“We survived because we are a social species,” Stephanie Cacioppo, a neuroscientist and leading expert on loneliness, told Business Insider. Dec. 22, 2023 – For many, ’tis the season for nonstop holiday and family gatherings, lasting from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. While some wish those nonstop parties would continue, others feel an overwhelming desire to just be alone and bask in peace and quiet. To be sure, these humanistic theorists regarded their work as an enduring, scientific perspective transcending the confines of time and culture.
Social media has accelerated loneliness as research shows feeling lonely is more common among heavy users of these sites. Although “likes” and “followers” may make a person feel good at the moment, they don’t foster genuine connectedness with other people, Murthy said. Loneliness is detrimental to mental and physical health, experts say, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke and premature death. As researchers track record levels of self-reported loneliness, public health leaders are banding together to develop a public health framework to address the epidemic. You may be tempted to abuse substances to cope with feeling isolated from friends, family members or society in general.
The Role of Trauma and Mental Health in Addiction
All too often, people working towards sobriety find themselves working hard to fight off heavy feelings of loneliness. While everyone’s journey and struggle is unique, loneliness is a uniting factor most people in recovery can share. This can help you build relationships with others who may be suffering.
- For anyone in an addiction treatment program, isolation can feel like a haven.
- They will support you and hold you accountable as you rebuild your life in recovery.
- Social support is key to sustaining long term sobriety and overcoming loneliness, but also requires patience to develop.
- Lonely people may not even notice all of the interconnected changes they’re experiencing as a result of their newfound vulnerability and hypervigilance to social threats.
At the same time, it’s also important to take steps to find things you like to do yourself. Social support plays a powerful role in empowering you to face obstacles and overcome challenges. With the support of family, friends, therapists, counselors, loneliness in recovery and other individuals in recovery, you can tap into strength beyond your own. Over time, a lack of adequate social connections can increase a person’s risk of death as much as smoking — the No. 1 preventable cause of death nationwide.
We Must Cope with Loneliness in Healthy Ways
Suicidal thoughts are likely when people who suffer from addiction are too lonely. For individuals recovering from alcohol or drug abuse, holiday festivities can exacerbate feelings of loneliness. The season emphasizes family gatherings and social engagements, which can be a stark contrast to the isolation that many people recovering from addiction may feel.
By the time you get to number ten, we’re confident you’ll have a plan to manage your loneliness that will work. You don’t have to be a former high school or college sports star to enjoy recreational sports. Most big cities have fun, low-impact, moderate commitment leagues that are more about socializing than about intense athletic competition. You can find kickball teams, softball teams, flag football https://ecosoberhouse.com/ teams, volleyball teams, cycling teams – you name it, you can find it. As we mention, most teams for adults are more about being social than about being hardcore competitive – but those types of groups are out there, if that’s the kind of thing you’re interested in or want to pursue. Those games can be very serious indeed – and they’re also a great place to meet peers with similar interests.
Is It Normal to Feel Lonely During Addiction Recovery?
It is possible that their drug or alcohol abuse may make them even lonelier than ever. An effective tool in addiction recovery, mindfulness meditation allows you to recognise your feelings as temporary thoughts, which in turn, reduces their power and effect over how they make you feel. Meditation takes repeated practice, but the positive benefits are worth the time for most people recovering from drug addiction.
However, they can be valuable resources if you’re getting out of rehab, don’t have a social support network, and want to give yourself the best chances of success. At JourneyPure Emerald Coast, we offer a specialized “Freedom Program” which treats active duty military members and verterans struggling with addiction and mental health disorders. Yes, it’s normal to feel lost in early sobriety, especially when dealing with mental illness alongside addiction. This feeling comes up as you adjust to not drinking or using drugs and explore life without them.
Making New Friends Can Help Recovering Addicts Feel Connected
This concern may make you hesitate to attend social gatherings, especially if they involve triggers or temptations. This fear, coupled with active avoidance of social contexts, can enhance your existing loneliness. Finally, remember the three Ps to help you find balance and joy in your sobriety. You don’t have to go to a gym to stay fit—you can find many exercises online and do them from home.
- And, if they don’t change with you, you likely have no more place for them 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.
- If you need people around you all the time, you’re probably doing your recovery more harm than good.
However, you can take crucial steps to fight off loneliness in your addiction recovery to prevent relapse. That is why restoring relationships during addiction recovery is so important. However, it is a difficult journey back from the social isolation that is a standard element of substance use disorders.