The Passions

How do you break free from an addiction?

He matches a remedy to each stage of the addiction cycle. At the first intruding thoughts, the weapon is the Jesus prayer, fighting the initial 'bullets' before consent is given. When a person is already planning to act, he prescribes accountability — telling people who know the struggle and asking them for an out that day. Once addiction and despair have set in, he says the person needs a priest, confession, and absolution, so the despair is destroyed by the experience of God's grace and mercy.