I have no idea how far my addiction would have progressed.
I am _____ and I am a sex and love addict. That is how I introduce myself (using my real first name) at every meeting that I attend. I have now been sober for four years and yet I continue to use exactly the same introduction. Why? Have I made no progress?
I have made amazing progress but part of that progress is the absolute certainly that I am a lifelong addict although I am no longer behaving like an addict. This growing self-awareness keeps me coming to meetings, doing service, having sponsees and a sponsor and daily expressing my gratitude for my sobriety.
Before I came to meetings, I acted out sexually with complete abandon. I started with pornography, telephone sex lines and strip clubs but rapidly began seeing escorts and ultimately had a full blown affair. I have no idea how much further my addiction would have progressed had not my wife finally discovered what I was doing. Thus, the worst day of my life has become the best day: the day I started on the path to recovery.
I had the good fortune to go to rehab institutions where I could have constant help and guidance. I know that is not possible for everyone but, believe me, the 12 Step programs are the next best thing. These programs are for addicts and by addicts. We learn about ourselves from each other and by becoming honest with what we have done and who we really are.
I have found that in this process of growing self-awareness I have begun to discover my truly higher self. My life has been restored to me, something I never believed possible.
If you believe that sex and love addiction may be part of your life now and you know that this is not who you truly are, please find your way to a meeting. It can be the beginning of a new life.
— An Addict
My addiction to pornography took hundreds of hours of my life.
My addiction to pornography has caused me to lose hundreds of hours of my life. And even when I swore to never return to an adult video store, or a particular online pay-site, I would always – always – go back. And the pain, suffering, and utter remorse would always flood back in.
My addiction to romance and “falling in love” has also caused me to lose hundreds – if not thousands – of hours of my life. What had started out innocently in grade school with crushes on my classmates – would years later cause me problems with the law.
I had gotten sober in Alcoholics Anonymous, so I knew the power of 12 Step programs, and the help they offered to the hopeless. SLAA has given me a chance to live a life away from pornography and addictive compulsive masturbation, and romantic obsessions. Here I have been given a “design for living” which continues to work – one day at a time – by living the 12 Steps of recovery.
For years the cycle of addiction had run me over time and time and time again, and always with the same awful results. Today, with the help of the SLAA meetings and the wonderful, supportive people that attend, I have been able to break that cycle of addiction – and finally live a happier, healthier, productive life.
— An Addict
SLAA saved my life and my marriage.
I had first come to an SLAA meeting on the advice of my counselor to help with a pornography addiction. SLAA literally saved my life and my marriage. The honest sharing and brotherhood in SLAA allowed me to open up about my sex addiction issues, realize that I am not alone, and made me feel loved. The tools of recovery – 12 Steps – are invaluable in my recovery. I am forever grateful to the program and my fellow SLAA members.
— An Addict
I was a bad husband and a non-present father.
I cheated on my wife. I had a porn addiction. I was a liar. I was a bad husband and a non-present father because of my addictions and actions. I was on the verge of losing everything in my life that meant anything to me.
It was my wife that found these meetings on the Internet. Thank God!!
Now that I come to the meetings every Wednesday and Thursday, it has changed my life. The love and support I get from these meetings are huge. I am not alone in my addiction. I am so grateful for where I am today and I owe that to these meetings. I am not a cheater. I do not act on my porn addiction. I am not a liar. I am a good husband and father. Thank you SLAA for showing me the way to be the person I deserve to be.
— An Addict