Addiction can be an isolating disease, especially if you do not have a strong support network. Isolation in recovery comes with many dangers. As a general rule, humans require interaction, fellowship, and support. Who we surround ourselves with directly impacts our choices and the people we become. This is especially true for those of us in recovery.
Relapse becomes a real risk if we continue surrounding ourselves with people who are actively using drugs or partaking in excessive substance use. However, we can not retreat away from the world to prevent relapse. Instead, we must be careful and intentional about who we surround ourselves with.
Retreating from the world may seem like the easier choice initially, but many dangers come with isolating yourself from the good the world and its people can offer.
Professionals often refer to addiction as a chronic condition. In other words, it is persistent and long-lasting. The fact that there is no cure—only ways to keep it in remission—is a harsh reality. When presented with such difficult truths, people sometimes get stuck in their heads and fall into depressive or anxious states. While this is a normal reaction to some extent, it can also consume us. When isolated, intrusive and sometimes dark thoughts can take over.
Individuals diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD) are in a unique situation compared to those with other chronic conditions. For years, individuals struggling with addiction experienced judgment, stigmatization, and shame surrounding their illness. Unfortunately, some of this negativity is still present, but people have finally accepted the science that indicates addiction is a mental illness that requires medical and clinical treatment and intervention. Still, this condition can be a lonely one.
Everyone gets lonely or feels isolated from time to time. Addiction is not the only chronic condition that can be isolating. Any mental illness—anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—can cause isolation in recovery. Individuals battling cancer or other long-term health concerns may feel the same way. People may want to hide their condition and intentionally isolate, or isolation may be an unintended result of other people's judgments or incorrect assumptions about their condition.
In isolation, SUD holds a unique concern—one of the biggest indicators of impending relapse is isolation. Some research suggests that feelings of loneliness are sometimes stronger in individuals who use or used to use substances. The same goes in reverse, as these feelings may also lead to high-risk behavior, initial substance use, and the development of SUD.
When people feel isolated in recovery, they may experience intrusive thoughts, exhibit symptoms of depression, or have intense cravings for substances. In addition to intrusive thoughts or co-occurring symptoms, people may reminisce about past addictive behaviors and experience intense emotions that prompt substance use. Increased mental or physical health complications, lack of support, and trouble finding support can all lead to substance use or cause people in recovery to relapse.
Luckily, support can come from many places.
Having the support of friends and family during treatment and recovery is a blessing. However, even in a room full of people who love and support your journey, you may sometimes feel alone. Regardless of good intentions, some people in your support system may not understand what it is like to live in active addiction, go through detox and treatment, and try to maintain recovery. Their support is still beneficial, but when you have a tough day and need to talk to someone who understands, your friends or family may not be the first place you want to turn.
So, who can you turn to after ruling out friends and family? This is the space where sober networks and support groups come in. Having a recovery community is an essential part of recovery. Not only will it help you, but it will also provide you with an opportunity to help others. Helping others in itself can be a motivator to maintain recovery.
Sober networks and friendships are crucial to recovery. The people you spend time around are influential, and friends in recovery offer positive influences. With a recovery network, you no longer have to worry about maintaining recovery on your own because now, you are surrounded by an entire group of people trying to do it too.
Support group meetings are a great place to meet other people in recovery. Getting involved with a local community of individuals in recovery can broaden your network dramatically. Another great way to widen your network is to partake in an aftercare program. Programs like these keep you connected with peers and professionals who can offer advice and guidance regarding recovery. Plus, the more you learn, the more opportunities you will have to help newcomers who join groups such as these with the same goal of getting through early recovery.
Despite its isolating nature, addiction does not have to be a solitary journey. It should not be a journey you take alone. Isolation can be dangerous or threaten your recovery. Reach out to a friend, family member, peer, or professional if you struggle with isolation in recovery.
Many chronic conditions can cause individuals to feel isolated. Mental illness, cancer, and other long-term health problems may cut you off from the world and the people in your life. Addiction is no different. The support of family and friends is invaluable, but they may not understand what it is like to live in recovery. Thankfully, there are millions of people in the world who do understand active addiction. Connecting with them and widening your support network is vital when reducing feelings of isolation in recovery. NorthStar Transitions can help you connect with a solid recovery community to avoid isolation and relapse. To feel less isolated in your recovery journey, call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400 today.
