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A lot of meetings are now being held on Zoom, Google Hangouts, and other platforms. Not only is this safer, but it also gives you a chance to get some different perspectives from different groups.
BAART is a CARF accredited organization and has been providing opioid addiction treatment services to the San Francisco Bay Area and greater United States since 1977. Still and all, it might be beneficial to expand your social network a bit in order to loneliness in recovery prevent loneliness. Obviously, you cannot head down to the local bar or go clubbing in an effort to make new friends. The key is to remember to cultivate the kinds of relationships that will enrich your life as well as support your recovery efforts.
Not only can this be hurtful, but it can contribute to loneliness. Additionally, people with low self-esteem and self-worth typically feel lonelier than those with higher self-esteem and self-worth. Factors like feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and poor coping mechanisms can also contribute to loneliness in addiction recovery. While building and maintaining strong, supportive relationships is undoubtedly important to your sobriety, you shouldn’t force yourself into social situations that don’t serve you well.
Make AmendsMaking amends with the people who were affected by your substance abuse is a vital step toward feeling less lonely. If you are constantly carrying the weight of conflict, it will be near impossible clear space for others to enter your life. Share Your FeelingsKeeping your feelings bottled up will not help in your endeavor to feel better or to bond with others. Just expressing your feelings will allow you to release trapped emotions. Let a friend or family member know what you’re going through or spend some time writing in a journal. Managing feelings of loneliness should be a top priority in early recovery.
I also knew that if I wanted to make real and lasting changes, it would take dedication and hard work. So, in order to help me stay focused, I adopted the acronym HALT – Never get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. This was a reminder for me to stop and think before acting whenever these emotions threatened to overwhelm me. It was a simple but powerful tool in my recovery journey that kept me grounded and focused on the future. It isn’t easy to build a new social network in early recovery.
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. You might find yourself emerging from treatment with a lot of empty spaces that used to be occupied by addictive behaviors, substances, and toxic relationships.