ok - so you are off to college or yeshiva or where ever.
mazel tov, you made it.

but for some of us - the freedom of being on our own is a little too much.

our blackberrys get us into trouble...
and the all night internet cafe keep luring us in.

so how do we deal with this new found lust...or maybe Lust is an old friend with a new suit?

so what to do - when you are stuck and do not know what to do?

1. come to term with the terms.

me personally, I never liked the word: Addict or the word, Lust.
Lust seemed like a MONSTER, too big for me to deal with.

So how about DUST (you know brain dust) -
on Rosh Hashana we call out: Avinu Malchanu, we are nothing but dust.

So how do you deal with DUST?
Take a deep ( I mean Really DEEP) breathe - and BLOW THOSE THOUGHTS AWAY!

(don't like the term Addict - PM me, lets discuss. )

2. Get a sponsor, phone mate, etc.

not ready to give up your blackberry or the mid-night escapades to the all night internet cafe...
at least call in to your sponsor - and let them know where you are planning on going and what you are planning on doing. 

3. Learn to live in the PRESENT.

we spend too much time - running from the pain of the past
or worrying about the future

You've been given an incredible GIFT, its called the PRESENT moment.

The PRESENT moment is roughly the 3-seconds which are in front of you.
take responsibility - and LIVE those 3 seconds.

4. Praise yourself for what you do RIGHT

stop getting angry or worrying about what did not go right.

5. Post, Post, Post

dov.in.israel (aka dov.ii. not to be confused with the other tzaddik, Dov, who is not in Israel, yet)

DovInIsrael wrote on 03 Oct 2011 08:15:


Excellent advice for the many heading off away from home.

I would just add, that whenever we're going somewhere new and exciting and more anonymous and tempting, BEFORE WE LEAVE, commit that we're going to remain sober, avoid looking and avoid situations that will lead to slips as much as we can.  Making the commitment before we're in it can help against a surprise attack.  No surprise, Mr YH, I was expecting you and I'm not looking.

ADDICTION : substance or actions which lead to a progressive degeneration of one's ability to think clearly.

tomorrow morning I am off to visit someone who was arrested as a part of a local sex-ring

take a look at yourself - and your actions...the thrills and mindless searching wear off, leading one into more "exciting" territories, and at the same time, decreasing ones ability to think clearly.

at the rate you are going, where will you be in 20 years?

isn;t it time you took action - and made some changes?