneliness is one of the most difficult aspects.
Loneliness Can Incite Substance Abuse—and Vice Versa
In order to support their service users, these providers quickly had to learn how to use new software and devices – but this was approached more enthusiastically by some compared to others. Preventing or reducing service user loneliness and social isolation during the pandemic was a priority for the majority of respondents and their organisations (Fig. 1). Survey respondents were asked about device and software use within their organisations (i.e., with colleagues). All but one respondent reported frequently using desktops, laptops and/or tablets, and all respondents used either landlines, mobiles or smartphones to communicate in their organisations, the most popular device being a smartphone (used by 82% of respondents).
- The restrictions enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic simultaneously heightened the need for services to overcome social isolation and reduce loneliness among older adults, while also limiting social care providers’ ability to deliver these.
- However, involving relatives could, at least initially, increase burden on service providers if they have to support both the service user and their family.
- As a result we take little initiative and find excuses to turn down invitations when we do get them.
- It’s also important to remember that recovery takes time, so don’t be discouraged if you initially feel lost.
- We believe in your strength and resilience, and we’re committed to walking alongside you every step of the way.
Communication is key to helping your loved ones understand the situation and recovery process. Finding a strong recovery network, such as RCA, is important to promote recovery through extensive support systems and to restore physical, mental, and social well-being. One provider tried to allay these fears by providing managed devices with scam and malware blocking technology installed. Others offered training and education on how to use different devices and online services, and avoid scams, as well as reassurance that technology can be replaced or mended. However, for some service users even one-to-one sessions with a provider were not enough to overcome their concerns.
Loneliness is a Risk Factor for Several Health Conditions—Including Substance Use Disorder
A recent Canadian survey, for example, found approximately one out of every four older adults were socially isolated [9]. The COVID-19 pandemic has also brought issues of loneliness and isolation to the fore, especially given the enforcement of social distancing policies from local and federal governments. Evidence on the prevalence rates of loneliness and isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic are mixed with some finding increased rates, and others finding no difference to before the pandemic [10,11,12]. With feelings of loneliness are at an all-time high, some people to turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate and mask these painful emotions.
- A few organisations acknowledged the need to train and support their staff to build familiarity and confidence with new technology, providing devices to try and seeking training courses that their staff could complete.
- Feeling of loneliness has a direct relationship with the emotional domain and individual cognitive function and causes lack of adaptation in cognition, experience, and social expectations (7).
- Support is available to help you reduce feelings of loneliness and improve your overall quality of life.
- Attachment anxiety (anxiety over possible abandonment) may develop when attachment figures are inconsistent or unpredictable.
These habits contribute to your physical and mental health, making you better equipped to face the challenges ahead. Seek out professional help who can guide you through the process of recovery and provide valuable tools to combat loneliness. Without a strong support system, we face the risk of slipping back into old habits.
Finding longer-term care and resources can seem daunting, especially if you are operating without a support network you trust. Fortunately, there are a significant number of resources available for people at different points in the recovery journey. I’ve put together a few highlights below and a complete list in my Family Resources section. Making sure to get enough sleep, getting out into nature, making an effort to get exercise, and eating well have all been shown to decrease symptoms of anxiety or depression. This makes your baseline mental health a bit better, which can take the weight off everything else you do in your day.
Even if you use these substances in an attempt to combat loneliness, they only exacerbate these feelings in the long run. Research has found that loneliness is just as dangerous as smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day. Those who experience this feeling regularly are 50% more likely to die prematurely than those who don’t. Stress is also harder to bear when you’re lonely and don’t have a support system to help you deal with everyday life.
Loneliness as a Trigger for Substance Abuse
“If reactive loneliness is painful, chronic loneliness is torturous,” he says. These are tough questions to answer because historical data about loneliness are scant. Still, some research suggests that social isolation is increasing, so loneliness may be, too, says Holt-Lunstad. The most recent U.S. census data, for example, show that more than a quarter of the population lives alone—the highest rate ever recorded. In addition, more than half of the population is unmarried, and marriage rates and the number of children per household have declined since the previous census.
It is also no surprise that there is a very real link between loneliness and substance use disorders. Loneliness is a feeling that has been on the rise in our society for a long time. Even before the pandemic separated us all, studies of adults showed that many people felt completely or partially isolated from their community.