Having human and spiritual connection are among the most important fundamental needs of human beings. According to research, belonging and love are the two most basic needs of the human species. To explain, when we experience a connection with another person, hobby, career, a higher power, lifestyle, or a group, we are focused on creating joy and passion in the present moment. It is extremely important for individuals to build connection in recovery from addiction, as they need to find a purpose and meaning in life to successfully remain sober and healthy.
Connection encourages and inspires social, physical, mental, and emotional healing. When an individual is recovering from addiction, they must develop healthy skills in each of those areas. Therefore, building connections is one of the best ways to encourage addiction recovery. When we empathize with others, learn to validate our pain or positive experiences, and find ways to soothe ourselves when needed, we are able to develop a connection with others and ourselves. These kinds of connections help foster the healing an individual needs to maintain a healthy foundation for recovery from addiction.
Building a Connection With Yourself in Recovery
One of the most important connections you can make in recovery from addiction is the one with yourself. By making a connection with oneself, individuals are able to dig deeper, unpack emotions that they were unaware of, and even heal from trauma. When we connect with ourselves, we begin to identify our spiritual, social, financial, emotional, and mental needs. This allows individuals to begin to seek authentic truths about their wants, needs, and passions. Additionally, becoming connected with yourself allows you to learn about what makes you happy, sad, and what you can do to heal from negativity.
To begin a connection with yourself in recovery, you must first seek to understand who you are at your core. In other words, identify your passions, values, beliefs, likes, and dislikes. Next, you should take a look at what brings you happiness, how you can learn to sustain feelings of positivity, and teach yourself how to remain present. By remaining present, you may reduce your anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts. This is extremely important in recovery, as anxiety, stress, and negative thinking are leading causes of relapse.
While some individuals may feel as if focusing on themselves is selfish, this is not the case. Focusing on yourself is an act of self-love and awareness, which are both very important things in the world of addiction recovery. Self-awareness creates balance in an individual’s life, as well as increasing one’s connection with themselves. If you would like to strengthen your sobriety and outlook on life without substances, consider building a connection with yourself. Oftentimes, individuals have succeeded in increasing their self-awareness through meditation practices. Having this connection in recovery is extremely vital to one’s success.
Making Connections With Others in Recovery
Connecting with others, whether through human touch, conversation, or a shared interest, is what builds community. Having a community is extremely important to individuals in recovery, as communities help support one another through difficult times. Additionally, connection helps individuals to reduce negative thinking, which comes from feelings of isolation and negative self-talk that are associated with addiction. Humans have a deep need for connection with others, and when they bond with a social group, feelings of happiness and endorphins in the brain increase naturally.
The benefits of building connections with others in recovery include:
- Decreased levels of stress
- Reduced risk of mental health conditions
- Overall longevity in life
- Strengthened immune systems
- Decreased inflammation
- Decreased physical health problems
- Reduced anxiety and depression
- Enhanced self-esteem
- Relapse prevention due to mutual support and connection
People in recovery are recommended to join a 12-Step recovery program (i.e Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous) to form and strengthen connections with others. Another way individuals in recovery can build connections is by networking in their community. Finding people who have similar professional aspirations or similar interests, in general, will enhance an individual’s self-esteem after a life of addiction. Also, being involved in engaging conversations with friends will help people to discover their interests and learn to open new pathways to connections in recovery and in life.
Creating a Connection With a Higher Power in Recovery
Spirituality is a strong aspect of facilitating healing and is extremely popular among the addiction recovery community. When an individual connects with a higher power of their own understanding, they gain a different understanding of life events. Oftentimes, this puts things into perspective that individuals could not grasp in the past. Connecting with higher power may show you that there is more to life than our suffering, our addictions, our flaws, and our egos. With the help of a higher power, people can learn to surrender to each moment, letting go of old patterns of being, and thinking.
Attend Addiction Treatment That Encourages Connection in Recovery
At New Jersey Interventions, we believe in the power of connection. Whether it be a connection with yourself, friends, family members, peers, or a higher power, we believe that connection is a major aspect of recovery from addiction. If you or a loved one are in need of addiction treatment, contact us today. We can help you find an addiction treatment center specifically suited to your needs.
Medically Reviewed: November 20, 2020
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.