#1 Remedy for Overcoming an Addiction

Why am I addicted in the first place? This is a question most never, ever ask. But it's the most important.

I was recently at a conference concerning the addiction of pornography, where pastors and counselors together were brainstorming about the hows and the whys, and trying to come up with best practices to use in parish groups and coaching.

The question arose:

If HE is addicted to pornography ... should he tell his wife?

We went back and forth on the issue, discussing the pros and cons. There was disagreement about the best way to figure out the answer. We were almost coming to a stalemate when one wise individual chimed in with a good bit of wisdom. Their contribution went something like this:

Let's say he falls and views on Wednesday. We here are not in agreement about whether or not he tells his wife about Wednesday night. But I believe the greater question is: "What was going on Sunday/Monday/Tuesday?" What was the imbalance or what caused the lack of healthy fulfillment in his life that let him to "reach for the bottle" as it were? We may disagree about Wednesday, but I believe we can all agree that he should be open and honest with his wife about "What happened on Monday."

Suddenly we all realized that the cause of addiction is what urgently needs to be addressed first. To the point that "what-happened-on-Monday" became a key phrase that the group began to use frequently in our discussions, and which I have continued to use with individuals again and again.

Working to find a balanced fulfilling life and lifestyle can be the greatest prevention for addictions, and also the number one remedy for overcoming them.