Editor’s note: Since I first launched a wholehearted research effort to help the readers of our site who were repeatedly coming for information and support in facing a husband’s sexual addiction, I have probably read hundreds of stories of wives and their addicted spouses. (And sometimes the stories are about husbands and their addicted wives.) Every time I read a new story, it’s almost like reading one for the first time because they are so heartbreaking. Every individual going through this is one individual too many. Every marriage being threatened by addiction is one marriage too many.
At the same time, I am struck every time by the patterns in the stories. Addiction has predictable patterns. Which means there is hope for the principles and support and therapeutic approaches that can help those who need healing. It is gratifying to see how many people are spending their time and energy to help couples in this situation. “KatieDid” is an example of one such person. Catch a snippet of her story below, and find information about what she and others are doing in the Northwest part of the US in September.
A guest blog post written by “KatieDid”
When I was a girl, I would often dream about love and romance. I looked forward to the time when I would fall in love and get married. I wanted to meet someone with whom I could share my true self. We would share everything about ourselves: our hopes, joys, dreams, work and sorrows. I knew marriage wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but I believed it would be worth the effort. Eventually I found that special someone and we began our life together. He was my best friend and greatest supporter. We worked, played, cried and laughed together.
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, over the next few years that relationship changed. We still lived and worked together, but that closeness was gone. I felt the loss, but assumed it was due to the stress of having children and still being in school. Not everything can last forever. One evening my husband came to me looking very uncomfortable. He confessed that he had been using pornography….
Read more of KatieDid’s story at hopeandhealinglds.com
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And take a look at the end of the post for information about a conference that will be held by the Northwest Coalition for Healthy Intimacy in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, September 13, 2014 Speakers will includeDouglas Weiss, Ph.D; Donald L. Hilton, M.D.; Geoff Steurer, LMFT; Rhyll and Steve Croshaw; and LaVarr McBride, instructor of criminology at Penn State University. The conference will include an exclusive pre-screening of the forthcoming documentary The Heart of the Matter: Finding Light in the Darkness of Pornography Addiction (formerly titled Shamed). Editor’s note – this is a must-see!) Find more information or register at www.nwchi.org.
