Old 01-15-2010, 03:34 PM
  # 21 (permalink)  
Dee74
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,058
Hi Robobrain and Rdav74
Welcome to you both

I think loneliness is a thing alot of us have to face in recovery. My entire social circle was made up of hard core drinkers - I made the choice to leave that group for my health and my recovery.

I think too that the physical process of recovering from years of addiction can play havoc with our emotions. What we're feeling may not be entirely what we're feeling...Check out PAWs.

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) — Why we don’t get better immediately) Digital Dharma

I was lucky like Anna - I literally stumbled in here, and helping people helped me.

It gave meaning back to my life and stopped me from obsessing about myself, which is something I did for many years.

I was lonely for a lot of years - for me a lot of that was me isolating myself. I see now the benefits in reaching out.

That was my solution - I hope both of you can find yours.

I'm not in AA, but I happen to agree with the idea that newly recovered people shouldn't rush headlong into new relationships - I know for myself I had NO idea who I was in the beginning, and who I thought I was changed from week to week.

I thought then, and I still think now, to bring someone else into that rollercoaster ride is kinda unfair.

I needed that alone time (which is different from being lonely) to heal and to start knowing myself...otherwise I might be using someone else as a alternative to getting to my deeper issues, in the same way I used drugs.

JMO
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