I see myself as a not-yet addict but extremely prone to become one (I have all the causative factors that everyone writes about). And I have already began a downward trend, "acting out" twice recently for the first time in my life. How does one prevent a potential addict from becoming one?
Dear Yid. One of the slogans of GYE is "Helping people hit bottom while still on top". Please see Chizuk e-mail #441 on this page for more on this vital concept (scroll down).
To get a feel for the horrors that this addiction can lead to, see this page for some stories from the point of view of the "wives of addicts".
And please read also the horror stories here and here.
Don't let yourself start sliding down the bottomless pit of addiction. It only gets worse, never better, and it can easily destroy your life in this world and the next - if not nipped in the bud NOW. Hit bottom while still on top!