Loneliness and social isolation in people with substance use disorders

Czech version

Authors: Adam Kurilla- ^{1 3}; Daniel Dančík ^3,4; Anton Heretik ^1,3; Michal Hajdúk ^1,3,4
Authors‘ workplace: Katedra psychológie, Filozofi cká fakulta, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Slovensko ¹; Centrum pre liečbu drogových závislostí Bratislava, Slovensko ²; Centrum výskumu psychických porúch, Vedecký park, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Slovensko ³; Psychiatrická klinika, Lekárska fakulta, Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, Slovensko ⁴
Published in: Čes. a slov. Psychiat., 121, 2025, No. 3, pp. 129-135.
Category: Review
doi: https://doi.org/10.48095/cccsp202510

Overview

The aim of this work is to provide a narrative review of the literature on loneliness and social isolation in people with substance use disorders. Loneliness is a significant factor affecting quality of life, mental health, somatic health, and mortality. The relationship between loneliness, social isolation, and psychoactive substance use and dependence is under-researched. The prevalence of loneliness and social isolation is significantly higher in people with substance use disorders compared to the general population. The severity of feelings of loneliness is positively correlated with the severity of substance use disorder symptoms. Intense social contact with psychoactive substance users and a deficit of relationships with non-users are risk factors for the development and maintenance of substance use disorder, which gradually leads to social isolation and loneliness. Paradoxically, loneliness and social isolation increase when entering treatment, but decrease significantly over the course of treatment. The relationship between loneliness and psychoactive substance use is most pronounced among young people and women. Both traditional and digital interventions aimed at changing cognition related to perceptions of loneliness appear promising. Social prescribing practices can be used to reduce social isolation.

Keywords:

loneliness – social isolation – substance use disorders – social connection – social disconnection

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Mgr. Adam Kurilla

Katedra psychológie

Filozofická fakulta

Univerzita Komenského

Gondova 2

811 02 Bratislava

Slovensko

e-mail: kurilla1@uniba.sk