Healthy(ier) coping mechanisms for loneliness and isolation?

hey,

 

Through the years I've come to realise that all the benzo  problems (and all my other substance addiction problems) came from loneliness and isolation. I can't relate to most people, I am oftentimes very lonely,  I miss my childhood and my family a lot and I idealize that time then things weren't so difficult ( even though there's not much left for me there at this point).

 

How do you cope with loneliness? I left home when I was a teenager, started abusing alcohol and  benzos,  all because  of this crippling loneliness.

It seems simple but I've dealt with loneliness by just getting out of the house and going to places where people are, even if I'm not interacting with them. Museums, libraries, coffee shops. Sometimes I'll just read a book somewhere there are people. I don't need to talk to anyone necessarily, but just being around people can make me feel better.

hey,

 

Through the years I've come to realise that all the benzo  problems (and all my other substance addiction problems) came from loneliness and isolation. I can't relate to most people, I am oftentimes very lonely,  I miss my childhood and my family a lot and I idealize that time then things weren't so difficult ( even though there's not much left for me there at this point).

 

How do you cope with loneliness? I left home when I was a teenager, started abusing alcohol and  benzos,  all because  of this crippling loneliness.

 

Loneliness is very rough and it doesn't mean anything is wrong with you.  Our society makes it worse.  People no longer talk to each other or see each other face to face in the digital age.  People in general really are colder and ruder than ever before and this is why the good old days are idealized.  You move to a new neighborhood and people no longer greet you or introduce themselves, no longer wave back at you if you wave (and they have no excuse to dislike you because they have never even met you).

 

How do you cope?  All you can do is keep trying.  Keep waving at people.  Wave at 500 people, maybe 2 will wave back.  Make quick small talk complimenting someone's sweater for example to open a conversation.  Keep your opening line small talk 30 seconds at most because you will get the brush off right quick from many if you go over that.

 

I wish you the best and always remember that popularity is no indication of quality.

Swampgal...

Am with on this one,the loneliness is brutal..

 

River Rolf wrote a piece on this subject,I can’t find it sorry!But some one else could jump in with it.

 

Have always felt lonely it’s why I drank too,so your not alone in feeling this way ❣️

I feel very lonely because I have been ill and mainly housebound for 21 years.

 

I miss my life before illness. I miss being able to work and have a social life. I miss my non-ill self so much it is like constant grieving.

 

If I was well enough and I felt lonely I would go out in to the world and help other people. I think doing some voluntary work is a great way to combat lonliness. I used to do that in my spare time before I got ill.

You are right, Pinkfairy.  It is brutal.  Prayers for all my fellow lonely buddies.  I'm lonely too.

I have been lonely at various stages through my life, but nothing compares to what I’m going through now. I’ve lost contact with friends, feel too unwell to do much at all. You’re not the only one going through this if that helps.

Me too.alone don't want to go anywhere but lonely is worse. Bad feeling.

I wish we could all share a big house together so none of us had to feel this lonely..

 

Have felt lonely before,but this takes the biscuit...

Am sorry your all lonely.Am reaching to you in spirit to wrap my arms around you all ♥️

I wish we could all share a big house together so none of us had to feel this lonely..

 

Have felt lonely before,but this takes the biscuit...

Am sorry your all lonely.Am reaching to you in spirit to wrap my arms around you all ♥️

 

Hug back to you, Pinkfairy.

Thank you...it’s needed muchly ❣️