How Loneliness Fuels Addiction Addiction Recovery

Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer any questions you may have. Give us a call today and begin your journey toward long-term recovery. But it helps to view loneliness as a symptom to address rather than a permanent state.

Have You Replaced Alcohol With Sugar?

Recently, a friend of mine who is a primary care physician was trying to encourage their patient to quit smoking. “Every time I open a pack of cigarettes I have 20 friends.” This sentiment, that a person’s addiction offers a (false) semblance of companionship, is a common one. Note the well-worn phrase, “His only loneliness in recovery friend is the bottle.” Loneliness finds its way into many different kinds of addiction, and addiction can be both a source and a result of loneliness. Even things that aren’t typically considered “addictions,” like over-eating and excessive social media use, are often seen through the lens of loneliness.

• Getting regular exercise during the day is one of the best ways to keep your mood up.
• As you begin the process of recovery from addiction, it can help your feelings of loneliness to make amends with your friends and family.
• One survey of more than 30 studies in multiple countries found that volunteering consistently reduced depression among older adults.
• Loneliness only happens when you are alone and craving company.
• As you’ve read, countless strategies exist to fill the void and create a life filled with purpose, joy, and meaningful relationships.
• It’s no surprise that being lonely has detrimental effects on mental and physical well-being.

Social Media

As mentioned, people with SUD often damage close relationships when they’re trying to hide their struggle. Whether they’re family, close friends, or even working relationships, losing these connections can be incredibly damaging for people working toward recovery. With how pervasive the internet and social media are, it can be easy to assume that we’re more connected than ever before. These tools can make you feel like you have the world at your fingertips; after all, we can get answers to questions in mere seconds as we connect with people the world over. The web is purported to make finding new communities easy, as people are able to gain access to relationships with a number of people they’ve never met. Mental illness and substance abuse are two diagnoses that often go hand in hand, with one typically worsening the symptoms of the other.

Is Feeling Lonely During Addiction Recovery Normal?

It’s important that you face what you’ve done in the past, as well as your current situation, and take accountability. Accepting and remaining accountable for your actions can help you come to terms with the issues and help you heal from them. Jeremy Nobel, MD, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ MPH, is a Harvard Medical School faculty member and head of the UnLonely Project, an initiative to combat the public health epidemic of loneliness and isolation. In a recent survey, nearly three out of four adults reported feeling a deep sense of loneliness.

• And the NYAM report is just the latest call from an organization with credibility among physicians, payers, and health systems to do just that.
• And those who eventually become sober and lead a healthy life may relapse due to loneliness.
• As the addiction worsens, many people damage relationships and lose friends, creating even stronger feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• Without the stimulation of social interaction and the encouragement of a support network, personal development can stall, leaving individuals feeling stuck and unfulfilled.

How to Handle Loneliness: Our Ten Best Tips

• Addiction and isolation can be devastating cycles to find yourself in, and we can help.
• For some, turning to substances can seem like a convenient way to ease the feelings of loneliness or even as a way to jumpstart social connections that are only built on substance use.
• This concern may make you hesitate to attend social gatherings, especially if they involve triggers or temptations.
• Research has linked loneliness to a range of health issues, including heart disease, high blood pressure, weakened immune function, and increased stress levels.
• These relationships won’t heal overnight, but it’s important to make attempts to rekindle the relationship, beginning by apologizing and taking ownership of the situation.