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TOPIC: I am an addict 1906 Views

Re: I am an addict 03 Aug 2016 02:25 #293202

  • Dooby
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I will try a group when I get back home (to Israel). Right now I am in the Asia Pacific area working until late September. It is REALLY hard for my wife. What cn I say to my wife to make her feel better, nothing. We are far from home and while I am at work, she has no one to talk to. How can I make her "happy"? I can not.I have hurt her in the worst way. She is shattered when she thought things were going well. She just sees out "time together" as fantasy. I have let her down. She looked at the spouses forum, but she didn't think it is for her. She is a therapist! She is totally wounded. When we get home she will seek out therapy for herself so she can clarify for herself how she wants to proceed with her life; to stay married or to divorce. How can she ever trust me again! This is very painful. I want to stay together, but at least for now she doesn't want couples therapy. To breakup a half century of a relation would not be easy. She has heard the promises before and I have failed. I KNOW that I need to make changes, but it may be too late.

Re: I am an addict 03 Aug 2016 02:28 #293203

  • Dooby
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I have cried Alex. It just may be too late.

Re: I am an addict 03 Aug 2016 07:49 #293213

  • Watson
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Dooby wrote on 03 Aug 2016 02:25:
I will try a group when I get back home (to Israel). Right now I am in the Asia Pacific area working until late September. It is REALLY hard for my wife. What cn I say to my wife to make her feel better, nothing. We are far from home and while I am at work, she has no one to talk to. How can I make her "happy"? I can not.I have hurt her in the worst way. She is shattered when she thought things were going well. She just sees out "time together" as fantasy. I have let her down. She looked at the spouses forum, but she didn't think it is for her. She is a therapist! She is totally wounded. When we get home she will seek out therapy for herself so she can clarify for herself how she wants to proceed with her life; to stay married or to divorce. How can she ever trust me again! This is very painful. I want to stay together, but at least for now she doesn't want couples therapy. To breakup a half century of a relation would not be easy. She has heard the promises before and I have failed. I KNOW that I need to make changes, but it may be too late.

This too shall pass.

The "woe is me" feeling comes from the yetzer hora not the yetzer tov.

Away from home? GYE has just the thing - guardyoureyes.com/tools/calls
Last Edit: 03 Aug 2016 07:50 by Watson.

Re: I am an addict 03 Aug 2016 07:55 #293214

  • Dooby
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I have deeply wounded my wife. I cry whenever I think about it. Have I thrown nearly 50 years of a relationship away? I hope not. Yes, it will pass, I just don't know how. I will check the tools referral. Thanks.

Re: I am an addict 03 Aug 2016 19:04 #293254

  • gibbor120
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Welcome!  Your pain comes through your posts loud and clear.  Obviously, a lot is going on here.  You don't magically stay married that long without work and a good relationship.  Is this the only issue between you and your wife?  How is your marriage in general?

What have you done in the past to try and recover?  Have you seen a therapist, joined a 12 step program etc.? 

I wish you hatzlacha in your recovery and in your relationship with your wife.

Re: I am an addict 04 Aug 2016 05:11 #293305

  • Dooby
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Like all relationships, we have had our challenges. About a year ago the porn issue came to a head but I faltered. We were actually doing well, but occasionally, I would look at a porn site. It is not a daily compulsion. When my wife asked if I had been on any porn sites, I could have lied, but I didn't. She felt betrayed. She felt that when we were or are together that it was as if this was and will always be between us. I know this could be the end of our relationship. We are talking but of course there is no warmth from her side. How can there be? The only good thing so far is that she has not packed up and gone home.

Re: I am an addict 04 Aug 2016 13:19 #293331

  • AlexEliezer
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Dooby,
Yes, it is hard.  But nothing is too hard for Hashem. So keep turning the fight over to Him.  

Regarding the relationship, I went through a similar falling out with my wife a few years ago.  It took a while, but B"H our relationship is stronger than ever now.  Do your part by recovering and the rest will fall into place.  Obsessing over what we've done to our spouses, or that they don't love us anymore, or pushing for closeness -- none of these are helpful.

Like Doc says above, the guilt and feeling sorry for yourself is coming from the Y"H.  He wants you to give it all up and have a porn party with him.  He's terrified you will succeed.  Something very positive is happening in your life.  You've started recovery.

Just like you're keeping away from lust one day at a time, you also need to give the relationship space one day at a time.  Being divorced is miserable and your wife knows it.  The devil we know is usually better than the devil we don't. 

Daven for your sobriety and daven for the relationship.  Crying is a great time to daven.  The gates of tears are never closed.

A gut chodesh,
Alex

Re: I am an addict 04 Aug 2016 14:01 #293335

  • gibbor120
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I agree with Alex.  The only thing you can do right now is to clean up your side of the street.  Perhaps talk to dov and/or join his phone conference.  He has a lot of experience with addiction and addicts.  She is very hurt, and understandibly so.  One thing that is very positive is that you have been honest with her.  As Dov has said many times, it is the lying and dishonesty that hurts them the most.  If she knows that she can trust you, that is one very big positive.

Again, you don't stay married that long without doing a lot of things right.  I'm not sure what you need specifically, but you needt to do something, and your wife needs to see that you are serious about change, that you value her, and your relationship with her.

Oh, and one more very important thing. Be patient.  Wounds take time to heal, but they can heal.  My wife and I went through some very rough times when she first caught me, but gradually, she came to trust me again.

Maybe read some of the dov quotes. I have a link in my signature.  Work on yourself.  Ask Hashem for help.  Keep us posted.  We're rooting for you.

Re: I am an addict 05 Aug 2016 06:45 #293378

  • Dooby
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AlexEliezer wrote on 04 Aug 2016 13:19:
Dooby,
Yes, it is hard.  But nothing is too hard for Hashem.Easy for Hashem, but hard for those of "us" who want to change ( for the better). . So keep turning the fight over to Him.  

Regarding the relationship, I went through a similar falling out with my wife a few years ago. We went through a similar time a year ago, then I faltered again so my wife's tolerance is on the wane. We are together, but the relations are cordial but it's like standing on ground zero. It took a while, but B"H our relationship is  stronger than ever now.  Do your part by recovering and the rest will fall into place.  Obsessing over what we've done to our spouses, or that they don't love us anymore, or pushing for closeness -- none of these are helpful.

Like Doc says above, the guilt and feeling sorry for yourself is coming from the Y"H.  He wants you to give it all up and have a porn party with him.  He's terrified you will succeed.  Something very positive is happening in your life.  You've started recovery.

Just like you're keeping away from lust one day at a time, you also need to give the relationship space one day at a time.  "Being divorced is miserable and your wife knows it.  The devil we know is usually better than the devil we don't". Agreed! I don't want to go there. We have seen several friends in the last couple of years who divorsed after years of marriage.

Daven for your sobriety and daven for the relationship.  Crying is a great time to daven.  The gates of tears are never closed.

A gut chodesh,
Alex

Shabbat Shalom! 

Re: I am an addict 05 Aug 2016 15:49 #293413

  • Markz
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Dooby 

Does your wife who's a therapist know about sex addiction?

Perhaps not. Does she understand that she may not understand you?
My wife is very astute but she doesn't understand my lust issues at all.

She thinks I must be an addict and am white knuckling etc, because I looked at porn every now and then for the fun of it... Is everyone that does that an addict?
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Re: I am an addict 10 Aug 2016 10:39 #293618

  • Dooby
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Taking things day by day. Still clean in thoughts and deeds. Right now our relationship is very platonic. What can I expect? G-d willing things will become more "normal" with time.

Re: I am an addict 26 Aug 2016 07:41 #294406

  • Dooby
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Shabbat Shalom. Still clean and relating. Waiting  for the 90 days to be a "new person".

Re: I am an addict 29 Aug 2016 18:37 #294492

  • gibbor120
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90 days can be helpful, but it is not magic.  Don't put all your faith in it.  It can be a jump start, but it is NOT a strategy for long-term sobriety.
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