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. Reach out to the people you’ve wronged and who you want back in your life.

If you or a loved one has fallen victim to an alcohol use disorder, or drug abuse, know there is help available. Loneliness and addiction can be difficult to overcome, but it is possible. Sometimes, you need to reach beyond the people you know to find new ways to create relationships. If you are struggling with coping with loneliness, there are a few things you can do to overcome these challenges.

Ways to Get Rid of Brain Fog for a Stronger Recovery

Tap into a network of therapists, doctors, and mentors who can help deal with the feelings that arise. But, it’s important that you know how to be with yourself, that you can enjoy time spent with yourself, and that you can do things you enjoy. For many of us, that means doing things like hobbies, crafts, cooking, taking care of our house, or otherwise investing in life on your own. If you don’t currently have hobbies, and it’s understandable that you might not early in recovery – it’s important to try to invest in finding things you like. For example, if you like yoga, knitting, tai chi, kickboxing, cycling, cleaning your home.

• Neither of which are conducive to forming and maintaining healthy relationships.
• Strengthening relationships with folks who will always support you in your efforts to stay sober is one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself in recovery.
• When I was out there drinking, over the years, I began to drift further and further away from reality as my alcoholism progressed.
• Small gestures of kindness can go a long way toward making people feel good being around you.

Your mood may be peaceful and joyful; there is a sense of feeling complete despite being in solitude. When in recovery, the feeling of loneliness can sometimes become unbearable due to the loss of substance use as a coping strategy. Loneliness and isolation can significantly increase your chances of relapse, so learning how to deal with feelings of loneliness is essential to maintaining your sobriety. This blog will outline how loneliness and addiction are related and suggest some possible ways to relieve loneliness in sobriety. With this last tip, we want to remind you that – although this lonely moment or phase may be miserable – you’re in recovery. You take positive steps every day to stay on your program, stay in recovery, and stay sober.

Clear Life Is

Once someone has become dependent on harmful drugs like these, professional help is best to relieve the mind and body of cravings and reduce the risk of a fatal or non-fatal overdose. Loneliness is often viewed as a negative state of existence, although some alone time is needed to recharge. A Harvard study mentions “25% to 60% of older Americans suffer from loneliness. Being alone and being lonely are characteristically different with varying effects on our mind, body, and emotions. Furthermore, being alone can be seen as healthy as people can find being alone as way to disconnect from a stressful life. For example, perhaps you are at a park enjoying the scenery around you.

However, it can be even more destructive to allow someone to find their own coping mechanisms. Instead, it is important to simply provide options for someone. Start by constantly inviting them to low-commitment, nightly events, such as watching a family movie or playing a board game together. Someone suffering from loneliness or substance abuse problems may not feel inclined to make grand plans, so it is helpful to start on a small, intimate level. Begin by making them dinner and delivering it to them, just to speak for a little and show that someone is providing support in some way.

Why Is Emotional Intelligence Important for Addiction Recovery?

It is wholly possible to feel completely isolated even when surrounded by people or at a public place. This can be because someone who is feeling especially lonely doesn’t tend to connect with those around them, or feels they will not be completely understood. Reaching out to those suffering sober house from this intense loneliness can be difficult, as the heavy sense of isolation can shape how they may view the conversation. For example, the negative frame of view may cause them to perceive genuine efforts to help them as pity instead and further spiral through their loneliness.

This isolation can lead to a number of negative consequences, not only for the individual experiencing addiction but also for their loved ones. Loneliness and isolation seem to go hand-in-hand with recovery at certain times. It might be in the beginning or later but recovery is a challenging time no matter what is happening. Sometimes, people are not part of an individual’s life because they are still using substances. Other times, it might just be the relationship that needs repairing so there is the distance between a person and their loved ones for a time. At other times, a person may isolate themselves because they are struggling in recovery.

An apology and making amends won’t fix your relationship right away but it’s a good place to start. Contact us today if you or someone you love need hope, healing, and treatment for alcohol and substance abuse disorders. Addiction treatment usually provides peer-to-peer interaction during recovery.

• It’s important to remember that loneliness isn’t just the absence of companionship; it’s the presence of psychological stress.
• But that leaves them lonely, without their primary coping mechanism – alcohol or drugs – and without the social network that used to make them feel connected.
• Avoiding these individuals or locations is one of the best things you can do to lower feelings of anxiety and loneliness.