August 7, 2020

Facilitating Foundations For Recovery

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Facilitating Foundations For Recovery

At Jaywalker Lodge, we are driven by experience and proven techniques to achieve our primary mission of 1) ending the vicious cycle of chronic relapse for men who suffer from alcoholism and addiction, and 2) providing them the tools, treatments, healing, and knowledge to achieve long-term recovery. The men who struggle to stay in recovery, despite an earnest desire to do so, and have repeated slips — these men are Jaywalkers. They are our people. The thing that makes what we do different is the core of our philosophy. Recovery is not a punishment for our past in active addiction — recovery is the promise and fulfillment of a brighter future. We bring our core values to bear on the problem of chronic relapse and make them a real and working part of men’s lives by purposefully and thoroughly building solid, meaningful foundations for lasting recovery. The 12-Step Program At…

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August 3, 2020

Is Being Helpful Really So Important in Recovery?

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Is Being Helpful Really So Important in Recovery?

We are each the main character — the hero — in our own life story, and we learn to see the world through this lens of “self.” This is true for everyone, regardless of their history with addiction. However, for alcoholics and addicts, this focus on self can be dangerous, even deadly. The book of Alcoholics Anonymous says in no uncertain terms that selfishness and self-centeredness are the root causes of all our troubles. The book presses even harder on this issue saying, “Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us!” There are no mincing words there. This passage makes it pretty clear that we must do our utmost to “get out of self.” But how do we do this when our minds, and our society, urge us to be the center of our own little universe? Understand the Hero’s Role in…

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August 1, 2020

Dealing With Negative Emotions in Recovery

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Dealing With Negative Emotions in Recovery

Negative feelings and emotions are a common part of life. They happen to everyone. Sometimes there’s a legitimate reason, but other times they just happen. Maybe we’re just having a bad day, or we struggle with mental and emotional health on a regular basis, or perhaps something serious has happened to us. Whatever the cause or duration, negative feelings are a natural part of life. For many of us who struggle with alcoholism and addiction, these negative emotions can present a significant danger to our recovery. Addicts and alcoholics like us are often prone to getting carried away by negative emotions, hurt feelings, or other types of depression. Too often, we fail to keep ourselves safe from common pitfalls and the desire to escape negative feelings can push us perilously close to relapse. This doesn’t have to be the case for us anymore. There are many in the recovery community…

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July 30, 2020

Dealing With Mental Health Issues in Addiction

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Dealing With Mental Health Issues in Addiction

Many alcoholics and addicts experience co-occurring mental health issues. Such issues are no longer as misunderstood as they were even 30 years ago. Thanks to modern medical science and psychiatry, co-occurring mental health issues can often be successfully addressed. Those of us who experience concerns of mental and emotional wellness can usually receive proper, effective help and flourish in ways we never would have thought possible. There are many of us today who experience both addiction and mental health issues, yet we are sober, free, healthy, and living full lives in recovery. It is not the hindrance it was once, nor does it bear the stigma it did in the past. A Common Struggle Mental and emotional health issues are common, especially amongst alcoholics and addicts. Some studies say anywhere from 37% to 53% of those who suffer from addiction also experience at least one mental health disorder. These issues…

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July 29, 2020

Introducing Our Monthly Series on Men’s Issues

Posted by Pat S in Alumni, Recovery
Introducing Our Monthly Series on Men’s Issues

Jaywalker Lodge is a place where men who chronically struggle to maintain long-term recovery can come to be helped with the specific hurdles they are facing. Not all alcoholics and addicts are exactly the same. But all alcoholics and addicts do have some key experiences, similarities, and common feelings that help us unite and relate to one another – things that a non-alcoholic would likely not understand. Likewise for men, not all of us are the same. But we do have similarities in our experiences, tribulations, and struggles, at least enough that we can relate to one another. While each of us has unique issues, we also all share some trouble areas as well. Some of these issues are more common than we may care to admit, and some are so private, we fear admitting them at all. But our job at Jaywalker Lodge is to help you clear up…

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July 27, 2020

Am I Allowed To Be Happy?

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Am I Allowed To Be Happy?

For most of the time we spent in active alcoholism and addiction, we weren’t very happy. The briefest moments of having enough of our drug of choice to get us through another moment quickly faded upon reflection that we might be trapped living in addicted torment for the rest of our lives. When genuinely good things did happen, most of us were numb or needed another drink or fix to properly “celebrate.” But we never really felt celebratory for long. The dark moments would always come, leading us to misremember the past as something totally awful dread the future as something completely bleak. Alcoholics and addicts like us have a troubled relationship with happiness. Many of us have judged ourselves as unworthy of happiness because of the actions, feelings, and traumas that perpetuated and endured in our addiction. We must try to see that we are not bad people. Alcoholism and…

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July 25, 2020

Take the Hero’s Journey

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Take the Hero’s Journey

Life itself is a journey with many stages. Each of us is the hero of our own story. We are the main character in the movie of our life. The road from active alcoholism and addiction isn’t a movie though – it’s a very real, living nightmare. Going from addiction to recovery is a journey you are capable of making. You just need help, the same help all of us need in recovery. But it is you who must make the journey. As the saying goes, the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. We cannot go it alone, but we must begin the attempt. After all, we experience life from our point of view, from within ourselves. When we take the 12-Steps, we get great relief from focusing much of our attention on how we can serve others. Indeed, thinking of others frees us from many of…

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July 23, 2020

Addressing Chronic Relapse

Posted by Pat S in Alumni, Recovery
Addressing Chronic Relapse

The journey from active alcoholism and addiction to sobriety and recovery is different for everyone. Some people are ready and able to get a firm hold on recovery after their first try. That is truly a wonderful blessing. But for many of us who suffer from the disease, it’s not always that easy. Relapse is by no means an uncommon part of many people’s process toward achieving long-term sobriety. Some people stumble once or twice and then they get it – for others, it’s a much bumpier road. Slipping after making a beginning doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with us. It doesn’t mean we’ll never get sober. But it may signify that there is a need for some change in our approach. Break the Relapse Cycle Chronic relapse plagues many men who truly want to get sober and live a recovered life. It does not have to be a…

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July 21, 2020

Learning to Accept Love

Posted by Pat S in Alumni, Recovery
Learning to Accept Love

This title alone may have already made you uncomfortable, which is a common response for alcoholics and addicts. The word “love” is a complicated thing. We associate it with something we tried, but could never get right – a word that reminds us of the people we’ve hurt. Many of us don’t recall much love involved with our past in addiction. We certainly don’t ever think about whether or not we love ourselves. Allowing ourselves to be loved seems like a silly question when we don’t even feel like we deserve to be loved. The truth is good news or bad news, depending on your mindset. You deserve to be loved. Love is something that all of us have, and all of us feel. Alcoholic or not, everyone has love to give and deserves to receive love as well. It’s a huge concept and a massive feeling, and accepting love…

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July 19, 2020

Can Things Really Be Different For Me?

Posted by Pat S in Recovery
Can Things Really Be Different For Me?

Alcoholics and addicts like us often get caught in cycles of monotonous pain and torment. After a long time spent in the prison of disease, it can be hard to imagine that life will ever be different. Especially if we’ve tried to get sober multiple times, but failed to make recovery stick for the long-term. We know what that’s like, and we stand here to confidently tell you that things can be different for you. Today can be day one of a whole new life. How Can I Change My Life? As the saying goes, “If you want a different result, you have to do something different.” This is not just a cliche, but a scientific principle. Doing the same things that left us helpless to our alcoholism and addictions won’t ever break us free of them. We have to be open-minded and willing enough to try something new –…

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