At The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center, we believe that the process of treatment and recovery can be very isolating at times. In reality, the experience should be anything but isolating. Our adventure therapy, in particular, is designed to help create the connections necessary for obtaining and maintaining recovery.
What Is Adventure Therapy?
Adventure therapy is a treatment method that combines nature, community, and exercise into one psychotherapeutic modality. This therapy program introduces our Ohana clients to sober activities that allow them to practice mindfulness in stressful situations and build trust with themselves and among their peers. While this therapy method may be implemented through a number of activities or challenges, it has one main goal: to help clients develop healthy relationships with each other.
One of the major issues of addiction is isolation. The sober activities we implement not only allow individuals to connect with their peers and develop a sense of Ohana that they can leave with, but it also teaches how to reconnect with people in your life post-treatment. If freedom from addiction, isolation, and a desire to learn how to reconnect with the people in your life is something you are looking for, The Ohana may be just the place for you.
The Dangers of Isolation
There are many reasons why people may often feel isolated when struggling with addiction, entering treatment, and seeking recovery. For starters, individuals struggling with addiction often develop interpersonal issues within their personal and professional relationships. Whether you have done something morally questionable due to your illness, or your loved ones have lost hope in the idea of your recovery, you are at risk of experiencing feelings of loneliness, isolation, and distrust in the idea of connecting and maintaining relationships with people.
One of the greatest dangers that come with a lack of connection with other individuals (especially loved ones) is the way it cuts you off from the life you lived before addiction or the onset of a severe mental health disorder. Reconnecting with those who were a positive influence in your past can help you to reconnect with the person you were before your addiction spiraled out of control. Holding onto these positive relationships allows you to hold onto hope when you’re experiencing a lapse, relapse, or just having a difficult time managing your chronic illness. When that connection to that old life is severed, you may begin to dissociate or even completely forget who you once were.
The Importance of Connection
In addition to the dangers that a lack of connection can cause, there are many other reasons why connection can benefit your personal and social life, addiction recovery, and mental well-being. Human connection is an integral part of everyday health. Connection allows people to feel loved and be a part of something important or more than just themself. This reinforced sense of community can help decrease negative thinking patterns and create deeper connections that allow for an increase of endorphins to the brain, creating an overall greater sense of happiness.
Additionally, connection with others can help to alleviate stress, reduce depression and anxiety, and increase your self-esteem. The more you connect with people, the more you will become motivated to change, correct negative habits and behaviors, and actively seek to heal your mental health. Sometimes, addiction recovery takes a village, and these connections will help you be strong even at your lowest point.
Addiction Treatment and Making Connections
One of the benefits of an addiction program is that you’ll be surrounded by people who are also battling addiction or mental health disorders, even if each person’s narrative is different. Engaging with folks who have similar struggles and goals can inspire and motivate you, while also increasing your self-esteem. This bonding process allows you to feel strong and confident throughout your recovery adventure. At The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center, you will have the chance to engage in many fun, challenging, and restorative techniques that will teach you several skills to utilize during the post-treatment phase of your journey to recovery.
Some of the adventures you may expect include volcano exploration adventures, zipline canopy tours, snorkeling, equine therapy, and lots of other hiking or beach-related adventures. These activities will include team-building exercises that help you build trust and communicate your feelings to others in a safe space. If the techniques implemented by The Ohana to aid clients in recovery and teach how to reconnect with the people in their lives are something you’re looking for in a recovery program, we encourage you to reach out and allow us to guide you on your recovery adventure today.
