After you go through recovery, you may have to distance yourself from former friends who still use alcohol and drugs. Coping with loneliness could leave you feeling depressed. Addressing these feelings with positive changes can help you make new connections and avoid a relapse. At our mental health treatment center in Oregon, Crestview Recovery uses holistic and traditional therapy to help you find better ways to deal with depression and loneliness.
What Are the Symptoms of Loneliness?
Loneliness can take many forms, and symptoms vary from person to person. It’s beneficial to be able to identify common symptoms of feeling sad or depressed in yourself or a loved one so that you know when it’s time to reach out to a team of professionals, such as the team at Crestview Recovery.
Symptoms of loneliness include:
- Feelings of anxiety or restlessness
- Decreased energy
- Loss of appetite
- Changes in sleep patterns, either not sleeping or sleeping too much
- Inability to focus
- Body aches and pains
These symptoms can also indicate a more significant mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Often, it takes an evaluation from a therapist or mental health professional to diagnose a mental health disorder. That’s why it’s crucial to reach out for help when you recognize these symptoms in yourself or a loved one.
Coping with Loneliness
When you attend a women’s rehab program or a men’s rehab program in Oregon, you receive individual therapy that helps you learn more productive habits. Unfortunately, leaving behind reminders of substance use may leave you feeling isolated. Take advantage of the skills learned in recovery to engage in meaningful activities and build a new network of friends.
For example, we offer holistic drug therapy that includes recreational therapy, such as skiing and whitewater rafting, to help clients find new interests to replace the void left by drugs and alcohol. Keep reading to find ways to deal with loneliness following completion of the following programs:
- Residential addiction treatment
- Partial hospitalization
- Medical detox
- Sober living
Get Busy and Say Goodbye to Loneliness
You can dispel loneliness by reaching out to others through meaningful activities or volunteer work. Getting your daily dose of sunshine can make you feel brighter. Here are a few tips to help you stay positive and avoid falling into a depression:
- Go outside for at least 15 minutes every day: Sunlight improves your mental and physical health. In the mornings, the rising sun can boost your energy levels, and the setting sun tells your body when it’s time to wind down. Sunlight contains vitamin D vital to your skin and impacts weight loss, blood pressure, and many other areas of wellness.
- Build genuine relationships: If you are used to friendships based on drug and alcohol use, it may take time to learn how to build authentic relationships again. Take a moment to observe how other people interact with coworkers, friends, and family members. Choose one or more mentors you can trust and ask them for advice on making and keeping meaningful friendships.
- Nurture your relationships: If you have people in your life that you let down during your dependency on drugs or alcohol, now is the time to make amends. Reach out to former close friends and sober family members. By putting in a sincere effort and genuinely caring about those around you, you may find yourself getting more invitations to social outings.
- Organize events: Join or start a social club to make new friends with similar interests. If you have hobbies such as running or biking, organize activities centered around those hobbies. This addresses social and physical wellness and can help you reinforce positive lifestyle changes.
- Volunteer for a cause you care about: If you would like to give back to the community, choose a charitable organization that inspires you. For example, you might want to help out at a local shelter or volunteer for your church’s AV team. Volunteers perform essential functions at animal shelters and hospitals. You can make a real difference and find an effective means of coping with loneliness at the same time.
Mental Health Treatment
At Crestview Recovery, our dual diagnosis treatment program provides therapy for depression and mental health disorders. Depression treatment helps you understand the reasons behind your negative emotions. You may need to continue depression treatment following recovery as a way of coping with loneliness.
Mental health treatment doesn’t have the same stigma it once did. So, there’s no need to feel embarrassed when you need a little help.
Alcohol and Substance Use Treatment in Oregon
At Crestview Recovery, we offer numerous treatment plans that include strategies for coping with loneliness. From a group therapy program to a family therapy program, we can guide the way to the brighter future you deserve. Contact us at 866.262.0531 to sign up for drug and alcohol rehab today or learn more about our facility.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
