Editorial: Addictive Disorders and Digital Medicine-Technology-Based Solutions for Addictive Disorders

Sang-Kyu Lee^1*Chul-Hyun Cho²Daniel King³

• ¹Hallym University Medical center, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
• ²Korea University College of Medicine, Seongbuk-gu, Republic of Korea
• ³Flinders University College of Education Psychology and Social Work, Adelaide, Australia

- Tarp et al. (2025) examined therapist experiences using a blended CBT program (Blend-A). The study highlights initial hesitancy, followed by successful integration of digital components into clinical routines. (https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth. 2025 Two notable contributions in this Research Topic examined the broader psychosocial and neurocognitive correlates of digital addiction. Ursoniu et al. (2024) investigated the interconnection between social media addiction, alexithymia, and empathy among medical students, demonstrating how emotional processing difficulties may exacerbate addictive online behavior, especially in high-stress, performance-driven populations (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1467246). In a complementary study, Liu et al. (2025) conducted a network analysis to explore how autistic traits and problematic mobile phone use relate to depression among Chinese college students (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1521453).Their findings emphasized that attention switching, communication difficulties, and cyberspace-oriented relationships serve as bridge symptoms linking neurodevelopmental traits to digital addiction and depression. Together, these studies underscore the value of trans diagnostic approaches and tailored intervention targets for at-risk populations. The twelve studies in this collection underscore the growing role of digital technology in transforming addiction treatment.Treatment gaps remain significant-especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic-while the prevalence of both substance-related and behavioral addictions continues to rise.As editors of this Research Topic, we believe this collection marks an important step toward integrating digital medicine into the mainstream of addiction treatment. We sincerely hope that this Topic will not only inspire future research but also serve as a foundation for further expansion and deepening of this rapidly evolving field. Continued collaboration across disciplines-including psychiatry, digital health, data science, and policy-will be essential to unlock the full potential of digital approaches in addressing the complex and changing needs of people with addictive disorders.We extend our heartfelt thanks to all contributing authors and reviewers for their dedication and insight. We anticipate that this Research Topic will serve as a valuable resource and a catalyst for continued innovation in addiction care.