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The incidence of insomnia has been increasing in recent years. In addition, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people are experiencing a variety of insomniac problems, including having difficulty in sleep initation, waking up too early, and short sleep duration. Chronic insomnia may seriously affect patients' life and work, increase their risks of developing physical and mental illnesses, and cause crushing social and economic burdens. Sedative-hypnotics, including benzodiazepine agonists, melatonin receptor agonists, orexin receptor antagonists, and antidepressants with hypnotic effects, are widely used to treat most patients suffering from insomnia. However, there is the phenomenon of the non-medical use and abuse of sedative-hypnotic drugs, especially benzodiazepine receptor agonists. The abuse of sedative-hypnotic drugs may lead to mental and physical dependence, cognitive impairment, depression and anxiety, as well as an increased risks of falls and death. Therefore, drug regulatory authorities in China and other countries have issued relevant policies to reinforce regulation. Herein, we reviewed the prevalent use and safety of sedative-hypnotic drugs and proposed suggestions concerning their appropriate use. Both the efficacy and safety of sedative-hypnotic drugs should be carefully considered so that patients suffering from insomnia receive thorough and prompt treatment and the problem of potential abuse of sedative-hypnotic drugs is assessed in an objective and scientific manner. We also hope to provide references for the standardized clinical use of insomnia drugs., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

The present meta-analytic review aimed to synthesize the global prevalence characteristics of digital addiction in the general population. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO for studies reporting prevalence of various subtypes of digital addiction published before October 31, 2021. Studies were eligible if they were published in peer-reviewed journals, used a validated tool to assess digital addiction, and passed the qualify assessment. In total, 498 articles with 507 studies were included in systematic review, and the meta-analysis included 495 articles with 504 studies covering 2,123,762 individuals from 64 countries. Global pooled prevalence estimates were 26.99% (95% CI, 22.73-31.73) for smartphone addiction, 17.42% (95% CI, 12.42-23.89) for social media addiction, 14.22% (95% CI, 12.90-15.65) for Internet addiction, 8.23% (95% CI, 5.75-11.66) for cybersex addiction, and 6.04% (95% CI, 4.80-7.57) for game addiction. Higher prevalence of digital addiction was found in Eastern Mediterranean region and low/lower-middle income countries. Males had higher risk for Internet and game addiction. An increasing trend of digital addiction during the past two decades was found, which dramatically worsened during COVID-19 pandemic. This study provides the first and comprehensive estimation for the global prevalence of multiple subtypes of digital addiction, which varied between regions, economic levels, time periods of publication, genders, and assessment scales. PROSPERO ID: CRD42020171117., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objectives: COVID-19-related quarantine and stress have likely escalated the crisis of Internet addiction. This study aimed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Internet use and related risk factors among the general public in China., Methods: A large-sample cross-sectional online survey was conducted from March 24 to April 30, 2020, in China, and 20,472 participants completed the survey. We investigated the prevalence and severity of Internet addiction based on the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and explored the risk factors related to increases in time spent on Internet use and severity of Internet addiction, as well as severe Internet addiction., Results: The overall prevalence of Internet addiction was 36.7% among the general population during the pandemic, and that of severe Internet addiction was 2.8%, according to IAT scores. Time spent on recreational Internet use had significantly increased during the pandemic, and almost half of participants reported increases in the severity of Internet addiction. Risk factors for increases in time spent on Internet use and severity of Internet addiction and severe Internet addiction included having fewer social supporters, perceiving pressure and impact on mental health status due to COVID-19, and being over-engaged in playing videogames., Discussion and Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted Internet use and increased the prevalence and severity of Internet addiction among the general population in China, especially in vulnerable populations., Scientific Significance: This study provides evidence for policymakers to refine public health policies to control the pandemic and make efforts to provide population-specific prevention and interventions for people at risk of developing Internet addiction. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00-00)., (© 2021 American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.)