The COVID-19 pandemic caused so many people to be stuck at home for months at a time. They couldn't see their friends, families, or co-workers during the worst of the lockdowns.
That also caused a lot of us to go through some extreme cases of loneliness. That's especially true for people who live alone.
That loneliness is worse for seniors, who live by themselves. Only around half say they're not lonely at all. The others say it's either a moderate or severe problem.
A new study from UC-San Francisco finds older adults turned to medication to get rid of those lonely feelings. The researchers say those people are using Valium, Xanax, or Ambien, or they're combining them to try to fight off the loneliness.
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow NewsRadio 1080 KRLD