Extraordinary

Dear Dr. Guterson : I’m afraid to admit this but I have an addiction to pornography and am filled with guilt. Can you help me? A: You are brave to ask this question, brave to address your issue. I imagine you’ve talked to a therapist, maybe even more than one therapist.

Allow me to share a piece of writing that I read just this past week. It is a unique approach to your issue:

“There was a young man suffering from compulsions toward a deviant lifestyle. In utter despair, he penned a heart-wrenching letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The Rebbe responded with a three-page correspondence. One point startled me. The Rebbe told this boy that he does not know why he must endure this profound challenge — it’s surely one of the mysteries of Divine providence. But then he added this: “Sometimes, a person possesses an incredible inner light that can change the world. There is no way for this person to discover that secret power within himself and call it his own, without being compelled to overcome a major life challenge.” Some might have looked at this young man and felt disdain; others might have felt empathy. But it was the Rebbe, the teacher of oneness, who saw his crisis as an opportunity. There was no tragedy here, there was a catalyst for this person to touch infinity. He was not a victim of an unfortunate condition; he was a Divine ambassador sent to places most people are not sent to, because his potential was of a different magnitude.” (from the pen of Rabbi YY Jacobson) I cannot think of a more positive or healthy way to address your question. Our most difficult challenges in life are always extraordinary opportunities to discover and realize our true potentials.