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Now you must find a new way, and that can be a scary, lonely process. We did not directly test this in our study, but in the future we hope to zero in on the factors driving these trends. We think that the loneliness Americans are reporting compared to peer nations comes down to limited social safety nets and to cultural norms that prioritize individualism over community. Researchers have found that loneliness is as dangerous as smoking.
While the journey may be lonely at times, you are never truly alone. There is a big difference between feeling lonely and being alone. For those in recovery, it’s important to learn how to be comfortable with yourself without escaping to drugs or alcohol. These moments of solitude are opportunities to reflect and discover the creative, emotional and profound human you’ve always been. Instead, it can be a season of learning to love yourself and taking huge steps in your recovery process. While you were using drugs or alcohol, your friend group was most likely made up of people who did the same.
Enroll in a sober living program.
It was a very difficult time for me … but I knew that returning to drinking was not the solution. I needed to be patient and continue hanging around other sober people. Talking about your feelings and letting someone know what you’re going through can ease feelings of loneliness. It’s also an excellent way to uncover the root causes of your loneliness and process those emotions in a safe and supportive environment. Society’s perspective on addiction and recovery support groups is undergoing a significant transformation.
By doing this, you will have something to fill the hours of your day and you might even make some friends in the process. Join a local basketball or bowling https://ecosoberhouse.com/ league — provided it’s held in an alcohol-free bowling alley. Enroll in a Spanish class or if you’re into comedy, hook up with an improv group.
Healthy Ways To Overcome The Loneliness Of Alcoholism
You can build a meaningful life in recovery with these strategies. Perseverance is the belief in yourself that no matter how hard things get, you’ll keep going. This mindset during loneliness in sobriety recovery is essential as it helps motivate and encourage you when times get tough. Additionally, isolating may cause you to lose interest in activities you once enjoyed.
Because social media and parasocial relationships keep you from building real relationships, it can also help to drive feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is exactly what you want to fight against in recovery. Additionally, losing relationships due to past addiction can produce feelings of loneliness. In the earliest stages of recovery, it can be painful to face the truth about how you have hurt loved ones and damaged relationships due to your addiction. As you work through those emotions, you’re likely to feel lonely and tempted to give in to anything that falsely promises relief, including alcohol or drugs.