I know I am powerless over lust because of my inability to stop acting out despite knowing the outcomes and consequences. The ways I am powerless are many: I’ve continued to act out alone despite knowing that practicing the compulsion is directly opposed to becoming sober and maintaining sobriety. I act out at work despite knowing that it could cost me my job and reputation. I continue to act out despite knowing that doing so only further drives me into myself and prevents me from growing up as a person. I act out despite knowing that I am offending my God and jeopardizing my immortal soul.

Lust has made my life unmanageable because of all the chaos it has caused in my life. There are many examples of this. I’ve wasted countless hours at work acting out, preventing me from getting work done. Not getting my work done has damaged my professional reputation and stunted my career. The chaos of acting out has caused me to live in fear of almost everything and everyone. The chaos of acting out, coupled with all my character defects, has made relationships with family and loved ones difficult. It has caused me to fear making commitments of every kind, especially vocationally.

My only hope is that—as I have heard others share—I will find the solution in this program of recovery.