Alcohol, Cigarettes & Sex Addiction

I came to Hawaii Naturopathic Retreat Center because I realized that I needed help and I found that my friends and family weren’t enough. I wanted help rediscovering myself, and my true purpose and I feel that’s exactly what I did. I was helped in a compassionate yet firm way. What amazes me most about the retreat is the broad spectrum in diversity of help that they can provide to anyone in any walk of life. I wish I had enough money to send many of my friends and family to the retreat – I have a list of people I would send if I could!

The biggest benefit of the retreat was calming the storm in my head. Before coming, I avoided talking to myself with drinking, smoking, chasing girls, etc. It was hard; there were days when I wanted to leave because I didn’t want to sit with myself. The retreat is set up in a way that I could have escaped and made mistakes if I wanted to – but the fact that I was able to make the decision to stick through makes me know it was my decision and makes me feel stronger to be faced with the freedom of choice when I leave the retreat. It’s an excellent way to set up recovery for the rebellious of mind.

I feel like I was having an identity crisis and this place helped me strip the façade that I’ve built around my core. I’m reconnected to myself in a profound way. I’m still somewhat nervous about the future – but not nearly as much as when I got here.
I feel a huge relief not waking up craving cigarettes every morning. That’s like breaking out of a certain kind of bondage. No matter what your addiction is – whether it’s work, or sex, or drugs… it doesn’t matter what it is – it’s all the same masking a connecting with yourself. You have to face the parts of yourself that hurt to heal it and make peace with it. I came to the retreat to find freedom from all addictions – over thinking in itself was as much an addiction to me as sex, drugs and alcohol. My brain and my heart were really disconnected and now I know my core is a ball of golden light!!!

-J.K.
Age 31, California
February 2014