Practically, we can control our own minds.  Sometimes it's better not to close your eyes for an
extended period of time because that brings on the images. What works for me is the following.

Think of a "clean" pleasurable image of a place you've been or an experience that you enjoyed.
Concentrate on this image for a while with your eyes open or closed. Feel the feelings, see the
picture and hear the sounds all around you.

Now every time an old image comes up which you want to get rid of, simply replace it with
this good image. 

There is a trick to doing this called the "swish" technique.  I can tell you how to do it
over the phone if you're interested.  Just call the hotline at 1-901-685-3256.  I'll call you
back or if I'm home I'll answer the phone.

I did this 9 years ago after passing by a place I used to go into.  Now, even 9 years later
when I drive by, I remember my good picture and all the memories fade away.

If you can stand being on this computer any longer you can Google "NLP Swish technique"
and learn how to do it.

What I do when certain  impure images or thoughts pop into my head is as follows (and I think I learned this from  someone on this site a long time ago):

I say hello to them! I say "Hey, how are you? Be well, Gotta run"

Don't try too hard to ignore it or supress it as it will only intensify. Much like when someone tells you "Do not think of green elephants" You know that ALL you can them think about is green elephants!

Rather when you see an image that in the old days would have made you do an Aveira, just wave to it, and move on. Don't dwell on it.

This has worked for me on many occasions Baruch Hashem.


Another thing I sometimes do is say to Hashem: "I just thought of __insert bad thought here____. In the old days I would have acted sinfully with that image, today I am better than that! Today I can see that image and not act on it! Today I can think that thought and know that it isn't part of me anymore! It is only due tou your help that I came this far in my struggle. Help me Hashem  reach the next level and  help me not to have these thoughts anymore!"


Chazak V'Ematz!

Excellent.  It's like the old adage, "What we resist, persists."  Acceptance of what pops in our heads
is the key, then say goodbye and replace it, quickly.

I remember years ago I went to a conference with Torah teachers and amazing music. I came back to work and as I worked I thought about the conference. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a vile thought hit my mind. The contrast was very evident, in no way subtle, as is sometimes the case. My reaction was to think about the music I had heard at the conference. I had to do this for not a few moments, but the vile thoughts left. Since then I've come to believe these types of thoughts aren't always from me, from the etzer harah, but from elsewhere. I can decide what I think. I can meditate on the things of HaShem, or I can be a victim and allow myself to be assaulted at will. I choose the first! Baruch HaShem!

Ashrecha Tahor!

Rebbe Nachman writes what you say. Often such low thoughts come to a person, not from the person himself, but from various "fallen desires" that have fallen to the Klippot and are begging us to uplift them. When we ignore them and focus on love for Hashem, we uplift these fallen desires and transform them into love of Hashem.

And that's what it's all about!

I have a wonderful image that I remember from my childhood, the days before I began my addiction.  I remember being at a camp in the Appalachians.  Near the camp was a lean-to for hikers on the Appalachian Trail.  The lean-to sat in the middle of a clearing in the trees and a large stream ran through the clearing.  The stream had a bridge over it made up of two logs (and no rail).  I remember sitting on a large rock in the clearing just listening to the water run over the rocks.  I remember it as one of the most peaceful places I have ever been.  That was maybe thirty years ago, but I still can see and hear it so well.  Just had to share the image that will be my tool now.

Think of the pasuk "Aish tamid tookad al hamizbayach lo tichbeh". In english: "Always have a fire burning the mizbeach, do not extinguish it". Hope this helps, I know it does for many. 

For me, the main problem isn't usually images popping into my mind, but rather, a physical desire that can overcome me.  I find that music is a fantastic distraction.  Also, laughter - I know not everyone watches movies or tv, but for me, watching a comedy show or comedy routine can totally break the bad moment.

A good JEWISH Niggun  NEVER fails!

i also have a problem with pictures popping into mu head. i have a very active imagination that just takes hold of my thoughts, and all of a sudden i can't think of anything else. sometimes i have to physically shake my head to get the image out of my head. but the idea of replacing the picture with something else sounds great- i'll make sure to try it.

I don't know if this is appropiate for women, but self infliction of pain can and does have some affect. 
  I once many years ago confided in a special Admor here in E"Y. He told my, "you can put your hand under your sleeve and pintch yourself, and no one will even notice."
  It is true, and I also saw this in the sefer Taharas Hakodesh, that sometimes we need to inflict pain and this YES will remove the thoughts.
  Unfortunately for "ME", I have a high threshold of pain. Pintching was never enough. So, I found these small paper clamps that you use to hold many papers together. I found that putting them on the tips of my fingers, (the edge of the finger nail) provided some "good quality pain", (I mean enough to remove the menuval's filth from my mind).
Once I had to go down town, and I had about 6 of them on several fingers. I could only handle the pain for a couple of minutes. The problem was that when I removed them, the thoughts returned.

My point here, is that unfortunately many times it is THIS- i.e. pain that is almost the only thing to stop the yetzer. (I am referring to a serious strong attack of his thoughts.) So, if in fact a few good pintches under the shirt sleeve will do the trick, then it's worth it. Because we all know that if the thougths continue, we will eventually act out.

dear habib613, elya has told me that at sla groups where there are women one gets the point that women are struggling too, and when we see that, we can stop looking at women as objects and start looking at them as people.we begin to see that women are people too, with issues just like us.i've never been to a group, so i wouldn't know that first hand.but now that you are here, contributing your struggles to this wonderful forum, i am beginning to see what elya says. you have taught me something and i thank you.
p.s. i couldn't make even one move without elya's knowledge and expertise in this. jack

jack- i think there are a lot more men struggling then women, but you should just know that i feel the same way. i don't have a lot of contact with men at all, and so for me, men are like these foreighn creatures. since i started to go on this site i realized that guys think too, and really you're just like girls, albeit with different roles in life. thanks for writing that. it makes me feel understood, and i'm glad i could help out.
elya- the image thing didn't work so well on me. but having conversations in different languages helped a little. chose a topic, and had an imaginary conversation with a friend about it in a foreighn language. it forced me to concentrate on the words i was using.
counting to 100 by 3s and 7s, and other random numbers also helps me to focus on something other than what my YH chose for me to think about.

It helps to have someone experienced in hypnosis to guide you through it sometimes.  Keep trying or just pick a pleasant situation to remember when you need to switch.

me wrote on 30 Jan 2009 08:15:



My G-d, all this pain.

I often sing a niggun, one which is long and difficult or short but moving, over and over again, or try to learn a new one.

Listening to a niggun, or classical music also can help a lot. You have to get to know which kind helps you, if you are new to this.