Make Journaling a Tool

One of the tools that is encouraged to use in learning to processing emotional pain and in the recovery process is journaling.  Journals can be a great tool for identifying pain events, seeing patterns in destructive behaviors, and tracking progress.  However, people are often unsure on what to write in a journal.  Here are some tips in what to write.

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Be Prepared to HALT

By Gary Washer

    As an Eagle Scout I am constantly bringing up some of the principles I learned in the Boy Scouts.  One of them that I bring up often is the Scout motto that says Be Prepared.  One place this can be applied to is the SFT processing step 2.  Step 2 is where the processor applies HALT which in turn allows the processor to HALT his self from instantly reacting to the situation and making things worse. Read more

Book review: The Last Addiction

by Gary Washer

Many people in the world struggle with some type of addiction, whether it is anger, sex, substances, or work. Many of these same people play a game with themselves.  They will tell themselves things like, “I will stop this time.”

They may make an effort to go to counseling, AA/NA, or church ministries and programs.  The game is that they keep looking for the next thing to learn or the next  program that will be the big step that makes it all better.

In other words, this person is basing their recovery all on his own efforts.  This is the last addiction: thinking that I can stop the behavior with my own power and means.  The problem with this way of addressing addiction is that if the addict could stop with their own power, then why have they not stopped already?

Anyone reading this who finds himself or herself partaking in the last addiction will enjoy Sharon Hersh’s book “The Last Addiction.“  Sharon is a recovering alcoholic and counselor.  She knows about the last addiction because she had it in her own life.  She recommends we do everything in our power to recover, but in the end we must rely on something outside of us.  Find her book on our recommended readings page and find out what she discovered that can end the last addiction.

Alcohol Addiction (sure)…. Drug Addiction (understood) …. Pornography Addiction (really?)

by Ed Farough

When someone hears of alcohol addiction, or drug addiction, there is a modern understanding that a person has become addicted physiologically to a mind altering substance through usage over a lengthy time period.  People see the reality that someone can reach a point in which their need for the “fix” from the substance can outweigh important priorities such as family time, work, time with God, etc.  These addictions form very powerful lives of their own and wreak havoc among individual behaviors and touch many lives over many months and years.

As the body and mind become expectant and dependent upon the chemical transfers within the brain, it usually takes a series of consequences such as physical change, a loss of relationship, or a financial/legal consequence before one reaches a point in seeing that help is going to be required for the body and mind and one’s thinking and behaviors to normalize and change.   This can be a lengthy process.  Once a person sees their need for help and the depth of the problem, their first step is to reach out beyond self and seek recovery.  Thus a true healing process can begin and real change and hope can slowly manifest and grow.

Over the last 15-20 years, clinicians and experts have seen a large increase in another area of addiction which often is not recognized with the same attention or seriousness as either alcohol or drug addiction.  If the phrases ‘sexual addiction’ or ‘addiction to pornography’ sound surprising, the statistics and the volume of people being seen and treated for these problems is growing every year.  Addiction?  Really?  YES, REALLY.   As alcohol or drug use each have a chemically altering influence on the brain, so too does pornography.  Some who are reading at this point might be thinking, “C’mon, are you serious, I mean, just unhook the computer and go for a jog or install a filter”.   It is not that simple for the addict who has built up dependency and tolerance within addiction to pornography.

If it were simple to discontinue, the pornography industry would not be a multi-billion dollar industry.   Did you know that at any given minute, worldwide, 42.7% of the users online are viewing pornographic imagery?   A recent Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event and nearly the same percentage shared that it was an ongoing problem within their lives.

Here, you may be asking the question….. “How does one become addicted, or dependent on ‘pornography or sexual experience’?”   It just doesn’t make sense.   There should be awareness, the behavior should just stop via more self control, and the person should be more pure and committed.   All of this seems reasonable doesn’t it?  Often, there is a miss-perception that sexual addiction is simply just mental, or habitual and that it is not as strong as say cocaine addiction.   Clinical information begs to differ.  There is a powerful chemical transfer within the brain during the cycle of sexual acting out.   These escape behaviors carry with them very powerful brain altering processes which affect everything from sleep patterns to waking thoughts and even can rearrange things physiologically so that without the next ‘fix’ or ‘high’, a person will become irritable, depressed, isolated, and lost inside a secret life.

Just as alcohol and drugs alter the brain chemically, so does pornography usage.    Here’s how…..

Altered Brain Chemistry
The brain chemistry of an individual with addictive behavior is complex.  Simply put, there are Neurotransmitters which function inside the brain.  Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that transmit signals from a neuron to a target cell across a synapse. When addictive behavior is taking place, whether it be visual/physical interaction with pornography, or chemical use as with cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, or heroine, just to name a few, the brain gets flooded with various neurotransmitters.  Over prolonged participation (usage), the frequency and intensity must increase and intensify to deliver the same results due to the reality that the sensors and receptors involved in these transmissions begin to lose sensitivity and wear down.  The term for this is called Tolerance.   The body and mind slowly develop a dependency through which the day to day function is normal only when these transfers are achieved and the altered state of comfort or relief is accomplished.

Within Sexual Addiction Behaviorally
There are two main areas of the brain within an individual in Sexual addiction that are affected.  These are within the Limbic system in the brain
involving the Nucleus Acubon (pleasure center) and the Amygdula (emotion,recall,arousal).

There are 5 different Neurotransmitters (chemicals) involved when visual images of sexual immorality are taken through the visual cortex and into
the brain…..

• Epinephrine (provides a “rush” stimulus effect)
• Dopamine (associated with movement, perception, and the brain’s pleasure/reward center)
• Oxytocin (involved in muscle contraction and nerve sensitivity, combines with dopamine)
• Catecholamine (group of endorphins with an opiate effect produced from adrenal glands)
• Serotonin (a relaxing chemical which effects sleep, depression, etc.)

In summation within the brain chemistry, there is a “rush” from stimulus or arousal, paired with intense transmissions within the brain’s pleasure/recall  center, a heightened sense of muscle contraction and nerve sensitivity and an endorphin rush of opiates (EXTREMELY addictive) and lastly a relaxing feel good ‘satisfied’ feeling.

The combination of factors experienced via pornography over time is very addictive and can progress to an alarming level.  Even though there can be severe consequences, one may not be able to stop the behaviors.  A person involved will see alterations in their lifestyle, relationships, spiritual interests, work performance, financial accountability, and will feel much shame and guilt due to what is occurring in their ‘secret’ life.  Often, this shame and guilt keeps one walled up about what is going on, and they do not seek to share about the issues or behaviors thus everything continues progressing and more tolerance and dependence take hold.   This is why some addicts (and people close to them) do not understand why two years ago, there might have been 3-4 hours per month possibly on the internet viewing pornography.  Now it has progressed to 3-4 hours per night.

As sexual addiction grows, it cannot be ignored any longer.  It is affecting church members at alarming rates.  Marriages, work loss, financial consequences, relational isolation, spiritual indifference, sleep deprivation, and many other realities are being impacted by this ‘secret other life’.  As it takes time for this to progress, it also takes time for recovery.  The good news is, similar to other proven recovery outlets and methods that already exist for other addictions, there are structured and proven effective programs for sexual addiction as well.   Often within just 90 days, real progress and recovery can begin to take hold and thoughts and behaviors begin to change.

Heaven’s Reward Fallacy (part 2)

Everyone on this earth will go through hurtful events at some point in their lives.  There is no way around this fact.  So often people have distorted thinking towards these different events because of using thinking errors.   One of these common thinking errors is the Heaven’s Reward Fallacy which is the belief that bad things do not happen to good people.  The first article on Biblical Solutions to Heaven’s Reward Fallacy covered several key biblical concepts that address this problem thinking.  This article will focus on several things that Jesus had to say about this distorted way of thinking.

John 9:1-4 starts with the disciples seeing a man who was born blind.  They ask, “Who sinned that this man was born blind, him or his parents?”  The disciples assume someone must have done something wrong for this man to be born blind, as through the condition of the man is a punishment for his parents’ sin.  However, Ezekiel 18:19,20 makes it very clear that the son does not receive punishment for the father’s iniquity nor the father for the son’s.  Jesus, knowing this passage and using accurate thinking, was able to tell his disciples that no one sinned to cause this man to be born blind.  This man’s blindness was really an opportunity to show the works of God.

It is a tragedy when believers fail to give God glory when going through difficult circumstances because of heaven’s reward fallacy.  Nonbelievers expect Christians to praise God when everything is good.  It is when Christians praise God when everything is bad that make heads turn.  Romans 5:1-5 says to rejoice in tribulation because tribulation is what makes us grow.

In Luke 13:1-5 Jesus talks about Galileans who were killed by Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, and the tower of Siloam that fell and killed people.  He asks if these people were any more unrighteous than anyone else?  The answer is no. Tragedy is no respecter of persons and can happen at any time to anybody. These people that Jesus referred to in Luke were like everyone else going through their normal routine when tragedy struck.  Jesus’ point in this passage is to be ready at all times for tragedy and the end.

At SFT Awareness, we want to leave you with the question: are you ready?  If not, please call us at 615-322-5300 or email at info@sftawareness.org.

Quarterly Update - March 2011

 These last several months have been very busy for SFT Awareness here in the states.  Several of our goals have been met and we have added a few as well.  We have performed two classes in the middle Tennessee area, one at Kingwood Heights church of Christ in Murfreesboro and another at Stewarts Creek church of Christ in Smyrna.  An additional class will begin Wednesday, April 13^th at the East Main church of Christ in Murfreesboro.  Be looking for more information about that class on our website this month.  We are excited about all the opportunities the Lord has given this ministry here and abroad. Read more

A Book Review - The Anxiety Cure

 

Dr. Archibald Hart (1999) makes scientific and Biblical observations into the realities of the effects of anxiety, depression, and stress on the human body. Since Hart understands human physiology and the chemical processes within the mind, he uses Scriptural application to help the reader grow in understanding that, though some medicines can be used to help, it is ultimately  the individual who is responsible for his own happiness.  Read more

In Humility

The attitude of humility is one that is better lived out than discussed.  It is an attitude that gives a person the mindset to come before God.  It brings a person to an understanding of how to better serve his fellow man.  It allows one to interact within her environment perfectly.  Humility is a way of life. Read more

Depression’s Link to Your Diet

 

Many people first turn to drugs and medications when they believe they are stuggling with depression.  But I believe it is important to address depression on every level–mind, body and spirit.

A recent University of London study, led by Dr. Eric Brunner, followed the eating habits of 3,486 adults for 5 years.  The study revealed that those who ate diets high in processed and fast foods were almost 60% more likely to suffer from depression.

If you are struggling with depression, I would recommend you make these changes to your diet and lifestyle: Read more

Oxymoronic Thinking Errors

 

1. Only foolish people use stupid labels.
2. It doesn’t take much evidence to know when someone is jumping to a conclusion.
3. Filtering out the positive would be ok if it didn’t take over my life.
4. Complete failures polarize their thinking.
5. Never ever overgeneralize. Read more

   Written by Jimmy Hill · Filed Under Skill Development, Training You 

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