From a rabbi and Jewish educator. Father of 7 children.
Dear Rabbi Mintz,
It's now about 9 months since we got acquainted and I would like to show you a bit how my life progressed since then and now and to thank you for your part in it.
Around Chanukah time I was feeling overwhelmed by my phone-sex addiction and could find no way out. Even accepting the fact that I was helpless and alone wasn't helping me. I didn't feel there was anyone who could guide me out of it; being tat I had tried before with help yet I was still out of control.
Then I saw your ad about a 12-step program with regard to internet addiction with the assurance of anonymity and figured I'd give it a try.
From our first phone call I knew I had come to the right place. You were able to relate to me and my problem in such a clear and simple way. Knowing that there were others who suffered as I did yet were able to get help, inspired me to try and get help as well. Your use of Torah concepts and your expressions in both Yiddish and Hebrew served as an extra bonus for me; You as a Ben Torah and me as a Rebbe in Yeshiva, I couldn't wait for the real phone appointment.
Once we started, it became clear that the road to recovery was "simple but not easy"! But with you "holding my hand", available 24-7, if need be, I was ready to try to embark upon the road of recovery.
I called you when the going got tough- when "the monster reared its ugly head";I called you when I began smoking again in order to find a substitute for the phone-sex addiction; I called you when I knew that "tommorow" I was going "to use". Yet, you were never flustered. You calmed me, coached me out of each mess and praised me without being presumptious over each battle won. You helped me succeed "one day at a time'.
It was after just 3-4 months when I felt confident in my progress: enough, that I was able to draw a map of how my future might look-free of the addiction. It depicted the serenity that would be mine and the new repsonsibilities that I would be able to undertake, with the knowledge that I wouldn't be suffering a spiritual, emotional and physical setback every few days or weeks. Indeed, in the following months I was able to be out of this situation. I quit smoking (5 months clean, my davening and learning have improved, my marriage is on a major up- my wife is happier with me than she had been in many years, my addiciton is in remission now for 23 weeks!, substantially breaking my previous record of sobriety. I am presently working on other areas of my life, my Avodas Hashem with great success, b'chasdey Hashem.
I switched my job for the coming year and have begun working on a new major project for my future career. My children feel the change in me and have been much more loving towards me.
Who would have imagined the degree of damage my addiction caused and the great amount of good I was able to obtain with it now out of the way; I for one could not, but I am presently reveling in the progress of my sobriety.
I want to thank you Rabbi Mintz. Obviouslyl, you are the Shaliach of Hashem to make things happen for me and you carried out your Shlichut wonderfully. You're Chelek in Olam H'Ba is gaurenteed on account of the help that you have given me and the many people you've helped heal- myself most especially.
And now I want to try it on my own. Next week will be our last official meeting for a while. I hope I may drop you a quick line from time to time.
May you continue to have Hatzlacha helping others and may you have a Kativa v' Hatima Tovah.
Very Gratefully yours,
Code #1818
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