Exploring the Link between Loneliness and Various Parameters of Alcohol Use Disorder: A Cross-sectional Study from North India

Abstract Introduction: The relationship between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and loneliness is bidirectional and reciprocal. Aim: This study aimed to assess the severity of alcohol use and the degree of loneliness among patients with AUD, and to investigate potential associations between these two variables as well as their relationships with various other clinical parameters. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted over 6 months. It included a total of 75 patients who met the inclusion criteria and were assessed using the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire and the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale (R-UCLA). Results: The mean age of the participants was 38 ± 7.58 years. Nearly half were married (46.7%), whereas 40% were separated or legally divorced. Most patients experienced a moderate degree of loneliness (40%) and severe dependence (50.7%). We found a statistically significant positive correlation between UCLA and SAD-Q scores. Participants with <5 years of alcohol use showed mild dependence (70%) and low loneliness scores (54.5%), whereas those with ≥5 years of use exhibited severe dependence (86.9%) and high (93.3%) levels of loneliness. Married subjects reported mild dependence (90%) and low loneliness (72.7%), whereas unmarried, separated, or divorced subjects predominantly had severe dependence (63.2%) and high (80.7%) loneliness. All these findings were statistically significant. Conclusion: A higher level of loneliness was associated with greater severity of alcohol dependence. Furthermore, subjects with AUD with a longer duration of alcohol intake, taking a higher number of drinks per sitting, and who were unmarried or separated/divorced reported being lonelier.