I had a bit of a slip on Purim. I have not let it pull me down though, Hashem is still part of my life (in the past this would have led to a downward spiral), and I think I may even have learned from it.
One of the things that helps me is the acknowledgment that this is an addiction. This enables me to realize that the buzz/rush/excitement that I feel when engaging in these things are simply chemicals that are secreted in the brain and I am addicted to them, and this helps put things in perspective.
This morning I already put this realization to practice: I postponed my response to a trigger by waiting a few minutes and seeing it for what it really was. And lo-and -behold, the buzz was gone!
Thanks to all of you once again.
There's going to be pain in life. Accept that. But it is up to you to decide which pain you want.
Do you choose...
Don't look where you fell, look where you slipped.
I asked G-d to take away my addiction. He said: "My son, it's not for me to take away, but for you to give it up".