Correctional Officers and Loneliness: 5 Ways to Connect Healthfully with Other People

The life of a correctional officer both on the job and off can quickly get lonely. If you do not quite click with your coworkers, you may not find it easy to build strong relationships on the job. Plus, the erratic schedule and stress at work can quickly get in the way of having functional relationships outside of work. Loneliness can develop quickly, and for many, the problem played a huge role in the development of a drug or alcohol problem.
Now, in recovery, it is important for you to find healthier ways to manage loneliness and build a solid network in recovery. Here’s how:
- Share at meetings. Though “just showing up” is a big part of staying sober, if you want to go beyond the basics and start to connect with other people, you have to put yourself out there — at least a little bit. Raising your hand at a meeting and sharing something small can help people get to know you a little better and may prompt someone to speak to you over the break or after the meeting, give you their number, or invite you to coffee.
- Attend sober social events. Go to that open-invite party to celebrate someone’s sober birthday that was announced at the last meeting. Attend the dance, workshop, festival, or 5K that is being held to raise money or awareness for a good cause. If you are religious, start going to services or showing up for events. Just getting out of the house and making small talk can help to ease loneliness.
- Volunteer. What means the most to you? Are you passionate about animal care? Do you want to help kids learn to read? Do you want to support the homeless? Is there a political cause that is close to your heart? Find others who are likeminded and start giving back, connecting with people and finding purpose at the same time.
- Take an interest in your job. Though being a correctional officer can feel monotonous, the fact is that you can always get better at what you do, and the more engaged you are with your job, the more you will connect with others who are trying to better the prison system and the work satisfaction of COs. This can take the form of engaging in personal training, showing up a little early and staying late to assist with shift changes, and/or getting involved in political lobbies to secure the funding needed to make your job and the entire prison as safe as possible.
- Make the first move. If you meet someone who you hit it off with, even if they are not someone that you would ordinarily see as “friend material” (e.g., someone exceptionally older than you, someone with different interests, someone from a different cultural background, etc.), take the initiative and invite them to coffee or to go for a walk just to hang out.
July 11th is National Cheer Up the Lonely Day, and if you are struggling with loneliness in recovery, the person to start with is yourself. If you are having a hard time managing drug and alcohol use, or if someone you love is unable to moderate their use of substances, reach out to American Addiction Centers today. We offer drug rehab programs designed to meet the needs of correctional officers through:
- Extensive evaluation and assessment to diagnose any and all co-occurring disorders, especially PTSD
- EAP/MAP interaction
- Motivational therapies that are interactive and designed specifically to meet the needs of first responders
- Family and group therapies that are multifaceted, providing support in learning how to cope with symptoms and heal individually and as a family
Contact us at American Addiction Centers today at 866.53.SOBER to begin your journey to recovery.
