This man’s story was attached to a sign-up sheet for a support group. He “saw hardcore pornography for the first time around the first or second grade. The effects it had on my life were similar to those of abuse.” He was “reintroduced” to porn in middle school and felt it was “something good in the midst of something bad. I was hooked.” School can be very
stressful and many of us don’t realize the pressure on our children. In high school, he felt guilty but thought he could manage to work on it himself with help from Jesus.
Counseling didn’t help, and he began to feel hopeless. At this point, he met a man who had founded a ministry to help those who were in the grip of pornography addiction and was able to work on healing that also included spirituality. He also learned that often there is an “intimacy wound” that is the cause of pornography addiction. This is very interesting because this writer is exploring the idea of pornography being a symptom rather than the main cause of problems.
Some things that helped him in overcoming his addiction were 1. Admit your addiction, 2. Recognize the power of dopamine (a powerful neurotransmitter involved in sexual situations). 3. Treat the root of the problem by identifying the initial wound. 4. Be accountable. This could be selecting a trusted friend, (or religious leader) who can help you hold yourself accountable and measure your progress.
He felt that when he was hungry, angry, lonely, or tired (HALT) he was vulnerable and needed to take extra care not to use porn. It is good to note that when someone in your life is experiencing HALT symptoms, stop and show them a little extra love and care. It can make all the difference in helping them progress in the healing process.
It appears that accountability is another key factor in recovery. In some cases, a journal might be useful to notice success. Success will probably come in small steps. Just turning one’s head away from something that could be a snare is a success. Just one day without porn would be another success. Being able to work past the guilt to get on with recovery is a great success.
For a religious person, Jesus ministered to the sinners and the hopeless. When people were ready to stone the adulterous woman, Jesus intervened and invited the perfectly sinless person to be the first to stone her. His last words to her were, “Neither do I condemn thee, go thy way and sin no more.” (KJV John 8:3-11).
This account of recovery brings great hope because it shows us that there are simple steps we can take toward healing. If you are looking for a resource or a place to start your recovery, CRU (A non-denominational Christian Organization) could be a great place to start. Find them at the link below.
Citation:
Butcher, B. (n.d.) My Story: How my life changed. How I overcame my porn addiction. Cru.
Retrieved online 8 May 2024.
CRU, n.d. Orlando, Florida
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