Sexual Addiction and Pornography Addiction – Cure or Process?
With sexual/pornography addiction counseling making new inroads there is more information that ever available to help addicts. Many of these programs are focusing on the makeup of the brain, understanding how sex/porn addiction alters the brain, and methods to heal and strengthen the brain to become sober from porn. Innergold focuses on the 2 part brain and gives the tools necessary for lifelong sobriety. I agree that programs like this are the best proven way to gain sobriety. Similar systems out there are advertising a “CURE” to the addiction. I 100% agree that one can become sober for life; however, I cannot agree with the notion that there is a “6 week cure.” This “cure” mindset played into my own addiction and made it worse before I found Innergold. I have learned that sobriety from addiction is a process and not an event. It requires lifelong diligence to the tools given to stay sober. It gets easier and more routine as time goes on, but it is a process. Ironically, these systems also advertise ongoing support for a monthly fee. Obviously they believe in the ongoing nature of addiciton but advertise it as a “cure” for whatever reasons. I agree that ongoing support is necessary. Addicts must follow the daily habits and practices used to maintain sobriety for a lifetime.
Other systems out there take a spiritual/ecclesiastical only approach and although I agree that a higher power and spiritual balance is a vital part of the process, it is not the only piece.
Addictive tenancies don’t simply disappear after a few weeks of counseling. The triggers and burning do not suddenly go away one day. That is key to accepting and surrendering the addiction. Until this acceptance and surrender takes place sobriety is usually short-term followed by deeper relapses. Over time, triggers can be greatly reduced. I know that from experience. I wish as much as any other addict that there were some cure out there that could guarantee one will never have addictive triggers again. After being sober for a couple years, I have noticed a HUGE drop in triggers and the difficult times but they are still there occasionally. I have the tools and systems in place that help me stay on track though.
