[anigbrowl]

If this is an ongoing struggle for you (and it sounds like it is), consider getting a dog. They'll give you affection, loyalty, structure (because you have to feed and walk them and they'll remind you of the fact), but they'll also open you up to a whole lot of other people who like dogs and give you an easy starter conversation with people you meet: you can just share a story about how you got your dog and what s/he is like, and then listen to strangers' stories.

[summm]

Careful with such advice. Dogs might as well make your problems even worse. They smell bad, might make you smell bad, need a lot of attention, soil your home, cannot be left alone for an extended amount of time. And might even hurt you. In any case they will cost you lots of time and money better spent for your actual recovery.

[anigbrowl]

I too thought all that until rescued a dog. They do need a lot of attention though.