It looks like there are different opinions about whether one can trump his/her addiction entirely.
There is no doubt that desire will always be there; unless there's an issue (asexuality) it's built into our DNA.
The way I differentiate between an addict's desire (developed as a result of doing the act many times) and a natural, human desire (because we have within us an animal soul as we'll as a G-dly one) is that the addict feels a compelling so strong he/she becomes brainless and just zombies (a verb) towards the computer. (Know what I'm saying?)
A Taava on the other hand is a controllable albeit strong pull towards an object.
From experience, I believe one CAN move from the uncontrollable to the controlled desire. That's what 90 days accomplishes.
So can an addict become "normal" again? Based on the above criteria, yes.
Still, as someone pointed out above, me and all others who either are still addicted or feel they've kicked it, need to be extra careful about "ולא תתורו אחרי לבבכם ואחרי עיניכם״

As we enter the days of joy (זמן שמחתינו) let us all remember that there's a part of us that was never tainted, our Yechida (fifth and highest level of the neshama) is one with Hashem and as perfect as Him.
So let's be happy!

Many neurologists believ that once a habit is created in the brain it never goes away. Even if you lean how to avoid getting into trouble and you stop for a long time, the moment you start again your brain will go straight back to what it did in the past and you will not have to "redevelop" the addiction to get addicted

hashemhelps94
Ya sure? Have you done 90 days before? I assume not. Because i have (BH) and my desires are not under control. Sorry bud. If your an addict, your hear for the long haul!

This disease that haunts us, it's like a wort. It kind of pops up out of nowhere, and is really annoying. You go to the doctor (Hashem), he freezes it, and its gone. Temporarily.
Then it comes back, but the root has thickened. It hurts a lot more. You really hate it and don't know what to do. So you go back to the doctor, and he freezes it again. you go through this a bunch of times, until finally, the wort gives up. Eventually, it won't come back again.

Our sickness is the same I think. We fall, over and over and over. Don't let those falls go to waste. Learn from them. Act to avoid them, even if you know that you will fall again eventually. Every clean second is a blessing.


I know this isn't exactly a great metaphor, but I have a wort on the bottom of my foot right now. Is God sending me a sign? You tell me.

You mentioned that you have been clean for more than 90 days already. That is AWESOME! I havn't been clean that long. Focus on your accomplishments. Think of it as a trade: you give the yetzar hara all your clean time (let's say 90 days) and he gives you back a mere minute or two of pleasure! You just got ripped off!

Keep fighting brotha

Much like a recovered alcoholic will have trouble when an alcoholic beverage is placed in front of him, or someone is pouring a drink in front of him, or when he walks by the refrigerator section of a convenience store, or by a bar.

Unfortunately we live in a time where there are computers and cell phones and billboards and magazines and anything else that you're mind may have turned into a trigger in the past few years, and it's very much the same thing. What you will learn is that you can't withstand any of these things without taking proper measures, no matter what stage of recovery you're in.

Nobody on this forum is trying to get you down by telling you that you're stuck in a situation forever. What they are trying to do is tell you from their experience that the mentality of thinking that you're done with it forever is toxic, and every time you think you're finally standing on 2 feet, the yetzer hara will come knocking, and from all of our experiences, it's not pretty.

First to Reb Dms1234, I wrote "from experience". Yes I have been clean for 90 days and I found that it most definitely lessens the pull of desire.

At the same time I wrote, that us addicts or former addicts have to be extra careful about guarding our eyes, because as many have correctly posited we are more susceptible to it than anyone else.

True, if you define addict as one who has the neurological pathways seared into his or her brain, then there's no getting free. Still, an alcoholic who goes to AA and is sober, is not the same as one who still has an irresistible pull towards alcohol. Where I'm drawing the line is between a current addict, i.e. someone who still feels out of control and a person that feels in control of his or her desires.

That does NOT mean he or she can be complacent and chilled about it. For sure, you got to take proper measures that you don't reawaken that addiction.

A Gut Yom Tov to all.

The Ariza"l writes, Halacha states that the Sukkah has to be at least two walls and a hand's breadth. This is Hashem's embrace (make the hugging motion with one hand. It creates two walls and a hand's breadth). "Veyimino Techabkeini."
All of Israel are worthy of sitting in the same Sukkah, in the same embrace.
No matter where you've gone and no matter what you've done.

hmmm. One of the core principles of SA/AA/GA/OH?/GYEA (Guard your eyes anonymous ) is that we are completely out of control and we need Hashem to save us. An addict must always have this in mind or else he will spiral back into lusting. Currently i am not under the wrath of lust but i know that as soon as i take the first sip, i am done! I will be out of control. Any lust i take is poison to me. Furthermore, my life is unmanageable and i need Hashem to help. My disposition is lust and i need Someone to help me. So am i still an addict? Yes. I am an addict in remission. I can always go back to the state i was. Am i out of control? not right now, but in 2 minutes i could be. Can i ever be in control of lust? NO! Absolutely not. I lost that ability a long time ago.

But yes I can be free from lust even if i still am a sex addict! However i am careful because i can always be enslaved. Its just not cutting at my throat like it did. This is why it takes a few days/weeks from the last time they fell for people to take a deep breath and see how beautiful life is

I have no idea if that made any sense, but i hope it helps.

I agree 100%. We all are subject to visual and other triggers that can send us down the rabbit hole of porn and masturbation. One fundamental tool that we all have to work on is recognizing and avoiding such triggers.If you are aware of the triggers and go down the rabbit hole, you are an addict, like it or not.