July 13, 2020

The 12-Steps Provide Us With a Daily Reprieve

Posted by Pat S in Alumni, Recovery
The 12-Steps Provide Us With a Daily Reprieve

Alcoholism and addiction are diseases of a three-fold nature that affect us mentally, spiritually, and physically. First, we have the physical allergy to drugs and alcohol, meaning that people like us can’t safely use alcohol in any form at all. Once we start, we can’t stop – no matter how badly we want to. Then there’s the mental obsession. This is the tricky part that keeps our mind spinning on and on about when we can take our next drink, trying to control and manage our drug use, or endlessly repeating negative memories and thoughts. The mental obsession takes many forms, but it always tries to drive us back to drinking or using. Lastly, we have the spiritual malady. This is most easily summed up by the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous as “lack of power.” We don’t have the power to stop drinking. We don’t have the power to…

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July 5, 2020

Dealing with Temptation

Posted by Pat S in Alumni, Recovery
Dealing with Temptation

Our struggles with alcoholism and addiction change us greatly, but they do not change the fact that other people react to alcohol (and even some drugs) differently than we do. We must accept the fact that we are bodily and mentally different from our fellows. We can never safely use alcohol in any form at all. That may sound dreary, but it ends up being the doorway through which we enter a beautiful new world. Yet it does not change the fact that drinking is often present in the culture around us. They won’t stop making commercials or movies featuring drinking just because we got sober. It is also likely that occasionally we will be in situations or around friends or family who are able to drink differently than we are. That is okay. Living a life in recovery does not necessarily mean that we become crusaders or advocates of…

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June 30, 2020

The Role of Medically Assisted Treatment in Our Recovery Programs

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
The Role of Medically Assisted Treatment in Our Recovery Programs

Medically assisted treatment (MAT) is a topic and practice of no small debate. We keep our position on the issue simple, clean, and in line with what we think is best for the quality of both life and recovery for the men who stay with us. At Jaywalker Lodge, we take nothing more seriously than the health, happiness, joy, and freedom of our people. MAT varies from place to place in efficacy, safety, and long-term results. We are particularly interested in long-term recovery here. Those who come to us have often found lasting sobriety elusive, so we wish to do what works best to provide them the opportunity to achieve long-term recovery for themselves. MAT at Jaywalker Lodge We do deal with the vast majority of chemical and substance addictions that a person can have. We also treat co-occurring mental and behavioral health issues. MAT is most commonly used in…

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June 29, 2020

Sobriety and Anonymity in the Time of Digital Recovery

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
Sobriety and Anonymity in the Time of Digital Recovery

In the era of self-quarantine and lockdowns, nearly every aspect of our daily lives has been turned upside down. However long this crisis lasts, we have to remain adaptable to the “new normal.” Life doesn’t stop, but it does often change. Now it has changed again and for many of us, the majority of our lives are now dependent on the very technology we previously used to distract us from our lives. Work, school, and socializing have all gone digital for most. Recovery is no different – especially for those of us who have been in recovery for a while. Meetings, time with our sponsor, and fellowshipping are all vital and beloved parts of our lives. Thankfully, though many meeting places and coffee shops have shut down, recovery has managed to flourish online. Many recovery facilities are offering digital services, such as Jaywalker Lodge’s online alumni meetings. Thanks to internet…

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June 23, 2020

The Benefits of All-Male Treatment

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
The Benefits of All-Male Treatment

It is absolutely true that alcoholism and addiction can affect anyone. This disease does not acknowledge gender, wealth, race, or creed. It does not care who we are or where we’re from – it can wreak havoc on anyone. So, why is Jaywalker Lodge all-male? We aren’t simply an all-male lodge. At Jaywalker, we have focused our expertise to help only adult males. This is primarily because we were built by adult men who found lasting sobriety and joyful lives after many failed attempts, so those with similar experiences are the ones we are most suited to help. There are many diverse options for help in recovery, just as there are many diverse people seeking recovery. A good life in recovery is available to all who want it and are willing to work for it. We hope that everyone, regardless of their personal details, can find and achieve the sobriety…

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June 21, 2020

Building Self-Esteem in Sobriety

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
Building Self-Esteem in Sobriety

Feeling good about ourselves after struggling with alcoholism and addiction may seem like a far-off and unlikely task. Sure, it sounds nice, but we’ve suffered a lot. Most of us have done things we aren’t proud of and acted ways we wished we hadn’t. We learn quickly in recovery at Jaywalker Lodge that selflessness goes a long way in improving our opinions of ourselves. The more we do for others, the better our lives become and the more we like ourselves. Self-love and self-esteem aren’t inaccessible to people in recovery. We all deserve to love the person we’re closest to our whole life – and that person is us. The 12-Steps build self-esteem all by themselves, even though we may not notice it at first. For some of us, building a healthy relationship with ourselves might require a little extra help. What Does Self-Esteem Mean? Self-esteem has a lot to…

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June 15, 2020

The Benefits of DBT

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
The Benefits of DBT

Dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that enhances more basic forms of cognitive therapy. The main benefits of DBT are learning to live in the moment, building and strengthening relationships, emotional balance, and healthy mechanisms for coping with stressors. Originally developed for the enhanced treatment of people with borderline personality disorder, DBT has shown remarkable utility in aiding in the treatment of people with chemical dependency, substance abuse, and other self-destructive behaviors. The benefits of DBT alone can help improve and enhance the journey of recovery for many individuals. DBT at Jaywalker Lodge At Jaywalker Lodge, we believe in treating the whole person. DBT fits right in with our multi-modal clinical approach and is well-utilized by our multidisciplinary staff. DBT complements our well-rounded and effective daily itinerary as well. We focus on helping chronic relapsers – people who struggle to maintain long-term recovery, despite their deep desire…

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June 13, 2020

You Have Permission to Be Hopeful

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
You Have Permission to Be Hopeful

It may sound strange to be told that you have permission to be hopeful, but it’s true. Giving yourself the allowance to feel and accept hope can have a tremendous impact on your life – and the lives of others around you – in more ways than you ever thought possible. For many of us who find ourselves waylaid by drug and alcohol addiction, hope can become an impossible or untrusted thing. It can be hard to have hope when we are lost to ourselves. It can seem pointless to have any hope at all without knowing if we will ever be free of our addictions. Then we find Jaywalker Lodge and the program of recovery, and we take the 12-Steps. We learn that we can take action to right the wrongs of our past and finally be free of them. But even after all this, feeling hope – true…

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June 7, 2020

The Importance of Continuity of Care

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
The Importance of Continuity of Care

Arresting active addiction is a necessary prerequisite for beginning life in recovery, and it can happen in rehabilitation facilities. Yet getting physically sober is not the same as beginning and maintaining a life in recovery. That is where the Jaywalker model and the importance of continuing care come into play. Most of the men we deal with are no strangers to having their addiction physically stopped, whether in a hospital or otherwise. They are also frequently familiar with picking up a drink or drug again shortly afterward – no matter how badly they don’t want to. Sobriety is a physical condition, but recovery is a life-changing experience that makes a huge difference in the repeating pattern of attempts and relapse. At Jaywalker Lodge, we aim to identify the causes of chronic relapse and then address them. Our programs combine to form an available pathway for the willing to walk into…

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June 5, 2020

Expanding Your Sober Life

Posted by Pat S in Alumni
Expanding Your Sober Life

Many people are under the mistaken impression that a life in recovery is dull, boring, and full of tiresome work. We often fear that the fun ends when the drugs and alcohol go away. Let’s think about that realistically. Odds are the fun had stopped long before we got sober. Now we are sober – and a dull, empty life is NOT what awaits us. The Big Book clearly says, “we are not a glum lot…we absolutely insist on enjoying life.” There is so much to enjoy about life, all on its own. Recovery at Jaywalker Lodge can help us see our lives through new eyes. We can begin to see all there is to enjoy and be grateful for. Life still has the ebbs and flows it always did, but now we can experience each moment of life with peace, joy, and a desire for understanding. There are, however,…

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