Fantasy

Lust is an escape, it's entering a place that's not my real life.

I often lust with my imagination I become a man of great wealth I become a talmid chacham that receives a lot of kovod. I become a super hero that saves everyone. I turn into all sorts of characters and go to all sorts of places.

I spend hours watching pornography of my imagination (not literally)
it's scenes and movies of me being someone I'm not.
it's scenes and movies of my life with me as the director.
In my movies I'm rich and famous I work a different job, I'm constantly happy, I'm not an addict and I don't act out ever.
I am a talented director, I create stories with many intricate details of how I made my wealth and stories with subtle nuances of the many that came forward to give me kovod.

I am addicted to fantasy.

Ted, you made a valid point.

However, you will see therapists that will work with a persons fantasy in order to get him out of depression.

When we lust for bad things we are not in a good stage. When we lust for good things. like being a rabbi, or a successful business man, I am not sure if this is such a terrible thing.

Anyway good point to think about.

Thank you ted for pointing out this fact.
Personally, fantasy is affected my life in 2 ways :
First it puts me out of reality and the more I'm out of reality, the more I'm afraid to come back in it.
Second, when I'm living in the real life, I'm never satisfied even if I do something good or if something good happens to me because it would always be less perfect than in my fantasies.

So I agree a lot with what you've said, if you have done some progress in this area please let me know

Lomed: I think at the core of recovery is turning my life and my will over to gd (step 3) which means accepting and embracing the life that gd gave me.
So it's very unhealthy to keep wishing things were different.

Palti Yosef : I definitely related to what you wrote and it's incredible that you are aware and can articulate the effect of living in fantasy.
For me progress is slow but I think it comes through a. Being aware that I'm running from reality and my life and b. Reminding myself this life is from gd and working to accept it with love and happiness.
Who is rich one who is happy with what he has.