How to Handle Loneliness in Addiction Recovery

Take some time to invest in yourself and your interests and keep your mind occupied in the process. An easy way to find connections in everyday life is by interacting in small ways with acquaintances or strangers you encounter. In fact, research shows that doing so contributes to our social and emotional well-being. So next time you grab a cup of coffee or see your neighbor on a walk, strike up a conversation. You are free to choose what you do and how you use that time, i.e., your life.

Drug and Alcohol Addiction

They will not only have some common problems and emotions that you may be dealing with, but they are less likely to try to get you to relapse. Sometimes, you may feel lonely in your recovery because you cannot attend parties or even restaurants if these places are triggers for you. Second, when you’re starting recovery, it’s a good idea to distance yourself from friends and acquaintances who use drugs and alcohol. Even if they don’t pressure you to drink or use drugs, the association might trigger a craving. Feeling this avenue of socializing is restricted in this way might make you feel lonely. With this last tip, we want to remind you that – although this lonely moment or phase may be miserable – you’re in recovery.

Stay Active and Healthy

Staying sober is not the only vital part of a successful recovery from substance use disorder. Forming positive and compassionate relationships with others can strengthen your recovery. Having strong attachments with people helps defeat the attachment to drugs and alcohol. Therefore, choosing to socialize while in recovery will oppose loneliness. In addition, numerous aftercare programs are available to help you stay in touch with people when you leave treatment so that you can keep connected.

The Power of Person First Language in Addiction Treatment

The rest of this article will address loneliness in the context of addiction. We’ll review the research on the topic – there’s not much – and conclude with our top ten tips on managing https://thebostondigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ loneliness during recovery. Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or SMART Recovery connect you with people who understand your journey without judgment.

Finding interests outside of substance use can help you deal with issues of loneliness in more than one way. From reading groups or clubs to sports and exercise, new hobbies give you access to new communities and help build relationships with new people. This helps fight loneliness and gives you different things to learn and focus on that aren’t feelings of isolation. Through the experience of sharing your story, whether via performance or conversation, loneliness can begin to resolve as authentic connections are established and nurtured. This situation contributes to loneliness among those with mental health concerns, people who are living with addiction and anyone who experiences comorbid diagnoses.

Addiction Can Lead to Isolation

• Recovery faces you with the challenge of processing a rush of emotions without the previous coping mechanism.
• Doing so can build up your motivation to stay consistent with your recovery.
• In the past, I used alcohol as a coping mechanism, but now I use healthier coping methods such as mindfulness and meditation among other tools.

For anyone in an addiction treatment program, isolation can feel like a haven. It can be an escape from uncomfortable feelings and situations that could potentially cause relapse or other complications. You can also ask your friends and family to check in on you regularly for emotional support and comfort. Doing so can build up your motivation to stay consistent with your recovery.

So, What Is the Best Way To Overcome Loneliness?

• “Every time I open a pack of cigarettes I have 20 friends.” This sentiment, that a person’s addiction offers a (false) semblance of companionship, is a common one.
• If you’re currently in recovery, you likely know the pain of isolation in the depths of substance use disorder.
• When you suffer from addiction, you are more likely to suffer from being lonely or isolated.
• Whether you’re struggling to overcome loneliness in addiction recovery or anything else, our center is here for you.

That is why restoring relationships during addiction recovery is so important. However, it is a difficult journey back from the social isolation that is a standard element of substance use disorders. Another reason you may be feeling lonely is that you Sober House may have alienated some of your friends and family when you were actively addicted. If you’re feeling lonely, that may be an indication that it’s time to start mending those relationships. This may be a long-term project but it has to start somewhere.