Can the 12-Steps Help with Other Addictions?

Alcoholism and addiction are often misunderstood terms. There is a difference between a hard drinker and an alcoholic, although it is a subtle difference. To understand it, most people would have to be intimately familiar with what makes one an alcoholic. Addiction is another term that gets misused too often.  Alcoholism and addiction are manifestations […]

The Differences and Similarities Between Alcoholism and Addiction

Alcoholism and addiction are often mentioned in the same breath. They are often even experienced simultaneously. In the modern age, many who abuse alcohol also abuse drugs or other addictive substances, yet many stick to one or the other. All of this combines to create a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding surrounding alcoholism and […]

Treating Depression in Recovery

Among alcoholics and addicts both in and out of recovery, issues of mental and emotional health are highly prevalent. All of these issues — from substance abuse and recovery to mental and emotional health problems — often have correlating causes and sources. Just as often, they have related treatments and solutions as well. Some studies […]

Men’s Issues: The Hole in the Doughnut

At Jaywalker, we help men who struggle with achieving long-term recovery from alcoholism and addiction. We particularly seek to reach the ones who can’t seem to stay in recovery, despite the honest desire to do so. These are the Jaywalkers, just like we were. By being part of this specific population of alcoholics and addicts, […]

Finding Serenity in Calamity

No ocean, no matter how beautiful, is calm all the time. There will inevitably be storms. But when we sailed the ocean of life in our active alcoholism and addiction, we were sailing with a boatload of extra trouble. Now that we have entered recovery at Jaywalker Lodge, our ship is no longer making things […]

How Can I Encourage Someone In Recovery?

Most of us have a loved one who has struggled with alcoholism or addiction at some point in their lives, whether it’s a child, a significant other, a parent, or a friend. Much of our questions and concerns revolve around what to do to help them when they are in their active disease. We have […]

Embracing the Good in Life

Most alcoholics and addicts unwittingly become accustomed to negative circumstances, high-stress feelings, and what we often call “bad luck.” While everyday life does sometimes bring these things, it’s seldom as negative and stressful as our life in active alcoholism or addiction was. Unfortunately, many alcoholics and addicts like us get so used to the worst […]

Don’t Give Up On Yourself

It’s common for those of us who are new to recovery to have low opinions of ourselves. We are still healing from our active alcoholism and addiction, and we may find it difficult to shake a bleak view of who we are and the future we expect to have. But one major key to happy […]

Can the 12-Steps Really Help With All My Problems?

Alcoholism and addiction are extremely problematic diseases. They cause a whole host of unique and troubling issues. They stem from internal problems within us, but they wreak absolute havoc across every area of our lives. This can create a really overwhelming pile-up of problems. But do not despair — every single day in the fellowship […]

Why “Healing” and “Patience” Can Be Hard Words to Hear

For most alcoholics and addicts, healing and patience are words that can leave us feeling uncomfortable. We aren’t always so sure that our wounds can be healed, whether they’re physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Patience isn’t something we’re very familiar with or fond of either. But it’s important, no matter where we are in our […]