5 Ways To Overcome Loneliness in Recovery

Recovery from addiction can be a time of isolation. You have drastically changed your life—anyone who drinks or uses must be cut out. 

Feelings of loneliness can be a trigger that causes a relapse. It’s essential to surround yourself with people who support you, but you may just feel lonely every now and again.

So, instead of diving into loneliness and risking everything you’ve worked for, here are five ways to overcome loneliness in recovery.

1. Go Within

Connect to yourself. Often, in active addiction, we forget who we are. When you first get sober, you may need to rediscover your soul. Spending much-needed time with yourself will help you reconnect with your essence and inner child. 

You can connect with yourself in many ways, including the following:

• Meditation
• Journaling
• Practicing mindfulness
• Singing
• Dancing
• Practicing Yoga
• Exercising
• Practicing self-care

 

Remember, when you don’t look outside yourself for happiness but go within, you’ll fight off feelings of loneliness.

2. Get Outside

Get outside in the fresh air. Being in the sunlight for even a few minutes each day is good for your health and well-being. You will feel much better going outside and spending time with nature. 

Early in recovery, it’s tempting to want to shut off from the world partly for fear of being triggered. But whether you live in the city or rural areas, you can get some time outside. 

Take a walk in a park or find a hiking trail nearby. Get outside in your backyard, sit, and read a book in the sun for a little while. If you try to get outside a little bit each week, you’ll reduce feelings of loneliness.

3. Keep a Routine

Maintain a daily routine. Get enough sleep and eat properly. When you have a routine in place, you are less likely to dwell on the fact that no one is around. If you take care of yourself, you are also less likely to suffer from feelings of anxiety or depression that come with feeling lonely.

4. Volunteer or Serve Others

If you want to combat loneliness in recovery, find an organization you’re passionate about and volunteer. Giving back to the community and serving others is a great way to keep your spirits up and keep you around other, like-minded people.

Another great option is to get out there and help in the recovery community. You could join Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, or other special support groups for people also going through a similar situation. 

There’s always an opportunity to give back to these support groups. You can help set up chairs or make coffee. If you’ve been sober long enough, you can help someone new get settled into the lifestyle. Not only will it feel good to give back, but you won’t feel as lonely.

5. Get off Social Media

Social media was designed to keep us all connected. But does it always? Spending too much time on social media looking at the lives of others is not healthy. It can make you feel more disconnected now that you are newly sober.

Early in recovery, it’s going to be lonely. You’ve had to cut out an entire social network of friends who still drink or use. So, staying off social media as much as possible is best. Instead, check in with the people who are concerned about your recovery.

Our Professionals Have a Sober Companion Certification

Suppose you’re still struggling to deal with loneliness in recovery. Don’t worry. It’s normal to feel isolated when you get sober. If you have any issues or are worried about a relapse, you should hire a sober companion to help you stay sober.

Sober on Demand has many sober companions with a sober companion certification and at least five years of recovery. Reach out today and let us pair you with a sober companion who can help you stay sober even when you get lonely.