Addiction Recovery: A road less traveled

     Growing up, scouting was a big thing in my life. I was always intrigued by the merit badges, friendships, and experiences with scouting. A skill that each boy scout picked up was orienteering. At most boy scout summer camps, the orienteering merit badge was a staple merit badge. While earning the orienteering merit badges, scouts learned how to use compasses, read maps, and understand the topography of an area.      One of the first things learned is the difference between true north and magnetic north. True north is exactly what you think it might be. A northward bearing that will take you directly to the north pole. Magnetic north is a little different. The Earth has magnetic forces that skew the northward reading of a compass. What is worse is magnetic north really isn’t true north. There is a little skew in the reading. This meant learning how to adjust the compass and the map to address the differences between true and magnetic north. Once the dif...

     My comprehension of the blessings of the Savior's forgiveness and the power of repentance was very skewed when I began my addiction recovery journey. I didn't see in myself what others were experiencing. In the first few meetings, I saw men, battling the same addiction I was fighting, experiencing joy, happiness, and hope. Those were all things I wanted but for some reason didn't seem to have.      I remember telling myself that when I repent and am clean of my sins I would be happy. I just needed to look to that happy day. I would daydream of the day being able to share my story of success. One thought I had was standing in front of a crowd of people and telling them about my story. How I had been sober for 5, 10, or even 20 years. How amazing would that be!? I continued to look forward at what I wanted instead of looking at what was going on in the present.      I didn't see the blessings of repentance because I wasn't looking for the ...

In a recent General Conference, Elder Kevin W. Pearson gave an address titled “Are You Still Willing?” . Elder Pearson points out that “Our willingness to follow Jesus Christ is directly proportionate to the amount of time we commit to be in holy places where the influence of the Holy Ghost is present.” Being willing to abstain from participating in addiction means spending more time in holy places. So, what is a holy place? A holy place, in my opinion, is anywhere I can go and feel the Holy Ghost. This means my home can be a holy place. Family gatherings can be holy places. The outdoors can be a holy place. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, temples are holy places to me as well. Becoming willing to abstain from participating in addiction also means spending less time in “unholy” places. In my own journey, for instance, there were places that I just couldn’t go because I knew I would want to look at pornography. An instance of this was the gym. Now, I ...

The first time I read through step one of the Addiction Recovery Program (sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) I was in shock and pretty frightened. The key principle of that step reads "Admit that you, of yourself, are powerless to overcome your addictions and that your life has become unmanageable.". It is a hard pill to swallow and one that wasn't easy to swallow the first several times I read through step one with the group.  The idea of being "powerless to overcome your addictions" wasn't something I wanted to hear. I honestly believed I had the power to change. What I really had was the disproportionate belief I was equal to the task. In hindsight, and after many years of work, I can really say I truly was powerless. I didn't have a 'choice' at the present moment. I made the choice to remain powerless when I took my first few steps into a world I didn't understand. The second half of the key principle hurt a lo...