Overcoming Loneliness for Your Sobriety

If you find yourself in this catch-22 of loneliness combined with a fear or reluctance to be around people, know that you are setting yourself up for relapse. Talk to someone you trust; tell them what’s going on and ask them to help you find the support you need. You may already have a strong group of friends https://peoriaskiclub.info/aboutus.html and supportive family members who are willing and ready to hang out with you at a moment’s notice so that you can keep loneliness at bay. You may also find that your 12-Step program (or other recovery support program) provides some of the ongoing interaction you need to stay engaged with others.

Everyone experiences loneliness, but chronic loneliness can lead to a decline in your mental and physical health. Research has found a correlation between chronic loneliness and cardiovascular disease as well as high blood pressure. When you feel lonely, https://alexeyworld.com/blog/imaginarium.62.aspx it’s because your social needs are not being met. Social needs vary from person to person, and some people might feel lonely more frequently than others. Positive and meaningful social interactions can uplift your mood and make you feel safe and secure.

Overcoming Loneliness in Early Recovery

You might be feeling lonely because you are not taking good care of yourself. Don’t underestimate the importance of regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and healthy sleeping routines as ways to support your emotional and physical wellbeing. When you feel good—and good about yourself—you are less likely to experience feelings of inadequacy, and that can make it easier for you to spend time with others. Making amends to those who may have been hurt by your behavior is an important part of recovery. Not everyone will be open to resuming a relationship with you, but many people in your life will likely want to reconnect and move forward. Rekindling these broken relationships can do a lot to reduce not only feelings of loneliness but also feelings of guilt and regret.

• Guidance from a higher power is also often sought in this program.
• When loneliness strikes, having tools to get through it and continue our new way of life will help keep us from going back to substance use.
• A quick casual chat when you are feeling lonely can be great, but to really help deal with loneliness you need to talk about it.

When we isolate, we tend to get in our heads and get stuck thinking negative and often depressing thoughts. We need to HALT, and make a decision to get out of ourselves. The key to this is to learn what your own personal signs of loneliness are and then do something about it. For some people, myself included, this can be a daunting task. PRO-ACT offers recovery support services that can help a person with loneliness.

Addiction Lead to Recovery, and Recovery Lead to Being a Good Dad

If you need addiction medicine treatment, the caring and compassionate experts at Gateway are here to help. We understand the importance of addressing underlying issues like loneliness in our individualized treatment programs. At Gateway, you’ll find hope and healing that will set you on the path of recovery. Mental illness and substance abuse are two diagnoses that often go hand in hand, with one typically worsening the symptoms of the other.

It only means that you are learning more about yourself and what you need and want to continue growing and becoming the person you want to be. It is common to realize that the people you spent the most time with while using did not have your best interest and did not prioritize personal growth in their own lives. While growing apart from these individuals will benefit you, this does not mean that it is easy. Doing so is usually accompanied by powerful feelings of loneliness as well.

Tips for Cultivating Compassion in Addiction Recovery

Community/peer support meetings are a mainstay of recovery. And for millions, they’ve been the first line of defense against loneliness. Many groups now use the 12-step approach to addiction recovery. I am fortunate enough to work in the mental health field, which has allowed me to be surrounded by people who understand and can help me stay on track.

It’s very common for people with addiction to push their family and friends away. Damaged relationships are one of the biggest regrets that former substance abusers have. As you begin the process of recovery from addiction, it can help your feelings of loneliness to make amends with your friends and family. Restoring your relationships can reattach you to another social circle and give you a chance to reconnect.

Keeping the positives in mind should make it easier to make new friends and reconnect with your community. Addiction treatment usually provides peer-to-peer interaction during recovery. These support groups are ideal chances to re-learn social skills while providing opportunities to make new friends in a safe environment, so participate fully. Some people are lonely because of their addiction, and some become addicted because of loneliness.

These individuals can help you learn how to cope with these temporary feelings while also growing and learning more about yourself. Be sure to contact a mental health professional if you need extra help during this time in your recovery journey. As addiction progresses, many addicts find themselves losing the support of their family and friends, as well as damaging their healthy relationships.