A Day in the Life at Hawaii Island Recovery

Committing to a residential treatment program can be an incredibly intimidating idea. While pursuing a transformed life of sobriety should be celebrated, those considering or entering residential treatment at Hawaii Island Recovery may still hold several reservations about what this part of their journey will entail. Knowing what to expect and how Hawaii Island Recovery is prepared to personalize each individual’s time in treatment can empower those committing to a sober future to embrace the transformative and life-changing potential of treatment. Moreover, walking through a day in the life at Hawaii Island Recovery can be the best way to prepare oneself for taking the first step into treatment.

Truly effective addiction treatment – whether an individual is overcoming an addiction to alcohol, opioids, methamphetamines, or other drugs – involves addressing the effects of addiction as well as the mental health disorders or traumas associated with their use. This means that each recovery program at our rehab centers in Hawaii brings a profound time of change across many areas of each person’s life, not just the cessation of substance use. 

It can be difficult to relinquish past routines or lifestyles, especially while being asked to embrace an unknown future in sobriety. However, when beginning a dedicated residential treatment program, emotionally preparing oneself for large degrees of change is necessary to best embrace healing opportunities. Knowing that concessions will be made, changes will occur, and an individual may not be able to or advised to return to previous lifestyles can all be intimidating. Thus, expecting change on both mental and emotional levels can empower those beginning their recovery journey to embrace new therapeutic practices, communities, and perspectives from the onset of their program, therefore making the most of their time in treatment.

Change also takes different forms depending on each individual. Embracing various changes can mark a genuine dedication to both abstinence from addictive substances and a truly sober lifestyle. Changes to social groups, hobbies, interests, daily schedules, dietary habits, and more are all common. While this does not mean that an individual will have to leave behind everything they are used to, it does mean that each person should expect to challenge many aspects of their previous lifestyles and make changes across multiple areas of life, with Hawaii Island Recovery facilitating this kind of holistic change. 

Life at Hawaii Island Recovery’s residential facility can be very different than what an individual may be used to before beginning their recovery journey. Much of each day will be scheduled, with set amounts of time for various therapeutic activities, practices, community engagement, mealtimes, and more. This structure serves an important purpose by adding consistency and stability to each day. 

Knowing what to expect, when to expect it, and for how long each activity will last can all be incredibly helpful for those in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). Not only can it ensure that each individual always has something to occupy their mind and body, but it can also ensure that they can manage their energy for the activities ahead and focus on in-the-moment healing with each given outlet. 

Yet, those in recovery will still have agency over how their daily life at Hawaii Island Recovery is structured. Working with professionals and peers to discover and focus on each individual’s most appropriate therapeutic approaches and effective therapies while exploring new experiences is all part of a comprehensive recovery process. 

Each person pursuing a transformed, sober life will have the opportunity to create their schedule based on their own best practices and personal goals. However, at Hawaii Island Recovery, there are already in-place structures for each person to use to create their schedule. Having this kind of busy, consistent schedule and a clear set of daily expectations can help each person continue to challenge the effects of addiction. 

Life at Hawaii can be scheduled tightly, from the moment a person wakes up to getting ready for bed. While this may seem intimidating, each day is still filled with ample time for rest, self-care, and more while continuing to adopt new coping skills and being further educated about addiction and the disease’s effects. 

As with all days, life at Hawaii Island Recovery begins with waking up in the morning, with a healthy breakfast served around 7:00 a.m. The professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery also take additional measures each morning to ensure that each person can start their day off with as many advantages as possible. 

For some, this morning time is coupled with administering medications to address mental health needs, withdrawal symptoms, and more while also meeting with professionals to discuss the continued effects of drug or alcohol withdrawal, especially as they relate to a person’s ability to sleep through the night. Having immediate support, a healthy breakfast, and medication when necessary can all help each person start the day off right. 

Following breakfast, each person will also be able to meet with professionals and peers to set the expectations and goals for the day. While the actual activities may vary from day to day, starting each morning by setting clear goals can empower those pursuing sobriety to stay focused and determine the best way to gauge their progress or successful accomplishment of these goals. 

Individual therapy sessions and group therapy sessions are instrumental for a truly effective treatment and recovery program. Both provide opportunities to address personal needs and the complexities of addiction throughout the recovery process. For some, this can take the form of withdrawal symptoms, while others may continue to address mental health disorders or feelings of anxiety, depression, doubt, guilt, finances, familial and relationship stresses, and more. 

Meeting with professionals in morning individual therapy sessions can further help each individual personalize their goals and explore unique needs, challenges, and strengths. Further, working with professionals to determine what sobriety means to each person, address how addiction continues to impact their physical and mental health and discuss any concerns about the effects of the disease on friends, family, or professional life is all part of effective individual therapy.

Likewise, group therapy sessions are another great opportunity to explore each person’s newfound sobriety. While distancing oneself from previous social circles that may not understand or support an individual’s sobriety is necessary, each person will still have social needs. Belonging to an established and supportive community is instrumental for normalizing a sober lifestyle while challenging feelings of isolation, loneliness, and more that are common among those in recovery. 

Group therapy sessions are a great way to not only meet others going through similar challenges with sympathy and understanding but also engage with a community of peers who can introduce new ideas, perspectives, and coping strategies. Furthermore, group therapy provides the opportunity for individuals to hold each other accountable for their actions – both mistakes and accomplishments – in sobriety, ultimately fostering resilience and support throughout long-term recovery. 

Lastly, in the morning, each person will engage in dedicated psychoeducation to learn more about addiction and pertinent mental health disorders. For many, the idea that addiction is a “moral failing” can be culturally ingrained despite its hurtful and misinformed nature. Education to explore addiction as a disease can help those in recovery separate their identity from such a diagnosis and avoid being defined by the word. Likewise, it also empowers each person pursuing sobriety to explore more objective truths about addiction, including its effects and consequences, and better understand how various treatments can help the body and mind readjust to a life without drugs or alcohol. 

Dieting is an often overlooked yet incredibly important part of dedicated addiction recovery and treatment. Hawaii Island Recovery’s next scheduled part of the day is a dedicated meal provided by an on-staff chef. 

Having a dedicated time for a healthy meal can ensure that an individual is getting the proper nutrients while facilitating mental and physical respite after a full morning of exploring challenges, overcoming withdrawal symptoms, and more. This refresher of a healthy lunch (provided around noon each day) ensures that the body is resilient enough to continue addressing the challenges of addiction and rejuvenates the body and mind to engage in further therapies throughout the rest of the day. 

The morning can be filled with activities to situate those in recovery with the best goals, activities, and expectations for the day while providing opportunities to build meaningful relationships with peers and professionals. However, following a healthy lunch, it is time to explore other areas of treatment and recovery through new experiences, excursions, and more. 

One of the most unique aspects of Hawaii Island Recovery is its location and ability to utilize the natural advantages of the Hawaiian Islands to create exceptional recovery opportunities. The professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery champion the Island and its natural healing energies, from opportunities for nature-based or oceanic therapies to its advantages for effective spiritual healing. 

Life at Hawaii incorporates afternoon excursions that can range from hiking through Hawaii’s natural landscape to embracing oceanic advantages, such as walking on the beach, wading in the water, watching Hawaii’s rich marine life and diversity, and much more. Each of these not only helps to alleviate stress, but rather, they are instrumental in embracing new perspectives and spiritual healing. By feeling connected to the natural energies of the Hawaiian Islands, each individual can explore their own spiritual healing, beliefs, and more by connecting themselves to the spirit of the Hawaiian Island itself. 

Other days may involve outdoor yoga, combining the self-care and calmness of effective yoga and meditation with further mindfulness techniques, such as feeling the fresh breeze through the air. Each afternoon is filled with these kinds of new experiences, ensuring that each day feels fresh while continuing to work toward each individual’s next sober milestone. 

Hawaii Island Recovery also works alongside cultural leaders to further embrace the healing possible in Hawaii. Ingratiating oneself into rich Hawaiian culture helps each individual further explore new perspectives and opportunities while introducing each person to an entire community focused on personal, emotional, and spiritual healing throughout the island. 

Meeting with Hawaiian individuals and communities can be a powerful exercise in belonging in sobriety that can be a truly transformative experience, not just for a person’s approach to sobriety but also for new ideas on spiritual beliefs, lifestyles, and more. 

While nature hikes and excursions are all part of a transformative treatment program and spiritual healing, each individual in recovery can always take advantage of their ability to personalize their own best approach to treatment and sobriety. Hawaii Island Recovery works as a catalyst to empower those overcoming SUD to be the agents of their own healing and work to empower individuals to set and reach their own goals with the support necessary. 

Personalizing each program and embracing other proven therapeutic modalities, such as acupuncture, mindfulness and resilience-building strategies, massage therapy, and physical exercise outlets, are all common and effective recovery practices offered and explored throughout treatment and can be incorporated into personal daily treatment programs. 

While the afternoon schedule will vary from day to day, bringing new experiences and opportunities throughout the week, it is, as always, important to replenish with another healthy meal afterward. Dinner, served around 5:00 p.m., is another opportunity to get a good and balanced meal following an afternoon of dedicated therapeutic outlets. 

While an on-staff chef provides lunch and dinner throughout the week, the weekend is an opportunity for residents themselves to get involved and create a meal worth celebrating alongside each other. On Saturdays and Sundays, both lunch and dinner are prepared by the residents themselves. This helps those overcoming addiction learn new skills while further building a community of trust, thanks, and camaraderie that is crucial to sobriety and continues to influence an individual even after their time in residential treatment comes to a close. 

Life at Hawaii while overcoming addiction can be mentally and physically exhausting. There is nothing easy about overcoming the effects of SUD, mental health disorders, or a combination thereof. Even dedicated therapeutic activities take energy, especially while simultaneously continuing to navigate urges and cravings, exploring vulnerable topics, and more. Addiction recovery is difficult, and having a community to lean back on is paramount. 

After dinner, each individual will engage in further group sessions to explore communal relationships, engage in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings online, and wrap up the day’s accomplishments, challenges, strides, and more to empower those in recovery to process and release any stress that may have built throughout the day. Having an opportunity to safely process personal stress and create a healthy and calm emotional and spiritual state can help promote the best end to a long day of dedicated therapies and recovery efforts. 

Lastly, lights out across the treatment facility occur at 11:00 p.m., with each individual in recovery finding their way to their personal room to rest. However, this does not mean that an individual will be without support, as around-the-clock staff and support is always available. This time is scheduled to ensure that each individual has enough rest throughout the night to be ready to tackle another full day of new experiences the following day.

Sleep is a crucial part of an effective recovery, but it can be incredibly difficult to come by for those overcoming addiction and mental health disorders. A healthy diet throughout the day, opportunities to release stress and confront personal challenges, and more are all ways to ensure that stresses don’t fester in a person’s mind and compromise otherwise effective sleep. While it is still common to have difficulty sleeping, such as in nightmares or other withdrawal symptoms, 24-hour support alongside the opportunity to address such symptoms the following morning ensures that an individual never feels isolated in overcoming these challenges. 

Life at Hawaii is always personalized for each individual’s success and needs. Knowing what to expect throughout each day in recovery can be instrumental in deconstructing barriers and setting realistic expectations for oneself. It can also provide the sense of empowerment and comfort needed to take on an otherwise intimidating step toward the unknown in sober life. 

While this is a general outline of what a day can look like in recovery, calling to talk with professionals themselves can always give each individual a better idea of how they can further personalize their time in residential treatment and make the most of their recovery efforts. 

Knowing what to expect when taking on a new life of sobriety can help you begin your journey with the right expectations and plan. We at Hawaii Island Recovery are prepared to not only help you set realistic expectations but also adjust your unique treatment program to best reflect your needs and goals in recovery. Our approach to residential treatment at our rehab centers in Hawaii allows us to take a holistic and comprehensive approach to recovery, not just providing support but also instilling the skills necessary to maintain your hard-earned sobriety inside and outside of a treatment facility. For more information on how we can help you begin your life of recovery at Hawaii, call us at (866) 390-5070.