When I was little, visits away from home felt unbearably empty. That same hollow loneliness still shows up now in hotel rooms or when I’m away from home. Yesterday it crept in again while settling in to an airbnb. BONUS: The previous inhabitant left a bucket of empty beer and tequila bottles out back, and for a hot second my brain whispered, “Wouldn’t that be nice?” But I caught it and answered back, “no.” I felt the fatigue, nausea, sharp pains in my head, and the obsessive cheerleader on my shoulder egging me into sadness. After doing the work for nine years, I recognized the empties as a spiritual test and leaned into my sobriety toolkit.

So, I used my podcast today to talk through the loneliness and remember the practical things that can help me during this time. I looked at the anatomy of a relapse and where it can start. Loneliness is a real thing. It can be a scary thing, and it can be the first step of a relapse if not acknowledged and addressed immediately. Among many other actions in my toolbox, my podcast made me name the feelings out loud and admit that I know what to do. The simple act of sharing my feelings saves me over and over again.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779

Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#Loneliness #Sobriety #RelapsePrevention #RecoveryToolkit #MentalHealth #AddictionRecovery #PodcastTherapy #YoureOKRightNow #SpiritualTest #StayConnected