Personal connections are some of the most basic and necessary of human needs. When you create a relationship with other people, this develops a sense of belonging that boosts your self-esteem. In fact, Close-knit relationships can help you persevere through life’s toughest times. Our personal relationships also teach us love, compassion, and guidance (sound familiar?). Creating personal connections and bonds aren’t just important, they are essential for getting sober and achieving long-term recovery.
Substance Use Disorder and Isolation
When you are in over your head in substance abuse, your world typically becomes small and isolated. You will likely prioritize drugs and alcohol over people and daily responsibilities. Substance use can cause shame, which may cause you to avoid social situations. However, isolation only causes deeper feelings of loneliness, possibly leading to depression. At this point, many people expand their addiction to cope with depression symptoms, and perpetuating the vicious cycle of addiction.
A big aspect of addiction recovery, and a key for maintaining your sobriety is no longer associating with people, places, and things that fueled your addiction. Therefore, we must create a whole, new sober network. Treatment will teach you how to form new, healthy relationships that will support your sober lifestyle.
Connections Matter in Recovery (For Real)
Personal connections create a sense of belonging, while isolation fast-tracks loneliness and depression. At the same time, friends and families may begin to ignore you as a direct result of your addiction. They feel this way for two reasons; one, it may be too painful to watch you harm yourself. You may also have become too reliant on their financial resources, which will end shortly. However, when you attend residential addiction treatment, you will learn how to build connections with others just like you. This predominantly happens within 12-step support groups. These groups instantly offer the kind of relationships that are needed to progress in recovery. They will be some of the most important connections you will make in life.
People who are more connected to a social group exhibit less depression than those who are not. Research have also shown that relationships with others bring a larger sense of self-worth, acceptance, and compassion for others, as well as increased self-esteem. Preserving long-term sobriety may be filled with ups and downs but having trusted peers to reach out to will make it easier. That’s a fact!
About the Author
Matthew Koenig is the principal of Last Call Marketing, which devotes their efforts to Digital Marketing, Content Marketing, Website Design and SEO, primarily in healthcare and tourism concerns. Mr. Koenig is based out of South Florida. His sober date is June 10, 2013.