Loneliness is one of the biggest causes of addiction. But the other hand, losing oneself in the oblivion of isolation is a chronic symptom of addiction. The addict runs away from social contact and when alone they run away from themselves by drinking and drugging. It goes on and on in a vicious circle. It often comes from feeling shame and guilt.
So, a question arises when someone is getting clean what do they do with the free time when they are alone. Often times, in early recovery these are the times you fear the most. It is impossible to run away from yourself in recovery.
Surprisingly, being alone is an important step in recovery! In your recovery journey, you also need to develop a support system. This support system is usually from your 12 step meetings, along with friends who understand and family members. But at the end of the day, you’ll have to have time to yourself, so let’s figure out what to do.
Solitude plays an important role in self-discovery it’s where you learn to live with yourself and love yourself. Being alone does not necessarily have to be lonely, but it’s important that you learn to deal with alone time in healthy ways and not isolate.
If you are new in recovery, there are few things you can try to tackle the impending depression that may come with being alone. Your solitude will be your safe place where you are confident and content with yourself. There is a joy in being happy with yourself that is unparalleled by any. On your path to recovery solitude can be a rewarding thing and once you are content with yourself the chances of relapses reduce too.
There are various things you can pursue when you are alone in early recovery to keep your mind occupied till you are comfortable with yourself.
Writing
Starting with a gratitude list. Writer about the work you’ve done to get where you are today. Affirm that you have worked hard, write it down! List the things that made you happy today, list what you have to be grateful for. You can start a journal to track your progress along with jotting down your thoughts and feeling for the day. Countering any negative beliefs with positive ones, write it down!
Exercise
Choose any form of exercise that you want. From hitting the gym to joining a yoga class, the choice is up to you. Exercise not only flushes your body of toxins and enhances metabolism, but also releases beta-endorphins – a hormone responsible for making you happy. Moreover, as you exercise regularly your skin and body both get in a better shape inducing new confidence to take on social life. Also, incorporate a healthy diet into your routine. Your body is already recovering from the abuse of alcohol and other drugs and it can take all the help it can get. So, with a healthy diet, you can help get rid of any stored toxins. Self-love is important and exercising and healthy diet is one of the major ways you can live yourself. Keep it simple take a walk.
Clean Up
When you find yourself alone in the house with no plan, don’t fret – set small tasks for yourself. You can clean your house. Start small. Set goals that you can achieve. Clean and decorate your house just the way you like and always wanted. This will give you a motivation to keep going and as you set up, your house (or room) it will feel like a more welcoming place to be. This will be your sound and secure space. Get that set of curtains you saw in a magazine. Clean your refrigerator to store all the healthy food you are now into. Make a statement with your house so you feel the sense of belonging. As you keep yourself busy and make a place for yourself, being alone ceases to be lonely but rewarding instead.
Evolving Yourself
Addiction often leads to low self-esteem and a lower self-worth. In to be comfortable with yourself so you can be alone with you, it is important that you feel good about yourself. Solitude gives you a lot of time to introspect and get to know yourself better. It provides you a scope to identify what exactly you like about yourself and what it is that you are running from. Come to terms with the things that make you unhappy with yourself and try to change it by taking one step at a time. For starters, you can start being kind to people.
A random act of kindness can make a man’s day. Know that your action elicited that reaction is bound to make you feel good about yourself. Not always will the kindness be returned with gratitude, but often enough people will be kind to you. Simple gestures like these go a long way in helping you to elevate your self-worth. These change aid in healing not just your body but also your mind and spirit.
Unplug
Once in a while, take time out from all the technology that occupies your day to day life. Give yourself a couple of hours without the pressing calls for attention from TV or phone. Spend some time meditating. Meditation helps calm the restlessness and deal with some of the inner demons that have worked overtime during active addiction. Let’s dull these negative thoughts and replace them with the belief that you are in recovery now.
Meditation and other forms of mindfulness help you to deal with negative thoughts. When you meditate you’ll have better control of yourself and your thinking. Adult coloring books are also an amazing way to experience mindfulness. Unplug and let go!
Find a Hobby
In your early recovery as you spend more time with yourself pick a hobby that you enjoy doing on your own. It could be cooking, driving, dancing in your living room – whatever gives you joy and stick to it. You don’t need too many people to have fun when you are happy with yourself.
It is important for you to know and believe that recovery is possible. Be patient. Not every day will be same. Try not to dwell on the days that did not go as planned. Your brain is capable of adapting to different situations. Neuroplasticity enables your brain to change throughout your life. So, by being patient, you can get there. There are so many ways to get through times alone and have a joyful and more content life.
