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“This is a little personal — but I will go ahead and share it. I had been addicted to pornography for a long time. When I started going to Confession and confessing the pornography, I started to literally lose interest in porn. It just started to become boring and uninteresting to me. I’d even go to a porn site and find myself wandering to a non-pornographic site out of boredom. That just seems to be a special grace, and from my personal experience, did not flow from a fear of having to confess the sin again. Obviously I had already screwed up by going to the porn site. The amazing thing is that the desire and motivation to stay there was gone! Amazing.”

You’re one brave individual. Thanks!!! I haven’t been hooked on porn, always a good idea to say - yet - but ask me about ETOH...

but ask me about ETOH...

I never had a drinking problem, but eating bad food can be just as much a sin -- the deadly sin of gluttony.

Confession can be very powerful for helping with temptations of addiction. Some priests will try to talk you out of confessing gluttony, but they are wrong. St. Thomas Aquinas was very clear that gluttony is a mortal sin in need of confession, and that means drinking or eating beyond necessity, or otherwise putting the stomach before the Lord.

I also find that, when tempted, it is very helpful to offer up the object of temptation and the suffering caused by the deprivation, to the Lord. This kind of suffering is redemptive and you can share the redemption with others, praying for their conversion, or healing, or whatever. I find that kicking a habit is much easier when my suffering is understood to be potentially redemptive for others, and not just myself. St. Therese of Lisieux is a power intecessory for helping with these kinds of struggles.

Sacrifice beads can be a helpful tool:

Also: the rosary and holy water! Keep the sacrifice beads, rosary, Bible, holy water, and the crucifix by all the triggers of addiction in your house. They are powerful deterrants.

God bless.

**The amazing thing is that the desire and motivation to stay there was gone! Amazing.”**

That what grace can do.

“A sacrament is outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” (Remember the old Baltimore Catechism?)