Supporting Alumni for a Healthy Future

Navigating a dedicated treatment program and overcoming the deluge of trials, challenges, and changes that make up an effective transformation to sober life takes continued effort. Even those who have embraced new approaches to a sober lifestyle will still be tasked with adapting to new stresses and continuing to navigate urges and cravings throughout their recovery journey. Moreover, just because an individual has successfully graduated from a dedicated detox, residential, or sober living program at our Hawaii recovery center doesn’t mean that they would not benefit from dedicated supports. Supporting alumni in their continued recovery journey is paramount. Family and supports can always embrace new skills and perspectives to best support their loved ones. 

Alumni of any treatment and recovery program should celebrate their accomplishments. However, their journey with overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) is not something that is ever “complete,” and there may be many new challenges, stresses, and difficulties in maintaining each person’s hard-earned sobriety. Graduating from a dedicated treatment program does not necessarily mean a person is done experiencing all of the effects of addiction or mental health ramifications.

However, alumni can always benefit from the support of family, friends, and professionals. By combining the continued support of Hawaii Island Recovery with practical and informed support at home, alumni can continue to push toward their personal goals and ambitions while managing a sober lifestyle.

Alumni will be tasked with managing their continued sobriety while experiencing new changes as they pursue personal goals, professional ambitions, and other stresses commonplace throughout recovery. Maintaining sobriety outside of a recovery-curated space or recovery facility can be difficult, with unforeseen stresses and varying degrees of understanding about the challenges of sobriety. Continuing to support alumni and normalizing new and sober lifestyles are important strategies to continue to reinforce these sober changes. 

Staying in contact with alumni is instrumental in sustaining sober lifestyle changes. It can be difficult to predict exactly when an individual may encounter new stresses they may not necessarily be prepared to process, or how their continued journey with mental health recovery can affect daily life. Working with an alumnus to develop effective communication strategies is important for overcoming these challenges. For many, this can mean regular daily check-ins through phone calls or text messages, providing a constant air of support from those that matter most. 

However, others may continue these practices with familial meetings, such as creating a new tradition of having dinner together or family meetings to discuss not just any challenges that may have manifested, but also to discuss the events of the day – stresses, successes, triumphs, and more. Feeling as if there is always someone available to talk to can be an amazing feeling of support for alumni continuing to manage their sobriety. 

Peers continuing to navigate the challenges of daily sober life in recovery themselves can provide an amazing resource and perspective. Not only can these peers provide new strategies and daily practices that have already proven effective, but they can also provide a needed sense of belonging and camaraderie to overcome feelings of isolation that can impact alumni.

Families supporting alumni loved ones through their continued recovery journey can facilitate this peer support by finding local communities that may benefit loved ones or providing transportation and developing schedules around access to these outlets. Providing direct transportation, finding bus routes, and otherwise empowering alumni to engage in continued outpatient treatment or peer support groups can all be great ways of ensuring a loved one’s continued success in sobriety. 

The ongoing journey of recovery and sobriety is incredibly taxing, and there are many challenges to overcome even after moving on from a dedicated treatment program and establishing a sober life at home. Supporting alumni means celebrating successes and ensuring that loved ones continue to take pride in their accomplishments. While this means celebrating important milestones like sober anniversaries or accomplishing a set goal in sobriety like getting an interview or job, trying a new self-care outlet, and more, it also means taking a moment to celebrate the accomplishments that may not be as readily apparent. 

Going an entire week without re-engaging with drugs or alcohol is still an amazing accomplishment for alumni. Weekly or monthly celebrations to draw attention to both new milestones reached and the maintenance of previous goals can all be great ways for families and friends to continue supporting alumni while championing the sober changes first made during their time at Hawaii Island Recovery. 

Hosting or locating sober events can also be beneficial for supporting alumni and tending to their personal and social needs. For some families, hosting celebrations at home where a person can guarantee no presence of drugs or alcohol, such as cookouts or other events, can be great ways to support these sober changes for alumni loved ones. Others may locate community events to explore new opportunities that tend to social needs without unnecessarily risking a loved one’s hard-earned sobriety or introducing unnecessary stress. 

Continuing to support alumni after they have graduated from a treatment program at our Hawaii recovery center is crucial for sustaining these sober transformations. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we champion those who dedicate themselves and their services to supporting others, and we are committed to empowering entire families to maintain these sober transformations. We blend our proven, effective healing practices with spiritual guidance for those overcoming addiction and their families to create a unified and sustainable approach, while also helping families navigate difficult transitions to new and sober lifestyles. For more information on how we can help you, call to speak to a caring, trained staff member today at (866) 390-5070.