How to Avoid and Overcome Isolation in Sobriety

No insulation

Getting sand on your ice cream, spilling ketchup in your bed, or getting an all peanut butter sandwich without jelly- these are a few things I don’t care for. You know what else I don’t care for? My alcoholic thinking. It’s the worst when you enter recovery to better your life and the production ahead but only to find the substances weren’t the entire problem. At the end of the day, all of the problems start with us. You see, it’s our style of thinking and behavior as addicts and alcoholics that prohibit us from creating positive outcomes in life without some true sincere introspection.

The alcoholic thinking is what drives us to want to get loaded every day. The alcoholic thinking is what allows us to toss our morals and values to the side as we do something against the grain. It’s the alcoholic thinking that continuously allows us to self-sabotage, enter full on isolation, and constantly get in the way of our own selves. We addicts and alcoholics are masters of disruption. Something in us is just triggered to be different. Whether you believe it or not, it’s just in our nature as chemically dependent individuals. We act on things like isolation that we know aren’t good for us, but are compelled to engage in unhealthy behaviors like metal to a magnet. It’s not until we choose to become self-aware that we can even recognize some of it.

Is This Going to Last Forever?

To start off, none of us are near perfect in this world- sober or not. We all have our ups and downs and choose to handle them differently. When we fall down mentally, there’s some form of inner torment and struggle going on that were dealing with usually. Consciously and sub-consciously we’re vulnerable and the walls of negativity have been put up. Often times we can be found shutting down and diving deep into isolation as we feel sorry for ourselves. Pouting and playing the victim is one of the things we do best.

We have to call ourselves out when isolation and introversion take over. Storm the gates a thousand deep. Emotion comes into play here heavy. When we get ourselves to this point, how does anybody lift themselves up? We think of things that bring pleasure. Drugs are out the picture- so now what? Some form of inspired hope is what drags us through each more or less.  A string of words put together in the right order is one of the most enveloping and powerful things to humankind. Thinking in a positive manner calls for a positive day. It goes back to there is no right or wrong side of the bed to wake up on in the morning. It’s more about the frame of mind you put yourself in. Thinking positively helps us to better understand things. The world isn’t as dark as it always appears.

 

Can’t Stand It? Reach Out

For some of us, hopping out of depression, induced isolation can be much easier said than done. It takes time which is understandable, but it takes action. We cannot ignore the world forever as we shut the blinds and wallow away in vitamin D deficiency. Taking baby steps and reaching out to people in various forms is a good beginning.

There are tons of social media accounts that promote cheerful thoughts all over Facebook, Instagram, and even Twitter. They all can activate different brainwaves of motivation that can possibly change your gloomy outlook upon things. Without deep introspection and meditation, we can only see the world from one person’s outlook- our own. It’s not possible to live somebody else’s life. Similarities can be drawn, but everybody’s point of view on things can tend to differ.

Somebody might be looking for somebody to relate to and read about what the author or another person has been through. People learn through connection to an idea or a concept. We sympathize and empathize and put ourselves into scenarios that are comparable. Linking with somebody else’s experiences and we begin to feel right at home.

To listen and hear another approach to a situation is what life is about. There’s too much in life for us to do or understand it all. Hopping on the World Wide Web is the only baby steps needed to keep you in your protected bubble as you read and relate to other addicted minds. No matter how much we want to be sometimes- we are never alone in this disease. Isolation, loneliness, and fear do not have to win.

Keep Moving Forward

If we can work our courage up enough, the next step would be actually calling or meeting up with somebody trustworthy. Isolation is a technique used for us to more or less drown out the rest of the world. Giving ourselves the help we need and not necessarily want is the difference between life and death for some. Giving a call to somebody in the fellowship and voicing ourselves to them is essentially free therapy. We will drive ourselves mad and to the brink of relapse if we try to ping pong our insanity around on our own. We have to let it out somehow, or isolation and things will take over that will just bring our alcoholic thinking to the forefront.

Maybe we’ve just dropped into that temporary depressive state and need to feel some form of love and know that we matter. Some form of kind wording to make us feel less vulnerable and like the world is a good place. Honestly, one of my favorite pages to inspire the feels would be following “Disney”. The morals taught are incredibly brilliant and they have a tendency to make the world seem less evil.

I’m Telling Y’all it’s Sabotage

You may be thinking to yourself that it’s not worth the effort, but don’t be fooled. Making it through the battle of addiction is worth it. Don’t allow things like isolation to take you back. The mind is a dangerous place that will bring you back to the misery if you allow it. If you or a loved one has been struggling to make the next step, please call 866-433-1992 or visit www.anylength.net.  We have trained specialists on standby ready to help you start sending your life in a direction that will have you come out on top feeling healthy and happy with the outcome of your future. The time to love yourself is now.

 

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