Addictive Escapism in the Context of Fragmentation of Value-Semantic Space: Drug Addiction as a Postmodern Marker of Modern Youth Alienation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines the phenomenon of youth addiction through the lens of socio-philosophical analysis in the context of postmodernity. Drug addiction is interpreted as a destructive form of existence determined by the processes of total individual alienation. The paper reveals the structural mechanisms of this relationship and proposes a set of preventive strategies as well as the ways to overcome addictive practices among young peo-ple. The fragmentation of value-ideological systems and the expansion of virtual reality simulacra are identified as the ontological foundations of alienation. The results demonstrate that drug addiction is not simply a medical problem, but a symptom of alienation: young people lose touch with reality; soft and hard drugs become a tool for escapism. Capitalist logic stimulates the drug market as a highly profitable business ignoring the social consequences, while existential loneliness pushes people toward deviant groups. The authors emphasize that an effdctive spread of drug addiction is linked to the transformation of collective consciousness and the distor-tion of being-with-others. The phenomena of drug addiction and alienation are interdependent and exist in a relationship of subordination and codependency. The authors conclude that the preventive measures of drug addiction require a philosophical rethinking to help in finding the meaning of life and overcoming escapism: education focused on virtue and justice, integration into authentic being through sports and art. To prove their position, the authors propose a number of ways to shape real meaningful practices. Parenting that is oriented toward the individual and collective interests balances will prevent the cycle of addiction.
Authors: Igor I. Shapovalov, Anna A. Kornienko
Institution: Tomsk Polytechnic University
Language: English
Topic: Youth, Drugs, and Violence
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7213245321