Mormon Bloggers

Two of our most recent comments have been from people affected by addiction, and so this post is for them and for others who are silently struggling, wondering what to do. Whether you are the one struggling yourself with addiction, or have a loved one who deals with addiction, please know that there is hope. Whatever the particular addiction (whether it be substances like drugs or alcohol or behaviors like pornography  use or video game addiction), know that you are not alone. Finding recovery communities to help you find information and support can make a big difference for you. Please know that there are many people working tirelessly to help you get more help, information, and support. Following are just a few of the resources that are out there that we hope might help. (Please feel free to email us at mormonwomen a’ gmail for more specific information. We have a network of people who are willing to help you with your specific struggles, whatever they may be, and we are here... Read the rest of this entry »

There is a growing collection of stories at the LDS Addiction Recovery website about people who have found hope and healing from addiction. There is also a section for stories from loved ones of those who have struggled with addiction. As Ben Erwin, counseling program manager for the LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program states: “When someone has received the miracle of recovery through the Atonement in their lives, they want to shout from the rooftops about the Savior’s power to heal. This process of helping someone else come unto Him to be healed is a sacred privilege and blessing. When you share what you have found, you can’t avoid this kind of experience. It changes you and it blesses you.”  Read more personal stories at our pornography addiction personal stories index.  Read More →

Heartfelt thanks to Sidreis for sharing her story about her struggle with and recovery from sexual addiction. The healing power of the Savior is real! You can read more from Sidries on her blog, http://www.bythelightofgrace.com. She’s also contributed a recovery story at the LDS Addiction Recovery website and has shared more about her faith at her mormon.org profile. - – – - My name is Sidreis. I am a married mother of 3 beautiful boys who keep me extremely busy. I also work full time as well as attend college part time. I am active in my ward and serve as a Relief Society instructor and visiting teacher. I am also a daughter of God recovering from a sexual addiction. My addiction started when I was a very young girl simply born from unbridled curiosity that soon turned to more dangerous activity. By the time I was in my early teens I was bound by the chains of seeking out pornography and masturbation. The following 25+ years were wrought with feelings of the most self... Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know someone who struggles with addiction? Do you struggle with addiction yourself? Don’t let shame drive your response to your loved one, or to yourself. Healing is possible. There is hope. If you are a loved one of a sex addict, we have a list of resources and stories that we hope might be helpful. There’s a forum for wives (and ex-wives, or even girlfriends, sisters, mothers of sex/porn addicts) that can be found here. (Find resources for those dating individuals who have struggled with or are struggling with pornography use and/or sex/pornography addiction here.) For those who struggle with addiction, there are stories in our personal stories index that we hope will also be helpful for you. And please take a moment to watch this video clip, including reflections from people who have walked the path you are on and found hope and healing. There is hope! But you need to seek help. Find a 12-step support group, a friend, an ecclesiastical leader, a professional counselor,... Read the rest of this entry »

Editor’s note: This is another personal story of a woman who has faced the challenge of a spouse having a sex/pornography addiction. See more stories in our pornography addiction personal stories index.  This Old House ~by Nicole In March 2010, I started the cross-country drive from my home in South Carolina back to Utah with my brother, Dave. My marriage had unraveled and ended, and I was moving back to my home base to spend time with my parents, grieve, and figure out what was next for me. Midway through New Mexico, I saw an old house on the side of the road. It was dilapidated, the paint peeling, and standing on short, very questionable-looking pieces of wood, like it had been placed there. There was a feeling of solitude, a sense of being bereft about the house. It was standing by itself in a large field, with nothing around it, and against all obvious odds, still standing. It was sort of reminiscent of Dorothy’s house landing in Oz. The sky behind the house was a beautiful,... Read the rest of this entry »

This short clip powerfully captures the way honesty can turn the tide on addiction. This Christian man, David, shares how deciding to be truthful with himself and with others about his addiction helped him find recovery and healing. The Truth from Girl with a Curl on Vimeo. Read or listen to other stories from people who have found recovery and healing from addiction here. We also have a list of stories about overcoming pornography addiction in our personal stories index. See also this Hope and Healing blog for those who struggle with sexual addictions, and those who know/love them.  Read More →

Editor’s note: This was written by a wife of a pornography/sex addict, an addict who has also been abusive. She’s recently re-discovered the power of 12 step work in her life. Following is some of her experience and testimony of how the 12 steps have helped her tap into the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The following is shared with her permission. Note: You can find 12 step materials on the LDS Addiction Recovery website. Or email us at mormonwomen a’ gmail for more information. In many areas, the Church has support groups for wives of pornography addicts and/or loved ones of addicts. (Use this addiction recovery meeting locator to see if there is a meeting in your area.) Other 12 step programs include S-Anon (not an LDS program, but very consistent with Mormon beliefs), Heart t’ Heart (created by LDS people for LDS people, but not official LDS), just to name a couple.) If you are a wife of an addict, you can connect with other wives at this (unofficial... Read the rest of this entry »

One of the ways we determine what content to focus on on Mormon Women: Who We Are is to consider the search topics and keywords that bring people to our site. We’ve had some people searching on drug and alcohol addiction, so we wanted to share some stories from people who have found recovery from such addictions and/or faced the challenge of having a loved one with an addiction to drugs or alcohol. Mandi Gubler shares that “My husband is an addict.  His drug of choice is prescription pain killers.  I am a co-dependent which means that my drug of choice is my addict husband.  Through many miracles we have been brought back into the ever loving arms of our Savior again.  Through his Atonement we have found hope and recovery.” She shares more details of her powerful story here. Ruth is an LDS woman in recovery from being a drug addict and alcoholic. She also suffered from eating disorders. H.R. also was a drug addict. In his story, he also shares about his conversion... Read the rest of this entry »

Don’t forget the remaining events in the online Porn Harms Awareness Campaign. Monday – April 23rd Noon EST – Documentary Streaming: “Somebody’s Daughter: A Journey to Freedom from Pornography” **Organized by Somebody’s Daughter Tuesday – April 24th 7:00 PM EST – Live Online Discussion: “Recovering Teens Speak About Their Struggles with Porn Addiction” **Organized by Voices for Virtue & Sons of Helaman Thursday – April 26th 1:00 PM EST – Live Online Presentation with Porn Addiction Expert and Life-Coach Tony Lister: “Straight Talk: Porn’s Real Effect On Relationships and Attitudes Towards Women” **Organized by Tony Lister and Morality In Media Sunday – April 29th 10:00 PM EST – Documentary Streaming: “Somebody’s Daughter: A Journey to Freedom from Pornography” **Organized by Somebody’s Daughter  Read More →

Editor’s note: Although the primary purpose of Mormon Women: Who We Are is to help share information and resources that give insight into the life and beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I’ve also felt compelled to join numerous organizations and individuals in educating about pornography/sex addiction. We have several resources on our site (e.g., this post) for those personally affected by this struggle, especially for wives of addicts (but there are resources for those dealing with addiction as well). We also have an interest in helping educate parents and citizens everywhere about the harms of pornography and what we can do in our homes and communities to protect ourselves and our children and our schools and our cities from its effects. We’re a couple of days behind the eight ball on sharing this information, but Porn Harms (Morality in Media) is running a two-week awareness campaign about the harms of pornography (read more at Porn... Read the rest of this entry »

Since we continue to have a lot of people searching for support and information in dealing with pornography addiction, we wanted to share the following information: Pornography Harms is hosting a Live Online Conference about Preventing & Overcoming Sex / Pornorgraphy Addiction. Watch live on Facebook @ 4pm EDT: http://on.fb.me/qbIz7j  Read More →

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a 12-step addiction recovery program, “which helps those with addictions—drug dependency, alcoholism, pornography addiction, eating disorders, codependency, and so forth—apply key gospel principles in their lives. As participants study and exercise honesty, trust in God, humility, and the other principles of the program, they find hope, draw nearer to Christ, and allow His Atonement to have an effect in their lives.” (Addiction Recovery Program Brings Individuals to Christ) Watch this powerful video where people who have experienced the power of the 12-step LDS addiction recovery program (and their loved ones) find hope, healing, and recovery. See also this video, “Addiction: You Will Be Freed” which includes teachings from Elder M. Russell Ballard about how addiction affects agency — and how there is hope for those who are trapped in addiction. God’s s love and Jesus Christ’s Atonement makes... Read the rest of this entry »