To get high or to get out? What’s the link between “escapism” and substance use disorders?

A research article has been published in the journal “Substance use and misuse”  titled “To get high or to get out? Examining the link between addictive behaviours and escapism”. The research involved looking at a random sample of 2285 people aged between 16 and 80 in Finland, to see the links between “escapism” and substance use problems. “Escapism” is the tendency to seek escape and distraction from reality, or real-life problems, and it makes sense that people who use this avoidant coping strategy might be attracted to substance use. The researchers found that a tendency towards escapism strongly predicted alcohol consumption, and there was also an association with escapism and tobacco smoking and drug use. The researchers did not find an association between escapism and gambling.

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