Loneliness is the most terrible poverty.
An immense amount of mental and physical health research shows that isolated/separated individuals suffer both emotionally and physically. Conversely, people who place a high value on developing and maintaining meaningful connections tend to be happier, more resilient, and more successful. They even tend to live longer. Thus we see that emotionally intimate connections are nearly as essential to life and well-being as more obvious needs like food, water, and shelter. This is doubly true for addicts in recovery. Without healthy dependency and connection, we may make it physically, but we won’t be happy. When we go it alone, we fail to thrive.
Just for Today
If you’re feeling lonely, offer to help someone who is a newcomer to recovery. Notice how quickly your loneliness dissipates.