valYOU meal: Seasons of Addiction

Spring Season

Viewing pornography, masturbating or doing other inappropriate sexual behavior activates the body’s sexual chemistry and causes “joy” or “excitement” in the brain’s pleasure center. Thus, the initial season of sexual addiction can be compared to the Spring Season – seemingly full of beautiful flowers.

The scriptures associate the words “pleasure” and “joy” with the initial “season” of sin.

“… to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” (Hebrews 11: 25)

If it “is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season. . .”  (3 Nephi 27:11)

In addition, the seed of disobedience is planted because you are abusing or misusing your SUPERNAL POWER.

Summer Season

In 3 Nephi 27:11 we learn the “joy” or “excitement” season ends “… verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season (Spring Season) and by and by the end cometh (Summer Season) …”     

Tolerance and dishonesty are common characteristics that occur in this Season.  

Tolerance means it takes more intense sexual pictures, behavior or thoughts to receive the same level of pleasure or excitement experienced during the Spring Season. You can eventually develop an acceptance to sexual material and behavior that initially were disgusting.  We read:

“Pornography is especially dangerous and addictive.  Curious exploration of pornography can become a controlling habit leading to coarser material and to sexual transgression…” (LDS Church, 1990, pg. 11).

During the Summer Season, the seed of disobedience which was planted in the Spring, always grows into some form of dishonesty.  A young person will likely lie and become deceiving, secretive, manipulative, or oppositional

Negative consequences often begin during this Summer Season. The consequences may include parents or church leaders finding out; shame or guilt; avoiding church activity; losing interest in school and family; and having mood swings.

Your choice of becoming involved with inappropriate sexual behaviors lead to negative consequences like guilt, depression, and shame. These feelings may disappear with the excitement of repeated inappropriate sexual behavior.

During the Spring and Summer Seasons of addiction youth can usually overcome their sexual habit by willpower and the principles contained in Reaching For Virtue.    

Fall Season

In the Fall Season  “just stopping” doesn’t work anymore. Returning again to the scripture 3 Nephi 27:11 we learn

 “. . . verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season (Spring Season) and by and by the end cometh (Summer Season), and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return (Fall Season).”  

Satan can limit your moral agency

Elder Russell M. Nelson describes the addiction process as different seasons:

“From an initial experiment thought to be trivial, a vicious cycle may follow.  From trial comes habit. From habit comes dependence.  From dependence comes addiction. Its grasp is so gradual.  Enslaving shackles of habit are too small to be sensed until they are too strong to be broken,” (“Addiction or Freedom,” New Era, Sept. 1989). 

Super Deluxe VALYOU MEAL

Watch  (Edit)  Dallin H. Oaks, “Pornography,” Ensign, May 2005

Read e-zine article Russell M. Nelson, “Addiction or Freedom,” New Era, Sep 1989.

Suggested Activity:

Determine if you are in the Fall Season of addiction a more serious craving and sexual habit exists. Typically a young person in this stage has already tried several interventions, but with no success.  Reaching For Virtue focuses on helping young people in the Spring and Summer  Seasons of addiction. If you believe you may be in the Fall Season of addiction seek outside help now. Talk with your parents, Bishop and if needed a professional.