On the 6th Day of Recovery my new life gave to me: no longer feeling lonely

In recovery, getting back out there and making new friends or making amends with old one can be easier said than done. Addiction can feel like you’re on an island, but recovery is an opportunity to cultivate relationships!

Break free from your loneliness.

1. Start by saying goodbye to your old life and the old you. You may have to part ways with old friends and terminate some relationships.
2. Join a support group. In the early stages of recovery, you may feel like an outsider. It’s important to spend time with others in recovery who are experiencing the same struggles. If you don’t feel supported by the people around you, it’s time to seek those supportive people out.
3. Make amends wherever possible. Say sorry and move on if you can.
4. Cut out negative influences. Not everyone around you will be a positive influence. Sometimes it’s important to cut ties in order to stay on the path of recovery. Take inventory of the relationships in your life and cut out the ones that are not fully supportive of your recovery.
5. Go online. Online recovery groups (like The International Quit and Recovery Registry!) are great places to connect with like-minded people from all over the world. Websites like ours are a great resource to connect with people and stay informed with the latest recovery news! In fact, we think social networks are so important for recovery we started a new study to examine just that. Click here to learn more and find out how you can be a part of our research.
6. Change things up. Loneliness can be a symptom of boredom and a sign you need a change. Try picking up hobbies you had before addiction, consider joining a volunteer organization, or try something new you’ve always wanted to do!
7. Work on your self and your emotions. In order to build heathy relationships with others, you must first develop healthy self-esteem. Practice being alone, setting healthy boundaries, and practice being a good friend in return. It’s also important to become comfortable with the feelings of sadness or loneliness. Everyone feels this way from time to time but it’s important to not only tolerate these emotions but learn from them as well.
8. Give back. Volunteer or become a sponsor. Giving back to your community is a great way to discover a new sense of purpose and belonging.

Show the people in your life that you care.

1. Acknowledge everyone. Go out of your way to acknowledge people, it shows you recognize their value and importance. It can be as simple as smiling at someone on the subway or saying ‘good morning’ to a coworker.
2. Listen with interest. There’s a difference between hearing someone and truly listening to the. Be interested, active, and engaged,
3. Be present. Turn off the television and put down your phone. Living in the moment tells the people in your life that they matter to you. Make that person the center of attention for a few minutes.
4. Encourage and reassure confidence. Telling someone that they did a good job is not only a great way to let them know that they matter, it also serves to motivate them.
5. Appreciate, appreciate, appreciate. Being grateful is one of the simplest ways to achieve happiness. Letting someone know that you appreciate them with your words and actions leads to stronger and healthier relationships.

Here is a helpful guide to making and keeping friends from SAMHSA and here are some more tips for making friends in recovery.

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As this year draws to a close we wanted to share with you our version of the 12 Days of Christmas. The 12 Months of Recovery was a video we made last holiday season to categorize some of the ways we can all be thankful for our recovery. Every day leading up to Christmas, we will be sharing the 12 Days of Recovery.