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12 May 2022 20:36

itisfeelinggreat

It sounds like you are just being stubborn about psychology. I do not know why (maybe you only want to have a discussion and not get helped). If you ask any Rabby, Rav, or Diyan that understands addiction, they will tell you to use the twelve steps or whatever psychological methods work for you. 
sorry for the tough post
Category: Introduce Yourself
12 May 2022 11:19

Hashem Help Me

connected wrote on 11 May 2022 17:57:
Brutal honesty time.
(Hopefully, more honest than brutal.)

I made some unhealthy conversation in the private chats with some fellow addicts here, so I was blocked from GYE.

My initial, instinctive response was, "Fine. They don't want me? I'm going right back to P&M. I can finally do this guilt-free; I have the perfect justification."

The rationalization brought me this close to falling Friday. (Bring your index finger close to your thumb to visualize just how close.)

The voice of reason caught me in the act, "Are you serious?! You know what you did wrong. You know you want to get better. You know you can't get better on your own. Put aside your pride, ask the Mod to disable the chat for your account and to be allowed back on."

(it's odd how the first voice still speaks in the first person while the voice of reason is external. Work in progress, work in progress... One day!)

I crawled back and emailed the Mod.
BH, I now have filtered access to GYE.

P.S. To anyone trying to message me privately: I can see the messages but can't reply. And that's a good thing. Keeps me (and you) away from danger.

Impressive. Honesty, humility, focus - the stuff of heroes.
11 May 2022 17:57

connected

Brutal honesty time.
(Hopefully, more honest than brutal.)

I made some unhealthy conversation in the private chats with some fellow addicts here, so I was blocked from GYE.

My initial, instinctive response was, "Fine. They don't want me? I'm going right back to P&M. I can finally do this guilt-free; I have the perfect justification."

The rationalization brought me this close to falling Friday. (Bring your index finger close to your thumb to visualize just how close.)

The voice of reason caught me in the act, "Are you serious?! You know what you did wrong. You know you want to get better. You know you can't get better on your own. Put aside your pride, ask the Mod to disable the chat for your account and to be allowed back on."

(it's odd how the first voice still speaks in the first person while the voice of reason is external. Work in progress, work in progress... One day!)

I crawled back and emailed the Mod.
BH, I now have filtered access to GYE.

P.S. To anyone trying to message me privately: I can see the messages but can't reply. And that's a good thing. Keeps me (and you) away from danger.
11 May 2022 13:45

DavidT

One of the best ways we have found to deal with this problem is to have someone to talk with about it. We must have someone who we can be open with to share our problem. When we do this on a regular (weekly at the least) basis, it creates accountability and we take the problem more seriously.

The Pasuk in Mishlei (18:1) says: "Le'taava yevakesh nifrad - Desire seeks isolation". Being isolated causes us to go after our Taavah - our lust. The addiction wants us to withdraw into ourselves and disconnect from life. A partner in this struggle can do wonders in helping us reconnect to the world around us and ultimately break free. Going into detail with someone else about what we've done, is also known to be one of the best ways to get out the shame, guilt and remorse, and move on.
Category: Introduce Yourself
10 May 2022 23:55

frankly

Welcome! Even if you are not addicted to something, you can still gain much by learning more about yourself and becoming more healthy. Sounds like you are normal and healthy. You can learn here how to feel better about yourself, become stronger in your self control in thoughts and actions, and share with and help others.

Hatzlacha!
Category: Introduce Yourself
10 May 2022 23:36

Yissie

Hello everyone, I have heard about GYE a while ago and felt that I did not really need it. I do not feel I have any addiction to any of these things that other people have. My phone has a filter for anything too inappropriate and I do not know how to get around it.
I am an older bochur, still in yeshiva, and these things generally did not distract me. I have had some issues with masturbating since 12th grade. When I came back from Israel, and most of my friends got married and I could not find the right one, I started feeling lonely. I would look at pictures that were inappropriate, and some videos (most videos are blocked).
But recently I realized that when I look at other boys, especially younger ones, I would feel attracted to them. I b"h have not done anything and iy"h will not. But I realized if I have a problem and do not take care of it, it will just get worse and worse.
While I do not masturbate regularly, I still feel an urge every once in a while. Many nights lying in bed, I will probably be thinking about some of the girls or boys I have seen.
I have spoken to two rebbeim, but they did not have anything that helped. I am hoping that maybe I will be able to get help here.
Category: Introduce Yourself
08 May 2022 22:25

itisfeelinggreat

sodoja wrote on 19 Apr 2017 16:15:

Please excuse any typos....

 שלום עליכם to the entire GYE community, i am finally here after my long נסיעה of almost 30 years!!! Yes, 30 years i was looking to whom i can turn, tell my story, and feel comfortable that nobody will find out what goes on deep in me, and will help me get out from there, but with no luck, but FINALLY FINALLY i find what i was looking for, it took me 30 years, i wish i could get here earlier, wow what a zchus for all GYE members...

יראתי בפצותי שיח להשחיל, I’m debating for the last 2 weeks, should I write my story, or shouldn’t, shouldn’t I, because, once its written, there is no way back, my story is out, and I don’t know if someone part in my story will get hurt, or will someone find out my real identity, and on top of that, my mind keeps on telling me, that תשובה can’t come through the internet, the internet is so טמא and how can it come from that direction, we are used to do תשובה through Misser, Sifrei Kodesh, Tzdakah, Sigufim,  etc. but not on the internet, but then I figured that, if I can get out from my sickness through the internet, I just don’t care, will do תשובה on that after I’ll do תשובה on my sickness, and its only another trick from my יצר הרע.

So before i will introduce myself from where I’m coming all this years, let me tell you why I’m telling you my long story, and there are many reasons, 1) i have read a lot of posts here, and i feel that in order to get to the right healing and to get the right chizuk on my new long journey, i must write my long story, so everyone will understand me, 2) דאגה בלב איש, ישחנה לאחרים, shlomo hamelech tells us that if you have anything stressing on your chest, if you tell it for someone, then it will help your healing, 3) צרת הרבים חצי נחמה, as i have read on many posts, i sew I’m not the only one suffering this sickness, so i felt right away healed somewhat, so why should i held off someone else healing, 4) מצוות וידוי, in order to do תשובה there must be a וידוי, so i feel that this will be the starting point of my תשובה, and there is many other reasons.

I'm part of this great and wonderful community since a week before pesach, and i got to tell you, that this is what i was missing and was looking for, for the last 30 year, yes 30 years I’m looking to get out from my sickness and addiction, and to find someone with whom i can talk about my biggest problem in life, i hold it in me for 30 year, and just to get my story out of me is a 50% healing, now i know that’s a sickness that need to be healed, and the "one day at a time" strategy which really works, (i used to make charts of months which never worked).

so, let me start my story.

I’m a chasidish yingerman from Boro Park, married to my beloved wife and five children, I’m the yingerman who everyone is looking up to, at home, in my family or at my wife’s family, in shul, all my friends, my outside of me tells that I’m the frum geshmak chasidish yingerman, I’m davening ehrlich, I’m learning every morning and night, I’m basically more than average yingerman, geshmak, always have a dvar halacha to say, whenever there is a kipka I’m there should it be halacha, gamara, or chasides, or any other argument.

but that’s only the outside, what’s going on inside? that’s the opposite on an extreme 365 turn, if anybody should know who I am really? i would be expelled from anywhere, family, shul, and friends, I’m so dusty, dirty, and טמא,

i started to acting out as early when i was 8 or 9 years old, (that’s what i remember) i remember the first time getting this terrible urge to act out, when the flame got turn on big time, when i used to go to my maternal grandfather, (we lived 10 children in a 3 bedroom apartment so i was sleeping many times at my grandfather’s house) and he used to have all kinds of magazines and newspapers at home, like USA Today, The NY Times and so on, he is very into the news, and i was looking at the pictures of the ads there, of all exposed woman, (not that exposed we see on porn sites, but at that time to me, it was called big time exposed) which such pics was very new to me, it was like a first time viewing at porn sites, which it flairs you up right away, you don’t have to do anything to get you wet, at home i never sew this kind of pics, and i got so turned on, i just couldn't resist of not acting out, i couldn't wait to get again to my grandfather’s house, so i can get more of this images to my head, i feel that, that was my killer of all this years, my parents just dint know and don’t know as of today what they did to me when they sent me sleeping there, (I’m not blaming them, it’s just part of my story).

my next stage down was later when i was in yeshivah, (but in-between i didn’t stop masturbating) as i was a 14 year old bucher, [removed by editor], i went to my magid shier and i told him what's going on, and he didn’t believe me, because that boy was from the top boys in class, i, just got the פסק that I’m at fault, for no good reason, but eventually he changed my seat, just so, this boy could kill another bucher, but after all, even i was damaged already from before, this incident just added some fuel to the fire, i just became worse,

then i left this yeshivah, at the age 16 i left to one of the greatest yeshives in Europe, i slept in the dormitory, there i became a very good friend with one of the bucherim, and we became so close, that someone told us in yeshivah that we are like a couple, we didn’t do anything without each other, we flew home all the time at bein hazmanim on the same flight, we learned bchavrisah, we went to collect money together, we were really close with each other, BUT, what happen as the time went on, was not that good, i don’t remember how it happened, [removed by editor], but we had our יצר הרע, (we slept in one room with 3 boys, myself, my buddy, and one other bucher, and while we were making out we thought that he is sleeping, and he don’t know what’s going on, which later on turned out false, as I’ll talk about it later) until my friend decided to stop it, and to let go our friendship, he probably did it because his other friends opened him up, that we are in a crazy friendship, i was very hurt, but deep down, i know that we had to stop it so i couldn't hold him up, i tried but it didn’t go, but i continued acting out by myself, in a very disturbing way, every night i masturbate in bed, but i didn’t have any interactions with anyone else, just by myself, and i need to mention, and it’s very true, that i never ever was the one who initiate any of the wrong doing, at any place, and with any one, i was the one who was asked out.

then i switched yeshivah to upstate NY, and the 3rd bucher (mentioned earlier) with whom i slept in Europe yeshivah came together with me, and i was very close with him from the previous yeshiva, and he slept at his uncles house, around the corner of the yeshivah, and i slept in dormitory, so he started to ask me i should walk him home at night after yeshivah, because he is afraid to go home alone, so i did, i didn’t thought it will take me any were, after a few nights, he started touching me, i was shocked, and i refused, since i was the “GOOD” bucher, and i wasn’t that close with him, like the other one, then he told me that he sew us in the European yeshivah doing inappropriate things, and nothing happened, (what a blow) and he will never tell anybody, bla bla bla, so that’s when i started again to interact with someone else, [removed by editor].... nebech nebech...... im so ashamed from him when i see him on the street...

eventually he got married before me, and he left yeshivah, i was continuing wrong doing here and there.

but one thing before we go ahead, i was every other day so depressed on what's going on, i was davening, gave tsdakkeh, did charts, i tried everything, nothing helped me to get out of the sickness.

then i got married, i really thought that this will heal me, as they say, a wife is not a doctor, but it just got worse... yes, i didn’t have my friends to act out with, but i had myself, even I’m having my wife, but it wasn’t enough, i got wet every night before going to sleep, my wife kept on telling me i should stop doing what I’m doing, but i asked her back, stopping what? I tried to play it dumb, that I don’t know what she want from me, i had times when she looked down at me very low, but i ignored that, it came a time that she just start living with the situation, we have children, and we have no other choice, will have to live like that for them, but today, to me it looks like she don’t really know what’s going on.

but the punch line came about 2 years after my wedding,

i never knew what porn and triple x means, until my father advised me i should buy a computer at home so i can get familiar with it, so i can get a job, i should learn Word , Excel, etc. i was still in kollel at that time, we had dialup connection, but i didn’t know really what the internet is all about, and one night i was at a family שבע ברכות and one of my cousin’s was joking around at the table about triple x, i didn’t have any idea what it is, so the other day at lunch time i came home from kollel, my wife worked in Manhattan so she wasn't home, and at that time there was no Internet filters at all, so i search about triple x, רבותי, i don’t have the right words how to explain what it did to me in just one hour, i thought until then that I’m so low, because i was looking on ladies exposed a little here and there, and that was for me the biggest turn on, but now, after my new internet search, i got to the lowest of the lowest point of my life, it was the first time of my life, i saw people doing the lowest things a human being can do, i got wet even before doing anything, just by looking, and that killed my soul completely, i thought before that, that i can't go lower, at that day, an hour later, when i went back to kollel, i was a completely new person, better to say, a new בהמה, so this went on for a few weeks, at lunch time I was fully engulfed on the internet, looking at porn sites, it was terrible, after a few weeks i got rid of the computer, I had to do it, because I felt really sick, I was really drained and tired physical and psychological, from that much masturbating, day and night, I told my wife that being on the computer late at night is not good for us, so I got my way out without telling her the true story behind it, but the damage was done.

so my rollercoaster goes on and on and on, i had after kollel 3 jobs including my current one, and most of the day I’m on porn sites, I’m managing that my managers shouldn't find out, since i know well how networks are working so i know how to get the work around, (at least i think so, who knows) little does my busses know how much I’m working, which besides of doing bad about Moitse Zera Levaatula, its bad because of stealing money, i keep on masturbating at night in bed, i used to have my phone charged next to my bed, and what turned out was, that when my wife was asleep, at the beginning of the night and much more in the morning, even before washing my hands i find myself searching for porn and masturbating, so my day started and ended with watching all kinds of porn, i was watching porn in job, looking around in mikvah at undressed people, driving around with the car to find attractive woman, all day fantasizing how I’m making out with other woman, what a miracle that there is no female employees in our company, if it would, I would definitely hold at another step down, ודי למבין, in short, I am dirty, low low low, טמא,

and while riding the rollercoaster I’m still trying to stay clean too, the longest i could stay clean was for maybe 10 days, and by now i just feel that’s a waste of time, i just can’t struggle with that rollercoaster, and i just don’t try any more to stay clean, I’m just keeping on what I’m doing for the last 30 years, just doing what I’m not supposed to do, and by now it feels good, but a minute after the action i feel so bad,

before i go further, i have to say what i feel it took me on my wrong drive, so i can get myself to the opposite direction, and that’s one thing, the ראיה, LOOKING where we are not allowed to, and its subdivided in 2, 1) obviously porn sites, and undressed woman, like in the summer days, 2) Jewish ladies going on the streets clothed in fitted clothing, where there is nothing left for imagination, and the second i feel is in a sense worse than the first, i feel that there is room for a big TIKEN in this subject,

so here is the punch line!!!

i finally got an email a week before pesach, introducing GYE, i don’t know how i got on the email list, but i got it, but before i get to my first experience with GYE, i need to mention an interesting story, on the day of Erev Rosh Chodesh Nisen i went to the Monroe Cemetery, its an עת רצון at that day, so i went to the kever of the satmar rebbi, and to my 2 grandfathers keverim and was praying with tears that they should help me with my kedisha problems, i told them that I’m not davening for me, because for myself I’m for now fine, i love to do what i do, but I’m begging them just for kvod shumiyim, the רבוש"ע dont want i should keep on doing what i am doing, and they must help me, then i went to my best friends kever, i was very closed with him, he died at a very young age, he was like 23 years, and i begged him he should do me a favor, and be מתפלל for me, i should become clean, after a week of that day the miracle happened, i got the email from GYE, so i started looking around at the site, what should i tell you, i was amazed about all the info, the 90 days chart, the forum, how much help there is all over, the chizik you get here, I’m just crying why in the world didn’t i know about it earlier, right away i signed up for the daily emails, the 90 day chart, and the main thing what I found out was, that it’s not about ups and downs any more, it’s about a real sickness which has to be healed and then we can start doing תשובה and i hope to be מצליח.

to finalize, the big problem is, the isser of masturbating, how do we get there? because of the ראיה, i need to work on myself not to look at porn, so i did install good filters on my phone and at job, then i have the problem on the street, looking on woman, so I’m working on that too, there is nothing to argue, that this is our biggest נסיון in today’s day of date, and it’s a stupidity not be strong at it, because you don’t gain ANYTHING from it, just the opposite.... but it’s hard, that’s what our job is on this planet, and that’s why we are all here at GYE, to get the right chizik and support from each other.

I start the 90 Days chart, a week before Pesach, but last night, מוצאי פסח, I failed big time, and it was after not looking at any porn site for full 2 weeks, not looking at women on the street, I was very successful with both of that, I was so proud of myself, I was sure that I’m clean already for the rest of my life, I forgot that this is my struggle and נסיון for life, but then it came my fall, I had a very big letdown, and I hope that my fall will be my ירידה לצורך עליה, my biggest problem is when I’m in bed, fantasizing about women, about doing stuff with my wife, and also, just pleasuring with myself, and that was triggering my fall, I had thought that pleasuring with myself, and not getting wet is noting, I can hold it and not going further, I’m strong, but I have been mistaken, and that is now my biggest job, bigger than not looking on porn sites. I’ll also try to learn some מוסר before i go to bed,

i will iy"h try to post daily my ups and down, i definitely feel that this will be my only way to stay clean,

one thing i can definitely say, the GYE handbook is נורא נוראות, it’s a very helpful book.

i hope that posting my story will help me, and help others so they can see that they are not alone on this huge ocean, and like the gemara says: כל המתפלל בעד חבירו הוא נענה תחילה, interesting point is, that i had find my self-davening yom tov for the members of GYE, i feel your pain,

lets pray together, we should all stay clean for the rest of our lives, the רבוש''ע should eliminate our יצר הרע and we should all go together to be מקבל פנים משיח צדקינו with our clean heads, up in the air, we shouldn’t be ashamed any more, במהרה בימינו אמן

Category: Introduce Yourself
06 May 2022 14:06

Mordekai

Feeling really inspired today. When my head is clear I know that giving in to my addiction is a fake manufactured pleasure no different than drugs. I know for certain I would never want my sons to go down this dark path I've wandered, which tells me that I instinctively know it's wrong. I wish I could bottle the clarity and inspiration I feel today for the next time an urge strikes. Writing it down here is the next best thing, I guess.
05 May 2022 07:00

TheNextStep

Some people struggle with addictions their whole lives. Some ex-alcoholics even ask their rabbis for an exception from drinking wine on pesach. Having a weakness in one area doesn't necessarily have to infringe on free will. For example, some people have a chronic mental illness that will never go away, and that medication only marginally helps.



As someone with both the issue we talk about on this site, and mental illness as described above, I have come to terms with the fact that one will never go away. The other, I certainly have more control over. Although the temptation may never go away, as I understand it, merit is given in heaven for one who struggles against an avera.
Category: Break Free
20 Apr 2022 21:32

Azorli

This is my first post. I've been struggling with shmiras enayim on the internet for 18 years, and hotzaas zerah for 15 years. I've tried to stop over and over again. but I've always ended up falling given enough time. For me it's a given that I'm going to fall again if I don't try anything different. I feel like if I try something new, it will give me temporary help, but permanent help is impossible. I feel like I'm fighting myself and since my addiction is so strong, it's impossible for me to win. I'm hoping that this program will give me the encouragement and strength to finally stop for good.

Thanks for listening.  
Category: Introduce Yourself
15 Apr 2022 16:40

TikkunHaNefesh

BipolarMe wrote on 13 Apr 2018 13:00:
If I'm in a negative bipolar mood swing (which coincidentally hypersexual feelings are a common sympton) I can't control myself and stop myself.

During a negative mood swing my mind turns on a "I don't care" attitude.



First of all, welcome!  I defintiely can relate to the fact that when I go into deep depressions, I also have the "I don't care, it's not like I will ever make it to Olam HaBa anyway" attitude and go the whole 9 falling hard.

I currently see a therapist for depression/anxiety that specializes in addiction.  After I found that out after not knowing at first, I opened up about everything, not only to the therapist, but my immediate family about my M/P addiction and it has been extremely helpful.

Keep posting & hazlocha.
חג כשר ושמח
Category: Introduce Yourself
15 Apr 2022 05:57

Shmuu

Hi there,
I normally don't post anything but I think I can be of help. Many people say that the Medicine Vyvanse has worked wonders with addiction and that includes this addiction as well. With Adderal it can go either way and in fact many times does both. If one is also taking an SSRI or anti-convulsant or preferably both, then the focus thar someone with attention deficit gets from the Adderall can be a life savor. If a person responds to Vyvanse they will likely experience greater success because it is a smoother drug, longer lasting and better absorbed. If Vyvanse doesn't work then Adderall is worth a try. Adderall releases slightly more dopamine than Vyvanse. Vyvanse works more on norepinephrine (like adderall). Dopamine can make a person hypersexual. Ritalin works mainly on dopamine. On paper, it can make the problem worse. However, Interestingly, I see on this forum someone who responds well to Concerta. If someone  responds well to Concerta it is likely that added focus that helping them. In addition, dopamine is more motivating than norepinephrine.  Some people need that extra motivation. I will finish off saying I'm not a Dr., but have a lot of experience and knowledge in this area. If Adderall works for you that is great news. Hatzlacha Rabba.
Category: What Works for Me
12 Apr 2022 20:09

cordnoy

Avromi wrote on 03 Feb 2022 17:30:
I want to give my full background but the short version is i am yeshivish (not super "greasy" but to keep it simple thats how i identify hashkofically) married for 16 years and have 5 wonderful kids - life is great - i have a good parnossah, learn every morning and nothing to complain about - my big issue was watching hardcore porn and i did not like my wife, sometimes felt almost a small level of hate - i recently quit porn and my life is going amazing - this feels like shannah rishonah i never really had - the passion with my wife is amazing - my wife notices a complete 180 although she is not sure why and unfortunately i cant give the full answer anytime soon. 
Longer version

I am 38 years old - i come from a very baalabitsh background (although now identify more to "the right") and at age 12 i discovered porn - a few weeks later my rebbe told me about shmiryas einayim and masturbation and how bad it qas - i felt terrible but it was too late as i became addicted.

Eventually i felt so bad i couldnt stop masturbating that i started to stop doing other mitzvas - afterall if i just did the worst sin in the world how could i go and daven 5 minutes later - i would be such a hypocrite! I went OTD and had girlfriends in HS and non shomer negiah stuff but never had relations pre marriage.
B'h I was able to develop a more mature view after i left HS and become a serious learner and tried to do mitzvos but it still killed me inside as i could not stop my addiction - at age 22 I got married to a wonderful girl who was from a similar background - she grew up baalabatish but became more  yeshivish like most of her siblings - she though never struggled with these issues and has been a good Bais Yaakov girl her whole life. I learned in kollel the first few years and now work.

After i got married and could not stop my urges i started to do bad things -not limited to masturbation- i started to chat with frum married and divorced ladies as i felt distant from my wife and that these women could relate (as opposed to goyim or single girls)- i met up a few times - b'h i never went the full way but i did things which were assur and stabbed my wife in the back- i realized how dangerous this was getting and made a vow to seriously follow all halachas about negiah and yichud etc even though i could not stop watching porn and shmeriyas einayaim - that was a bit over 10 years ago and b'h have been very careful since then to stay away from getting to close with women such as friends wives as i dont trust myself around them. Chazal are very smart in realizing that no matter how frum someone is they can slip if they are not careful and especially in this area you need many fences. Many people still dont get this concept but when you unfortunately read news about scandals, affairs of some very frum yidden you start to understand it better.

Until a few months ago i was addicted to hardcore porn - i work from a local office i rent and would sometimes watch porn for 3 hours a day.

Eventually i found GYE i never followed their program but read a letter from an ex wife and her husband sounded so much like me i felt shocked - i spent the next few days abstaining from heayy porn and it totally changed my brain - even though i could not stop masturbating at the time my mind healed - prior to that i thought i had serious issues - i have a brother who i caught several times looking at hardcore porn similiar to type i was addicted to so i thought i had genetic defect which made me prone to porn addiction

Anyway after quitting porn i reflected on my 15 years of marriage and was very sad - for many years i totally neglected my wifes needs - i would make it obvious i didnt like talking to her - and would make her feel bad anytime she needed my help - this even excludes the pain i caused by cheating which she does not know about but makes me feel horrible even today.

She caught me watching porn about 7 years ago and was devastated - i realized it was bad but she viewed it more akin to actual affair/cheating -  but despite some counselling, speaking to our rov etc i was not able to quit so just became more careful. She still has not held that against me and always wanted a good marriage.

After i quit porn i realized all the issues i thought my wife had were mostly my fault - ie every time i talked to her she would bring up stressful topics - i could not understand why the few times i actually talked to her she would make it uncomfortable - then i realized women like to test men and also i never talked to my wife so of course she was not in the best mood when i did - another example while not absolving her ands sher should for health reasons my wife gained a lot of weight - i would tell myself she is making herself ugly so its "forcing" me to look at porn - that is totally false - i had these issues for 10 YEARS before we even met - if anything she gained weight because i never spent time with her or complimented her when she tried to get dressed up so why did she need to look good in that case?

In short as i felt bad i also gained new appreciation for my wife - the weight still bothers me and i plan to address at a later date but its not a big deal - i realized now that i dont constantly check out other women or inappropriate pitcutes that my wife is pretty even if she should lose 50 (or probably more like 70-80) pounds - i have spent the past few months spending a lot of time and giving her the affection she deserves and i am not referring primarily to relations but talking, spending time, showing i care. I used to dislike spending time with my wife as she irritated me but did it ocassionally as i viewed her almsot as a nebech case. Now i really enjoy talking - its like i have a new best friend/soulmate. B'h my wife has been super receptive and has not held my past against me. 

I was even contemplating divorce recently although never mentioned that to my wife. In hindsight i was an idiot and my wife was the classic neglected wife who was at risk of an affair - i highly doubt she ever did unlike me- she has a good work environment and is super tznius, doesnt schmooze with guys - but my actions are the type which create these risks - for a while i am embarrassed to say i kinda hoped she would so i could havr grounds for divroce - i was dumb for many reasons including the fact that even if i got re-married to the most beautiful and thin woman out there i would have had same exact issues i did several months ago.

That has all changed now - I feel so happy now - my life was going good for years but i always felt very lonely as i didnt have connection to my wife (and bad for living my "secret life")- now i do and i feel very complete.


First off i want to say despite the seriousness of the sin of masturbation and porn it is NOT helpful to make people feel bad - i have spoken to other guys (both married and single) and they have same issue - i get the sense this causes many teen boys to go OTD like myself- Hashem always wants you to do teshuva - even if you slip dont skip seder 10 minutes later - the yetzer horah wants you to chuck it all - you are not a hypocrite if you do - you are trying to overcome your serious issues - this is a talk i plan to emphasis to my son as he reaches 12 soon -  its something i feel VERY strongly about 

Second if i can do it so can you! - i did horrible degusting things i would not like to discuss here - i thought i had a mental defect but my life has turned around SO quickly since i quit porn i am shocked - i also dont feel urges to watch porn - while masturbation is still something i am struggling with but b'h on huge strides, i dont miss porn - it destroyed my life for 25 YEARS - i dont feel i am missing anything or suffering by not watching (this was always a deep subconcious fear - i couldnt live with constant urges to watch so whats the point of quitting - i was very wrong while i need to constantly be on guard - halacha aside for a minute - i really dont miss it now that i see how happy i am without it) - i really wish someone had taken a positive approach (or i had myself) much earlier in my life i could have saved myself (and more importantly my wife and even children/friends/parents/siblings) a lot of suffering. I had no idea how much this was impacted my relationship with everyone as i spent so much time on my computer and if i couldnt constantly fulfill my urges i got irritated at people.

If i can help with anything let me know - you can message me anytime - i have spread a lot of filth in the world - so if i can help others by telling them what helped me i feel an obligation. And ideally if i can help improve their marriages/lives of families it would make me ecstatic.

Thanks everyone and good luck!

This is a follow up from our conversation elsewhere: it seems to me that you have stopped porn for several months and since then your marriage is turned a 180 because of somethin' special which you did, yet you do not say what that is, and yet you invite others to contact you so they could be clued into this secret. Am I missin' somethin'? Please tell; thanks.
Category: Introduce Yourself
10 Apr 2022 19:46

DavidT

TikkunHaNefesh wrote on 10 Apr 2022 19:39:
Shalom aleichem -
I am a 45 year old divorced male with a pornography addiction that has developed its course from light to now full blown out of control, for the past 26 years.  This addiction has literally destroyed my soul and has compromised my Torah observance significantly.

The good news is that I have finally admitted to my immediate family that I have this addicition and how bad it has become.  To say that was difficult and humiliating in itself is an understatement.  I have also sought out professional help for MDD (major depression), GAD (anxiety), and addiction.


My goal through this forum is to seek a supportive online community which will help me navigate through the hopeful closing out of this disasterous addiction and help me achieve the lifestyle I've always dreamed of; that of shomer Torah u'mitzvos.

Thank you.

Welcome! 
Congratulations on taking this courageous step. 
We're here as a family to heal each other and with the help of Hashem you'll be able to get clarity and win this struggle very soon. 

I'll start with onle tip:
The world is full of temptations. If we want to hold on to lust, we will have endless opportunities to continue lusting at every turn. We will be fighting a losing battle of Shemiras Ainayim by constantly trying not to look at things that we do want to look at so badly. Instead, the real trick to success is to learn how to let go of the lusting altogether. Instead of fighting it head-on, we need to simply let go of it.
Category: Introduce Yourself
10 Apr 2022 19:39

TikkunHaNefesh

Shalom aleichem -
I am a 45 year old divorced male with a pornography addiction that has developed its course from light to now full blown out of control, for the past 26 years.  This addiction has literally destroyed my soul and has compromised my Torah observance significantly.

The good news is that I have finally admitted to my immediate family that I have this addicition and how bad it has become.  To say that was difficult and humiliating in itself is an understatement.  I have also sought out professional help for MDD (major depression), GAD (anxiety), and addiction.


My goal through this forum is to seek a supportive online community which will help me navigate through the hopeful closing out of this disasterous addiction and help me achieve the lifestyle I've always dreamed of; that of shomer Torah u'mitzvos.

Thank you.
Category: Introduce Yourself
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