Hello fellow sufferers. 

Im TomatoJew, for years Ive suffered with this awful addiction without knowing I had a serious problem. Much like many other i told myself that this is a teenage problem, it will pass as i get older and for sure this issue will not effect me by the time i am married. Now I am 19 years old, and my addiction is as strong as it has ever been. I am worried. I am worried because now i am aware that this is not an issue which goes with time, it is an issue which needs action. I have a serious girlfriend, and how can I even think about marriage when this addiction is also on my mind. It disgusts me, and i feel ashamed to still be suffering because of it. I decided I need to make a change. Whilst success seems a long long way away, this is at least a start in attempting to make a difference. So here goes.
05/04/2020

Hello and welcome Reb TomatoJew.

Mazel Tov on getting a few days in. We are recoverers here at GYE, as you are clearly as well given you have some days in. I'm sure as someone who made this decision to change you will make a good husband!

Welcome and congrats on getting started!
Great move to start a thread
It's normal to have some rough patches along the way, so hang in there.
Please keep posting on your progress!

Welcome!

We have a tough decision. If we want, we can believe the yetzer hara who says that now that we have become caught up with temptation, there’s no way we can escape. We can even try to assuage our guilt a bit by thinking sadly that there’s nothing we can do.

Ultimately, though, it won’t work and we won’t be able to evade the pain. Our other choice is to think about the situation until we see the truth, that though it will take work, it can be done: we can escape the clutches of desire and take control.

This doesn’t mean the yetzer hara will never catch us again. That might happen at some point, especially early on. But messing up will no longer mean that we can’t succeed!