It is a human desire to want to feel wanted. At our core, we humans are social creatures. We live together not only out of survival but out of desire as well. We all want to feel accepted, liked, and wanted. Regardless of age, belonging is absolutely necessary to maintaining mental health and overall well-being. Isolation can be a dangerous thing for anyone, but especially those trying to maintain their sobriety.
Facing your addiction and mental health challenges was probably a long and adventurous process. It was difficult, emotional, and some days even draining. Now you are onto recovery and leading a healthy lifestyle. You may have noticed that even though you gave up your substance of choice, your mental health may still need to be addressed. Many who work through addiction face feeling unwanted. We think we are unworthy because of the choices we made in the past. Working through feeling unwanted is important not only for our mental health but our sobriety as well. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you find yourself feeling unwanted.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
The best way to work through struggles is to acknowledge the feelings and emotions we are experiencing. Many of us need to continuously work on connecting with our feelings because when we do not face them and attempt to bury them, it can greatly affect our mental health.
When someone expresses that they feel unwanted, it is normally many emotions all bottled together. We may feel sad at being left out, angry we were not chosen, or even tired from a full schedule. By simply saying you feel unwanted, you fail to break apart your feeling to see where the true pain lies.
Build a Support Circle
Having a group surround you with love and support is a powerful thing. We all need support. We all need to feel a sense of belonging. Who you surround yourself with can have a profound impact on your mental health.
If you are feeling unwanted, you may be choosing to spend your time with the wrong group. Those who are your true support should never make you feel unwanted. Often we surround ourselves with people who fill some sort of void in our lives. This does not necessarily mean they are the healthiest choice for us. For example, we may spend time with someone because they give us the attention we crave. However, what if that person is also an active substance user and tries to pressure us to use? Just because we receive what we want, like attention, does not mean they are healthy for us to be around.
Journal Your Feelings
One great way to acknowledge your feelings is to journal. Daily journaling gives us an outlet to express ourselves, vent about our day, and say the things we have a difficult time vocalizing. Journaling also helps us better analyze situations. When we can understand what did and did not work in a situation, we can better prepare ourselves to work through similar situations in the future.
When we feel unwanted, there can be many components that make up that feeling. Often it can be difficult to understand what is making us feel a certain way. Journaling can help us to examine situations, analyze people, and understand patterns. Emotions and feelings are complicated; learning how to understand and work through them is key in maintaining your sobriety and mental health.
Focus on Building Hobbies
Building and creating hobbies can be a wonderful way to boost confidence and achieve goals. If a person or group makes you feel unwanted, then focus on things that lift you up and make you feel good. Hobbies and activities can give us a way to improve ourselves. Belonging to a group also builds a sense of community. When we can connect through activities, it can help to alleviate pressures or worries of not being accepted or liked.
Hobbies can be different for everyone. Maybe you want to start jogging daily, reading more, or painting. Recovery is a process, and we all experience feelings differently. If you feel unwanted, it may impact your sobriety and mental health. Take time to learn what works best for your mental health and overall well-being.
Continue Professional Support
Recovery is hard. Continue to work with a mental health professional. Working on skills and tools to understand your mental health will help you continue your recovery and sobriety.
Feeling unwanted is a very tough emotion to experience. When we feel unwanted, we may be feeling unloved, disliked, or unsupported. Emotions are often interconnected and can be very difficult to understand. Our relationships and connections with others can have many layers and dynamics. Learning to understand what your mind and body best respond to is important. Explore things such as hobbies and journaling to help with building confidence and boosting motivation to work towards goals. Try to step outside your comfort zone. Understanding your mental health is crucial to maintaining your sobriety. Working with a professional even after leading a successful and sober lifestyle is important. Having support from friends and family is also crucial when experiencing unpleasant emotions. Here at The Guest House, we have extensive experience helping individuals at every stage of the recovery process. Whether you are facing an active addiction or years of experience with sobriety, we are here to help. Call us today to learn more about our different treatment options and how we can support you at (855) 483-7800.