It is Loneliness Awareness Week from 12th to 16th June 2023. To find out more, please click here
Loneliness for me wasn’t just about being on my own it was more about not fitting in, not being liked, feeling less than.
You see I’m an Alcoholic and that in itself has a stigma attached and I think the shame of my addiction kept me in that chaos. It was a vicious circle and I know today that a lot of my loneliness was in my head.
Addiction/mental health created that void, that hole in my soul. To begin with I became isolated it was a subtle transition that quickly became my normal. Then my head told me I wasn’t good enough, that I was a bad person and a let-down to others. This was a very lonely time in my life, very dark and self-loathing.
Since I got into recovery, I rarely feel lonely, I don’t listen to my head, I keep busy with voluntary work, I plan my day, I make myself do things that get me out of my comfort zone. I join in, I give things a go and most of all I try to be positive. I keep connected with friends, we support each other, we walk, talk and we laugh.
I don’t have time for loneliness anymore, I feel a lot more confident and content.
Image: Antony Gormley – Another Place
