The research, published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, draws on terror management theory, a framework inspired by the cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker. According to this theory, humans cope with the terror of mortality by embedding themselves in cultural worldviews, cultivating self-esteem, and forming secure attachments to others. These psychological buffers give people a sense that they are meaningful, valued, and connected to something larger and more lasting than their individual lives. Among the most important of these defenses is symbolic immortality: the conviction that one’s name, accomplishments, or legacy will persist in the memories of others after death.

Despite the theoretical prominence of symbolic immortality, no study had ever tested whether it is systematically linked to mental health and addictive behavior. To fill this gap, a team led by Uri Lifshin of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health analyzed data from 2,912 Jewish Israeli adults. The sample was quasi-representative of the adult Jewish population in terms of gender, age, religiosity, and area of residence, and the data were collected in February 2025, during the Swords of Iron war—a period of acute collective threat in which mortality was anything but abstract.

Participants completed a comprehensive battery of validated instruments. Problematic substance use was assessed with the World Health Organization’s ASSIST screening test, covering alcohol, cannabis, sedatives, prescription stimulants, and opioid painkillers. Behavioral addictions were measured with established scales for gambling, problematic pornography use, sex addiction, gaming, social media, and internet use. Psychological problems were captured through the PCL-5 for post-traumatic stress, the GAD-7 for anxiety, the PHQ-9 for depression, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Crucially, symbolic immortality was measured with a single, deceptively simple question: do you think you will be remembered by other people after you die, for example through your accomplishments or legacy?

The results were strikingly consistent. People who believed they would be remembered reported significantly higher self-esteem, greater perceived social support, stronger national identification, stronger belief in God, and a greater sense of meaning in life. They also reported lower attachment anxiety and avoidance, the two insecure dimensions of close relationships. In other words, symbolic immortality behaved exactly as terror management theory predicts a successful anxiety buffer should: it traveled alongside every major psychological resource theorized to protect people from death-related fear.

More remarkable were the associations with clinical outcomes. Stronger belief in symbolic immortality correlated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, as well as fewer sleep disturbances and emotion-regulation difficulties. It was also linked to less problematic use of alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drugs, and to lower severity of gambling, pornography, sex, gaming, social media, and internet addictions. These relationships held even after the researchers statistically controlled for gender, education, political orientation, military service, relationship status, parental status, and—importantly—belief in an afterlife.

That last control proved theoretically decisive. Belief in literal immortality, such as faith in heaven or reincarnation, is the religious cousin of symbolic immortality, and the two constructs were moderately correlated in the sample. Yet their psychological profiles diverged sharply. Afterlife belief was strongly tied to religiosity and belief in God but only weakly related to self-esteem, unrelated to attachment anxiety, and essentially unrelated to any measure of psychological distress. It showed only scattered negative associations with addictions and was even positively associated with problematic internet use. Symbolic immortality, by contrast, was consistently and broadly protective. Being remembered by others, it seems, does psychological work that merely believing in heaven does not.

The authors interpret these findings through the lens of anxiety buffer disruption theory, an extension of terror management theory focused on psychopathology. When core death-anxiety buffers—attachment security, self-esteem, worldview connection, and meaning in life—are chronically or acutely shattered, death-related concerns intrude into consciousness and destabilize emotional life, producing symptoms of trauma, depression, and anxiety. Addictions, in this view, can emerge as maladaptive compensatory defenses: substances and compulsive behaviors that temporarily numb existential distress when healthier buffers have failed. Prior work by the same group found that combat soldiers exposed to life-threatening situations showed more post-traumatic stress and more problematic substance use when attachment anxiety was high and ideological identification was weak. A recent meta-analysis of 104 studies likewise found moderate associations between death anxiety and a broad range of psychiatric symptoms.

Within this framework, symbolic immortality emerges as something like the positive face of a transdiagnostic risk factor. Where fragile or broken anxiety buffers leave people exposed to death anxiety and its downstream disorders, a robust sense of symbolic immortality signals that the buffering system is functioning—loved, esteemed, meaningful, and woven into a collective story that will outlast the self. The researchers are careful to note that the study does not establish symbolic immortality as an independent causal predictor separate from the other buffers; rather, it appears to be a broad indicator that multiple protective processes are operating together.

The study has clear limitations. It is correlational, so the arrows could point in either direction or both: poor mental health and addiction may erode the social bonds, self-worth, and meaning that make people feel remembered, just as much as the reverse. Symbolic immortality was captured with a single item, and future work should develop multi-item scales that distinguish immortality beliefs across life domains, from creative legacy to descendants to national belonging. The setting is also distinctive: data were gathered in Israel during an active multifront war, when mortality salience, national identity, and collective trauma were all unusually heightened, potentially amplifying the observed associations. Cross-cultural replications, ideally in peacetime populations and clinical samples, remain necessary.

Even so, the implications are provocative. Addictive behaviors of the kind studied here rarely appear in wild animals, and the authors suggest a reason: addiction may be partly rooted in the existential problems that only humans face—awareness of death, meaninglessness, and uncertainty—and in the fragile cultural technologies we use to manage them. If the sense of being remembered is one of those technologies, then interventions that strengthen legacy, belonging, and meaning may do more than comfort the dying. They may help protect the living from despair and compulsion, offering a scientifically grounded answer to a question as old as Jimi Hendrix’s castles made of sand: what, exactly, keeps the sea at bay?

Subject of Research: The association between belief in symbolic immortality and mental health problems and addictions, examined through terror management theory

Article Title: Symbolic Immortality, Mental Health, and Addictions: A Terror Management Perspective

Article References: Lifshin, U., Shmulewitz, D., Levitin, M. D., Skvirsky, V., Cherniak, A. D., & Mikulincer, M. (2026). Symbolic Immortality, Mental Health, and Addictions: A Terror Management Perspective. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-026-01720-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s11469-026-01720-5

Keywords: symbolic immortality, terror management theory, death anxiety, mental health, addiction, substance use, behavioral addictions, anxiety buffer disruption, depression, PTSD, meaning in life, existential psychology

At the heart of this inquiry is the recognition that addictions are no longer confined to substances; instead, behaviors themselves can become compulsive, disruptive, and destructive. Gambling addiction has long been recognized and studied, but the evolving digital landscape has introduced newer forms, notably gaming addiction and social media dependency. Shopping addiction, often termed compulsive buying disorder, also continues to plague many individuals, manifesting as an uncontrollable urge to purchase regardless of need or financial standing. The synergy between these behaviors and values such as materialism—defined by the importance placed on acquiring and owning material goods—and hedonic pursuits, geared toward pleasure and immediate gratification, forms a complex nexus worthy of scientific scrutiny.

The study leverages a robust data set collected from a diverse demographic, enabling the authors to comprehensively analyze how individuals’ endorsement of materialistic and hedonic values correlates with their susceptibility to behavioral addictions. What emerges is a nuanced portrait suggesting that higher levels of materialism not only predispose individuals to addictions like shopping and gambling but also exacerbate tendencies towards problematic engagement with gaming and social media. This implies that cultural messages valorizing ownership and consumption deeply influence the propensity for such addictive behaviors.

One of the pivotal technical insights from the research is the role of reward sensitivity mechanisms in these addictions. Hedonic values are closely tied to the brain’s reward circuits, especially dopaminergic pathways that govern pleasure and motivation. Behavioral addictions exploit these neural systems by providing intermittent rewards—such as social validation via likes, wins in games or gambling, or transient euphoria from purchases—that reinforce repeated engagement. Over time, this reinforcement entrenches compulsive patterns, often overriding rational decision-making and leading to significant psychosocial impairment.

The intricate overlap between different addiction modalities is further explored in the study’s cross-sectional analyses. Individuals exhibiting one form of behavioral addiction often display heightened risks for others, hinting at shared underlying psychological and neurobiological substrates. For example, gamers with entrenched hedonic motivations may also be drawn towards impulsive shopping or gambling behaviors. Similarly, social media addicts, driven by materialistic benchmarks of success and status, might be vulnerable to excessive consumption and spending. This confluence suggests that intervention strategies must adopt a holistic approach rather than siloed treatments targeting individual addictions.

Moreover, the research underscores the accelerating role of technology as both a facilitator and amplifier of behavioral addictions. The omnipresence of smartphones and internet connectivity ensures constant availability of games, social platforms, and shopping portals, facilitating instant gratification and habitual engagement. The design of many digital interfaces strategically exploits psychological triggers—through notifications, reward schedules, and social feedback loops—that subtly nudge users into prolonged use. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for crafting effective regulatory policies and user-centric protective measures.

An additional layer of complexity introduced by the study pertains to demographic variations in addiction patterns. Younger populations, often digital natives, appear particularly susceptible to gaming and social media addictions, with materialistic and hedonic values shaping their behavioral choices more intensely than older cohorts. Gender differences also emerge, with certain addictions skewing towards males or females, mediated by cultural expectations and personal value systems. These findings call for tailored prevention efforts that account for age, gender, and sociocultural backgrounds.

Clinically, the study’s insights into the interplay between behavioral addictions and personal values offer novel avenues for therapeutic intervention. Cognitive-behavioral frameworks may benefit from integrating modules that address and recalibrate materialistic and hedonic value orientations, potentially mitigating the motivational drivers of addiction. Psychotherapy approaches focusing on enhancing intrinsic motivation, emotional regulation, and fostering alternative sources of gratification could help individuals break free from compulsive cycles. Furthermore, incorporation of mindfulness and digital detox strategies might empower individuals to regain control over their behaviors.

The societal ramifications of these findings ripple beyond individuals to influence public health and economic systems. Behavioral addictions result in tangible costs including decreased productivity, financial debt, family conflict, and mental health comorbidities like anxiety and depression. Recognizing the contributory influence of cultural value systems invites policymakers to rethink consumer culture narratives and promote societal values emphasizing well-being over material acquisition. Public education campaigns elucidating the subtle manipulations embedded in digital platforms could enhance collective resilience and digital literacy.

From a neuroscientific vantage point, this research enriches understanding of how the human brain interfaces with modern cultural stimuli. The alignment of materialistic values with reward-processing mechanisms elucidates why certain individuals are more vulnerable while others maintain adaptive engagement. Future studies might delve deeper into genetic predispositions, epigenetic factors, and neuroplastic changes associated with behavioral addictions. Such integrative investigations could herald precision medicine approaches, customizing prevention and treatment based on individual neurocognitive profiles.

Importantly, this study contributes to the evolving discourse around addiction classification. The overlap among behavioral addictions challenges traditional nosological frameworks that prioritize substance-based definitions. The demonstration of shared etiological elements between gambling, gaming, shopping, and social media addictions reinforces calls for updated diagnostic manuals to better capture behavioral dependencies. This evolution would have profound implications for healthcare systems, insurance policies, and therapeutic guidelines, ensuring affected individuals receive appropriate recognition and care.

Parallel to academic and clinical considerations, the research prompts ethical and corporate responsibility discussions. Companies vested in gaming, e-commerce, gambling, and social media industries face mounting pressure to acknowledge and mitigate addiction risks inherent in their products. Ethical design principles, transparent algorithms, and features allowing user self-regulation could form part of corporate social responsibility commitments. Regulatory agencies worldwide may increasingly incorporate evidence from studies like this to frame balanced policies safeguarding consumer welfare without stifling innovation.

Concluding their analysis, the authors advocate for multidimensional approaches to comprehensively address behavioral addictions. These would integrate psychological interventions, policy reforms, technological design changes, and cultural shifts, recognizing that addiction is as much a societal challenge as it is an individual affliction. The imperative lies in fostering environments where individuals can seek pleasure and fulfillment without succumbing to compulsive behaviors undermining their health and happiness.

In essence, this landmark study elegantly elucidates how materialistic and hedonic values serve as critical lenses through which gambling, gaming, shopping, and social media addictions can be better understood and ultimately mitigated. It resonates deeply in a world increasingly shaped by digital interactions and consumerism, providing both cautionary insights and hopeful pathways toward healthier relationships with modern life’s many enticements.

Subject of Research: The interplay between behavioral addictions (gambling, gaming, shopping, social media) and the influence of materialistic and hedonic values.

Article Title: Gambling, Gaming, Shopping, and Social Media Addiction: The Role of Materialistic and Hedonic Values.

Article References:
Mosto, G., Barbieri, G. & Rogier, G. Gambling, Gaming, Shopping, and Social Media Addiction: The Role of Materialistic and Hedonic Values. Int J Ment Health Addiction (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01628-6

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-025-01628-6