The Library

For those who are not yet familiar with Jack, he is one of the most popular and sincere members of our forum. He is 49 years old and has been struggling with this for 38 years. Jack was on the "Jewish Healing Group" phone conference in the beginning of Elul when the therapist on the line mentioned a recent study that found that it takes 90 days for a person to change the neuron paths in the brain, and thereby change an ingrained thought pattern. The therapist claimed that the study found, that if a person was able to refrain for 90 days from a certain type of behavior they had become accustomed to, it would become much easier afterwards to continue. At that moment, on the phone-line, Jack decided to start his journey and aim for 90 days. I'm happy to announce that Jack is already 84 days clean with the help of all the wonderful people who offer support on the forum and with the help of the Live Hot-line, and by keeping in almost daily touch with us as well.

However, on day 65 or so, Jack began to feel a crisis. Here's what he wrote me, and I forwarded his plea for help to Rabbi Avraham J. Twerski, world renowned addiction expert and Tamid Chacham.

I'm DEPRESSED - i feel like I lost my BEST FRIEND!! The p-n made me happy. There's nothing that can replace that for me. I am empty inside now. I spoke to Elya (on the Hotline ) last night, and he listened to me. There's nothing that made me as happy as those images on the screen, and now that i gave that up, i don't know where to turn for happiness. I'm having a rough time of it. jack.

Rabbi Twerski sent us a fax with a initial response to Jack. It is attached below.

Jack's time-line can be viewed here and his thread on the forum can be viewed here.