By Mashum Mollah
Loneliness is a major cause of addiction. People who feel lonely or isolated turn to drugs or alcohol to find solace, and the cycle continues. In recovery, patients feel lonely, so, it’s best to look for support to overcome challenges, and here’s a great place to get started.
1. Have Fun
Give happiness a chance by setting aside time for having fun. You can hang out with sober friends. This way, you will socialize and clear your thoughts. You can also watch movies, visit the museum or go hiking. Take yourself out and dine at your favorite restaurant.
3. Share Your Feelings
If you have personal issues, it’s best to share them with a trusted friend. Bottling them up will make you sad and lonely. Let your friends know what’s bothering you and accept their advice. Letting go of your worries will make you relaxed and happy. Also, you can release your emotions by grieving.
4. Join a Support Group
A support group will offer you a sense of belonging. You can also reach out to the group members when in need and lonely. It feels better to get advice and encouragement from someone who’s been in your situation than anyone else. Check and attend every activity of the group to keep yourself busy.
5. Practice Self Care
Lack of self-care leads to hopelessness and self–hate. If you don’t find any self-worth, you will isolate yourself and feel lonely. Make a daily routine and set time for bathing, washing clothes, going for a massage, pedicure, or manicure. This will allow you to relax, reduce stress and loneliness.
6. Get a Hobby
It’s best to look for a new hobby in recovery since your past hobbies can remind you of your past life. If you have learned a new hobby in rehab, use that to keep yourself busy and meet new people.
Consider enrolling in cooking lessons, joining a dance group, or learning to play musical instruments. Such hobbies present a chance to socialize with people.
7. Accept Your Feelings
Loneliness is normal in recovery because you no longer do what you used to do. However, the last thing a recovering patient wants is to go back to addiction. To fight loneliness, acknowledge the feeling, meet new people, and get connected.
8. Amend Relationships
Likely, you pushed away your family and friends while in addiction. Maybe you even caused mental and physical harm to your loved ones. Damaged relationships cause regrets to the patient and can lead to isolation.
It may not be easy, but try to make peace and restore your relationships. Feeling loved and connecting with those who matter to you can rekindle a happy life.
9. Volunteer
There’s a sense of fulfillment after giving back to the community. You can participate in community work such as cleaning or visiting destitute people. After touching a life, you’ll feel happy and keep off loneliness.
10. Join a Group Therapy
Addiction is characterized by traumatic experiences such as anxiety, fear, lack of trust, and self-hate. A therapy session will help you find the source of the problem. It is also an opportunity to make friends with others and the therapist. This will ease sadness and loneliness.
Be Physically Active
During exercise, the body releases endorphins and dopamine, chemicals responsible for positive feelings. Start with simple exercises such as walking, running, or rope skipping. This will improve your health and moods and drive away loneliness.
Strive to make better life choices to live happily. It is normal to feel lonely during recovery, but don’t let the feeling get the better part of you. Have fun, exercise, practice self-care, join support groups and look for a hobby. If you can’t do it alone, ask for professional help.
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