Addiction affects our ability to enjoy life

Early recovery will feel hollow. We were once full of addictive substances and behavioral spaces, once empty. And it takes a long time to replenish it with something healthy.

Sex and porn addicts have certain characteristics. One of these common traits is that we try to use sex to bring intensity and excitement into our lives. Unfortunately, it becomes even more difficult to experience the “high” we seek as we keep and forcefully pursue sexual intensity. This is because over time, our brains produce too much dopamine and adrenaline levels based on our addicted sexual behavior. These neurochemicals are produced less, and it becomes more difficult for our brain to produce them. Essentially, our brains adjust in a way that darkens our intensity abilities, just like we might dim the light in the dining room. So we need more gender or more intense sex to feel the excitement we used to love. That’s how sexual and porn addiction (and all other forms of addiction) escalate.

Today’s mission
Accepting your addiction causes your brain to adjust, and it takes time (perhaps a year or more) to recover your brain baseline.