An addict will tend to surround themselves with other substance abusers. In recovery it would just be too dangerous to continue to fraternize with such people because of the risk of relapse. If people fail to make a new network of sober friends it may mean that they begin to experience loneliness. This is a particularly dangerous emotion for people in recovery because it can put them on the slippery slope back to relapse. The best way to beat loneliness is obviously to have regular social connections.
Being alone can be beneficial, allowing you to reset or rest. You may thrive on it, but you still need to fulfill your need for socialization, even if it’s less than your social butterfly friend or neighbor. Loneliness occurs when your needs to socialize do not get met. This can happen for short periods of time, such as when your friends go away for the holidays or when you go home from college, leaving all your friends. If social situations make you nervous, Dr. Hawkley said, having a sense of how you’ll go about them ahead of time can help you feel more at ease. “Often it takes a series of encounters,” said Charles T. Hill, a professor of social psychology at Whittier College.
How to Fight Loneliness in Recovery
This loneliness can have real consequences for your recovery, your mental health, and even your physical health. Feeling both bored and sad is a bad combination for recovery. This is an important one for people in recovery, and often filled with its own set of challenges. If you spent a significant amount of time in active addiction, you may have caused harm in your primary relationships. Your behavior may have damaged our relationship(s) with your parents, siblings, or children.
- Social support plays a powerful role in empowering you to face obstacles and overcome challenges.
- This is especially important because the people in your group therapy sessions are people who face the same challenges and issues as you.
- And although pet sitting is a joy, and one way that she copes with solitude, she longs to build deeper connections with humans.
- This is when you need to start making other connections through new experiences.
There is no need to let that sense of loneliness and isolation control the rest of your life. Loneliness occurs when your needs for socialization do not get met. If you’re chronically lonely, there are small changes you can make to help satisfy your need for connection and social interaction. loneliness in sobriety If you’re noticing that your feelings of loneliness won’t go away, it’s time to ask for help. The same study also found that people experiencing chronic loneliness were more than twice as likely to develop dementia during the later years of their life than those who aren’t lonely.
Acknowledge Feelings Of Loneliness – Accept That It Is Normal
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. 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. 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. Since each and every relationship is unique, so too is how we feel related to each and every loss. The fact that most of us never learn this in our formative years can make our emotional pain even more difficult.
Social support circles are extremely powerful in helping you stay sober and feel welcomed. A good place to start, if you are feeling lonely is to speak with a therapist. A therapist may be able to help you figure out the source of your loneliness and provide you with steps, specific to you, to help you find meaningful connections with others.
Loneliness, Isolation and Grief
The tools for dealing with loneliness are ones that you have to formulate yourself. In repeated surveys it has been found that respondents rate friends and family as the most important factor in achieving happiness. Lack of social connections is not only a source of emotional discomfort, but it has also been shown to have a damaging impact on both mental and physical health. People have a need for social contact and when this is lacking they will suffer as a result. Those who escape an addiction are at particular risk from loneliness because it can lead eventually to relapse.
Even if others have experienced the same loss, or one that is very similar, how you feel is never the same as someone else. There are no standard treatments for loneliness, though therapy and reaching out to others https://ecosoberhouse.com/ through activities may help. You may also benefit from treating any underlying health condition, such as depression and anxiety. This may help you connect with those around you and feel like yourself again.
Mind & Mood
Without any family or close friends nearby, holidays can be an especially lonely time, she said. And although pet sitting is a joy, and one way that she copes with solitude, she longs to build deeper connections with humans. The path towards wellness and connectedness is different for everyone. It is natural to take some time for yourself, laugh along the way, spend time with people you enjoy and feel nervous about trying something new.
If you aren’t sure what you can do to feel less lonely, consider reaching out to a therapist who can offer help and support. While loneliness may not be a diagnosable condition, you can still get help dealing with feelings of loneliness. Results of a 2017 study looking at 8,382 adults age 65 and older suggest both loneliness and depression increase risk of cognitive decline. Eventually, a continued lack of social connection might make you feel even worse.