Porn Addiction - The Guilty Secret

By Paddy Landau

Bob is depressed. He suffers from low self-esteem and easily feels guilty. He is taking anti-depression medication, and his doctor is unsure what is worrying Bob.

Bob's family is also worried. They don't see much of him, and he shows little interest in woman after he and his last girlfriend split over a year ago. His friends have all but given up on him.
Bob's workmates persuaded Bob to come along with them that evening after work. They've noticed that Bob is withdrawn and doesn't interact much, and it doesn't surprise them that he leaves early. They wonder how much longer he will be with the company, because these days he tends to get in late and work poorly.

It's lucky that Bob doesn't have a wife or children, because it's interesting to find out what Bob does at home...

Bob gets home, walks in, locks the door, turns the computer on, makes a cup of coffee and sits down. A few minutes later, he is downloading porn and "enjoying" the pictures and videos. Late into the night he continues, more and more porn, until, exhausted, he reluctantly turns off the computer and flops into bed.

Bob's real problem is not depression or low self-esteem. Those are side effects of something more nasty - a type of obsession known as porn addiction. It is as consuming as any addictive drug, and can have devastating effects on the sufferer. Often, the man (it's hardly ever a woman) doesn't even realise that he has a problem until it's too late: He's fired for downloading pornographic pictures at work, or his wife, confused and hurt, leaves him.

Pornographic addiction usually happens when a man has some sort of social problem and, as a consequence, fails to have fulfilling relationships, whether family, friends or sexual. His emotions are out of sync with reality and he lives in his own personal fantasy.

As with any other addictive drug, porn addiction grows in its demands. The need to find ever more explicit, exciting or perfect material drives the addict, who spends more and more time seeking it. He may spend money on videos and magazines, or spend many hours searching on the Internet. The empty thrills that he gets hides his real problems, becoming not just a crutch but an all-consuming habit that he has no idea how to get rid of. Going "cold turkey" is something he cannot even imagine doing.

Fortunately for Bob, there are solutions. The good thing is that, unlike with addictive drugs, there is no physical damage to his body. However, because he has been surviving on adrenalin and other sex-related hormones, he will have withdrawal symptoms.

Bob needs to get the help of anyone and everyone that will give him non-judgemental support. He may speak to his doctor, who would refer a therapist. He would do well to seek out the services of a hypnotherapist, who would greatly speed his recovery. Bob - especially if he is afraid to seek help - could turn to the Internet, this time not for the problem but for a solution to the problem, by downloading a suitable self-help hypnotherapy track for porn addiction.
More on porn addiction, and where to find self-help for pornography addiction.

You Too Can Be An Addict - Five Effects of Caffeine Addiction

By Carma Dutra

You are an addict. How can I make that statement? I don’t even know who you are, but if you answer Yes to at least two of the four following questions, you are possibly among the millions of people who are addicted to caffeine.

Did your first cup of coffee taste bitter?

Did you have to force yourself to drink it?

Did you feel energized?

Or were you like me and had to add a half cup of sugar and cream to it in order to take the bitterness away?

Caffeine is a member of the “Ine” family, namely nicotine, cocaine, morphine, and amphetamine. A dreadful motley crew to say the least. No wonder caffeine has such strong addictive capabilities.

If you have experienced the top five effects of caffeine addiction listed below, you more than likely will qualify as a caffeine addict. Of course you only need to experience a few to be considered a dependent for any drug.

1. Tolerance. You know your tolerance is increasing when you need to drink six cups of caffeinated drinks in order to experience the same feel-good feelings you did a few months ago when you were only drinking three cups.

2. Withdrawal Symptoms. You know you may be addicted after you have decreased your caffeine intake and experience symptoms that include severe headaches, irritability, or sleeplessness.

3. Psychological Dependence. You have developed psychological dependence when you feel you cannot face the day without your coffee.

4. Continued Overdose. You continue to overdose your body with caffeine for quite sometime after you have discovered how it can cause damage to your body.

5. Failed Recovery. You experience many failed attempts to control the use of caffeine or the behavior that the addiction causes. Such as hyper energy, nervousness or sleep deprivation.

Although the Food and Drug Administration lists caffeine as a safe food substance, it is highly addictive according to several reports in the Journal of Pyschopharmacology. Also caffeine is the most widely used behaviorally active drug in the world. In the United States, 80 percent to 90 percent of adults report regular use of caffeine. Average daily intake of caffeine among caffeine consumers is about 280 milligrams, or about one to two mugs of coffee or three to five bottles of soft drink.

According to Charles Czeisler, a neuroscientist and sleep expert at Harvard Medical School, Scientists have developed a consensus which focuses on the caffeine's interference with adenosine, a chemical in the body that acts as a natural sleeping pill. Caffeine blocks the hypnotic effect of adenosine and keeps us from falling asleep. Since caffeine has also been shown to enhance mood and increase alertness in moderate amounts, it's a potent potion for students stuck in the lab at three in the morning and our workaholic society. If you find yourself experiencing any of these conditions or symptoms, you should consult your family physician regarding recovery from caffeine addiction.

Mark Twain said, "Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs a step at a time."

Carma writes a mostly daily blog at Carma's Window on a variety of topics based on her life experiences as mom, grandma, wife and plumbing contractor. She holds a B. A. degree in management and is a licensed plumbing contractor

Download "Unite to Write", a free Ebook full of reprintable quality articles written by thirteen Ezine expert authors and also you can have for free, "Tips for Freelance Writing", a 37 page Ebook, by clicking here http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com

Addiction Treatment Australia

By Robert Mittiga

At one time or another, most of us feel some degree of emptiness, loneliness, inadequacy, idealism, or spiritual longing. We recognise the discontent, the desire to escape pain, and the tendency to seek answers in activities, substances, or relationships. This sense of restlessness and the spiritual longing is familiar to many of us. Over the many years of treating addiction and co-dependency I have heard many people talk about a non-specific hunger for something that seems to be missing in their lives. They describe a gnawing emptiness within that is never filled.
This insistent stirring from within is so intense that it can, at times, be painful. It seems to originate at one’s very core, and for some of us, it feels even stronger than our sexual drive or our hunger for food.

I was aware of it as a child, and I tried somehow to fill it by spending hours and hours playing pinball machines and snooker, watching television and listening to music on my transistor radio, or participating in sports. I struggled with it as a teenager, I felt it as a young adult when I looked at a particularly magnificent painting, read an eloquent poem, or watched an exquisite dance. And it manifested during a multitude of other restive moments. The pit of my stomach felt empty, my heart hurt, and my entire being aspired toward something I could not identify.
As I grew, the ache in my soul increasingly permeated all aspects of my life. I felt monumentally homesick for something undefined, for an unnamed entity, place, or experience. Nothing I did seemed to alleviate the yearning within me.

There are, I am sure, some fortunate people who feel this longing but do not act upon it in painful ways. However, many people identify the spiritual yearning as a persistent voice in their lives, one they often confuse with their everyday aspirations. At first, they identify it as the desire to excel on the playing field, to develop their intellect, to get into the right university, or to meet the man or woman of their dreams. Perhaps they feel an overwhelming craving for a certain model of car, for a new outfit, or for sexual contact.

This fundamental appetite might manifest in the abuse of food, alcohol, nicotine, or other drugs. Some people feel a general dissatisfaction in their marriage and find themselves longing for something more: a new house, a baby, a significant change in their partner’s behaviour, or a completely different relationship. They feel discontented, as though something is lacking.
Perhaps more money would bring happiness, or a better social position, or a new job.

I loved my wife and kids, was satisfied with my business, and felt reasonably good about my accomplishments. But something was missing. I found myself thinking about moving to another state or country and even trying another line of business. I soon began to gamble too much, as well as abuse various mood altering drugs. After a while, I realized that none of those things would help my feelings of emptiness, and in fact, they had begun to cause more problems than they would solve. I felt stuck.”

The irony is, no external activities or substances satisfy the initial craving or the feelings of emptiness. Many people attain the object of their desire, and the incessant ache remains. One person may win the lotto or player-of-the-year award for football, another earn an advanced degree from a prestigious university. Someone else might capture the heart of a perfect mate, make enough money, and live in the style he or she has always wished for. Yet, even in the midst of the bounty that is meant to bring satisfaction and fulfilment, the yearning persists, perhaps even magnified by the achievements, which only remind us of the emptiness within.
Many recovering addicts and alcoholics report that once the physical craving for the drug or behaviour is eliminated, a deeper craving still remains.

As a culture, we do not have many sanctioned frame-works in which to deeply experience and satisfy the yearning for wholeness. As a result, people of all ages distort and misdirect this immensely strong impulse into addictions of all kinds, and co-dependency, not only addictions involving the use of chemicals (alcohol & drugs), but also eating disorders, sexual and love addictions, and addictions to power, money, relationships, gambling, and countless other addictive activities.

What is this free-floating yearning? I believe that Jung was right. This intense and at times painful craving is deep thirst for our own wholeness, our spiritual identity, our divine source, or God.

This place of wholeness we seek is our spiritual core, an essential component of our nature. Development of a relationship with this inner source is a common, and necessary, aspect of human existence. I believe that this thirst for wholeness is the main driving force in the ever increasing rates of addiction in our society. Unless this factor is addressed in recovery and addiction treatment, the individual is always going to remain at high risk of relapse or in danger of switching addictions. Simply stopping our addictive behaviours or replacing them with legal substitute drugs is not enough and doesn’t work.

Robert MittigaProgram DirectorGATS Counselling & Treatment Services
P.O. Box 6411 Halifax Street SA 5000Ph 0400 801 557 (7days)
Website www.gatscounselling.com

Robert Mittiga is an Addiction / Codependency Specialist and The Program Director of GATS Counselling & Treatment Services in Australia. A cutting edge wholistic addiction treatment program/rehab.

Primary care at GATS….Is personalized to treat each individual using programs that integrate MIND, BODY and SOUL. GATS’ programs are enhanced by highly effective group therapy processes as well as individual therapy and extensive aftercare assistance.

ALL clients are thoroughly assessed by a highly trained and experienced GATS therapist as well as the GATS medical officer. Clients may also be referred to psychiatric assessment if needed.
GATS’ programs combine several effective therapeutic approaches including psychodynamic, experiential, grief & loss, trauma, family of origin and shame reduction work. GATS programs also include spiritual components in the overall treatment process.