Subjective experience of loneliness as a predictor of substance use in adolescents

The subject of this article is the relationship between the subjective experience of loneliness in older and younger adolescents, as well as the ways of forming self-destructive addictive behavior through the use of psychoactive substances (surfactants). The subjective experience of loneliness is a relatively new psychological phenomenon that reflects the subjective experiences of a person in a situation of loneliness. The problem of loneliness has worsened due to the pandemic, the stress of self-isolation has caused an upsurge in addictive behaviors, including compulsive shopping, overeating, alcohol and drug abuse, as well as gambling. Most often, addictions were manifested in people without support from family and friends.Traditionally, in Russian psychological practice, loneliness is considered as a negative phenomenon, but in this study we understand it as a predicative factor (predictor) of the development of dependence on surfactants in adolescence.   The methods used in this study are: the questionnaire method, the method of individual conversation, the method of prevention. Research methods:Questionnaire of loneliness experience by E.A. Manakova; Questionnaire DOPO-3k (Differential questionnaire of loneliness experience) by E.N. Osina, D.A. Leontieva; Methodology "Scale of subjective loneliness experience (SPO)" by S.V. Dukhnovsky; Author's questionnaire "Use of psychoactive substances". The scientific novelty of this study is to study the hypertrophied experience of loneliness as a predictor of the formation of auto-destructive addictive behavior against the background of desirable social integration due to the use of socially acceptable surfactants (nicotine, alcohol). The purpose of the study is to study the subjective experience of loneliness in adolescents as a predictor of auto-destructive addictive behavior. As a result of the conducted research, the main characteristics of the subjective experience of loneliness by adolescents of younger and older age groups and the specifics of the formation of addictive behavior in the aspect of the use of surfactants were revealed.After analyzing various scientific papers and studies, it can be concluded that this problem has not yet been fully studied. The analysis of various scientific sources made it possible to understand that the feeling of loneliness in an acute form first appears precisely in adolescence, when there is a search for one's own identity and connections with the outside world.

older teenagers, younger teenagers, the subjective experience of loneliness, psychoactive substances, addictive behavior, predictor of addiction, the objective experience of loneliness, autoaggression, self-destructive behavior, prevention