Month: December 2021

December 30, 2021

How To Stay Active in The Winter

Posted by Jaywalker Lodge Staff in Mental Health
A couple running during winter

The cold weather can make us feel sluggish. It can be hard to want to move your body when all you want to do is curl up under a warm blanket. However, even though the weather outside is frightful, it’s still important to stay active during the colder months. Thankfully, the Colorado Mountains offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy the weather outdoors, from skiing to mountain climbing, to snowboarding. Plus, if you’re not quite the outdoorsy type in the winter, there are still plenty of indoor alternatives to consider. Get Your Daily Exercise It’s recommended that you take the time to exercise for thirty minutes every day. Exercise can be anything from taking a thirty-minute walk to hitting the gym to even walking up that sledding hill. Any sort of constant movement counts. Daily exercise is good for your body, as well as your mental health. It can reduce stress…

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December 29, 2021

The Power of The Found Family

Posted by Jaywalker Lodge Staff in Mental Health
happy friends having fist bump

The truth is, not every person feels connected to their blood relatives. There are many reasons why this might be the case for your client, but that doesn’t mean a person cannot form a meaningful connection outside of the family they were born into. Sometimes, we make stronger connections with those we aren’t related to, and they become almost like another family. Your Found Family Is as Important as Any Family We tend to place the majority of our focus on the family we were born into, like our parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We forget that connections can be made with others outside of the traditional dynamic that might be just as meaningful. If they are new to the concept of a found family, a “found family” is a group of people they feel connected to as if they were their biological family. This can include close friends or…

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December 24, 2021

Single Dad in Recovery: How Do I Cope?

Posted by Administrator in Recovery
father holding his daughter on the doorstep

Being a single dad comes with its own hardships, but raising children while in recovery can be a completely different challenge. What are some ways you can maintain your recovery while still showing up for your kids? Getting Better for Them Early recovery can be challenging, especially if you have children. It can become even more difficult if you are the sole caretaker. However, the love you have for your children should work as your motivation to get better and stay better. Your children love you and care about you. Focus on the love you feel for your children to keep you on track in your recovery. Tackle Your Legal Issues Many parents dealing with substance use issues might have legal problems related to their addiction. It’s common for parents who have been arrested for using substances to lose custody of their children. After treatment, it should be a priority…

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December 23, 2021

How Can I Give Back This Holiday Season?

Posted by Jaywalker Lodge Staff in Mental Health
two man carrying aid boxes

Service is a cornerstone of 12-Step communities. During the season of giving, you might wonder how you can help your community. The holidays bring plenty of opportunities to help your fellow man. You might even consider continuing these opportunities into the winter. Try out one of these ideas this year or research what is going on in your community. Be sure to check in with your local organization about their current Covid-19 restrictions.    Volunteer for an Organization The holidays bring plenty of opportunities to donate your time to help charities and nonprofit organizations during the season. The time you set aside to help others in your community can be accomplished virtually or in person, depending on their needs. Volunteer work can include helping out at a soup kitchen, helping other volunteers at an animal shelter, joining a group making care packages, or delivering food to families in need. Many…

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December 22, 2021

Why Don’t New Years Resolutions Work?

Posted by Administrator in Mental Health
woman taking notes

As the year reaches its end, we often begin to reflect on what we’ve accomplished and what we hope to achieve during the next. A common tradition to bring in the new year is to set resolutions. These are promises you make to yourself for the following year. Common resolutions tend to be “Next year I will lose weight,” or “I will read more,” or “I will quit smoking.” While it’s good to have something to accomplish for the next year, people often fail to achieve their resolutions before the year’s end, and many give up halfway through. The Issue With A Resolution While someone might have their best interests in mind when writing New Year’s resolutions, making these promises doesn’t guarantee success. In fact, resolutions often fail to come to fruition. There are many reasons why this tends to be. The most common reason is that resolutions tend to…

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December 22, 2021

Avoiding Winter Isolation

Posted by Administrator in Mental Health
lonely man using mobile device during winter

It might be easy to hide in your winter cabin when your door is blocked by a foot of snow. However, isolation can become dangerous for people in recovery.  Even in the winter, we still need to reach out to members of our community. Although it might feel like a challenge to make an effort to socialize, there are plenty of options to beat the urge to hide away. Here are some tips to stay connected, even when you might not feel like it. Contact Your Friends Virtually Last year, we learned a lot about socializing safely. The use of video chat increased during the pandemic, and many now use it to talk to those far away. You might not feel like driving over to your friend’s house when it’s below freezing, but seeing your friend on your screen might inspire something in you to help fight off isolation. Try…

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December 21, 2021

How Do I Stay Sober During The Holidays?

Posted by Administrator in Recovery
portrait of a happy mother and daughter holding gingerbread cookies

The holiday season is filled with parties, stress, family drama, and potential isolation. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, there are plenty of things that could cause relapse if a person in recovery isn’t careful. How can you have a safe holiday without endangering your sobriety? Dealing With Holiday Stress A major cause of relapse is stress. The holiday season is filled with stressful situations, whether or not this time of year brings you joy. Whether you’re stressed about family coming over or buying the perfect gift, it’s important to learn how to manage your stress levels during the holidays. A great way to combat stress is to stay grounded. Finding stability from breathwork or taking time out of your day to focus on yourself can allow you to destress instead of letting it build up. This time of year becomes busy whether you work in customer service, tourism, or…

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December 21, 2021

Maintaining Your Boundaries During Recovery

Posted by Administrator in Recovery
man making a stop hand gesture

With the holidays around the corner, you’re bound to be bombarded with questions and expectations. Your extended family might ask inappropriate questions about your treatment. Your friends might ask you to attend parties where substances are present. Your loved ones might ask you to give up valuable time in favor of holiday shenanigans. This all might come with a whole lot of stress and discomfort. What can you do to keep your boundaries intact while dealing with family and friends who expect you to “play nice” even at your own expense? Knowing When to Say No In early recovery, it’s a good idea to have a healthy and accurate understanding of your limits and boundaries. In treatment, you might learn the basics of forming boundaries, but practicing it with people you care about might still feel new and scary. It takes time to build up the confidence and positive self-image…

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December 17, 2021

Partying or Problem?

Posted by Jaywalker Lodge Staff in Lifestyle
female teenager taking a selfie at a party

Whether you’re in a college setting or not, sometimes you may find yourself asking the following question: Do I have a problem with alcohol? Young men are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol than young women. This experimenting can involve the amount you drink or use and the types of drugs you use. You might think, “What’s the harm in trying something once?” For some people, experimenting can, over time, become a full-blown addiction. Are You Really Just Having Fun? Spending the night out with friends can be great for fun and connection. However, there comes the point where partying becomes problematic. Even spending every weekend at the bar or the club can bring on bad habits and dangerous addictions. It’s common for people to live it up on the weekend as a way to destress from work, but many spend half of the week trying to bounce…

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December 15, 2021

Socializing Without Alcohol

Posted by Jaywalker Lodge Staff in Recovery
a group of men sitting on a mountain

For some of us, alcohol makes us extroverted, fun, and the life of the party. People around us do not know we are struggling with a crippling addiction. As men, we may feel the need to mask our pain by essentially functioning as free entertainment for the party or patrons at a bar. Once we enter recovery, we may find that those traits do not represent our true self, which can be distressing. Learning that we are actually more introverted isn’t a bad thing, and it’s worth noting that alcohol may not have made us all that fun to be around (even if it seemed that way). Finding Your Sober Identity You might not know the type of person you are while sober, and if you do, you might not like them. So, you drink. It’s easier to handle yourself and how you feel around others when you drink. However,…

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