Welcome to episode #45!
This week, Matt and Braden continue their chat with Dr. Ted Fenske. Dr. Fenske goes into detail on how to rewire our brains after porn and sexual addiction has negatively impacted it.
Give Your Brain A Chance To Heal
Get off the internet. Dr. Fenske says that because of the highly addictive nature of internet pornography, where videos have a higher impact than still pictures, you need time away from the internet in order for your brain to have a chance to heal. There is no patch or medication for porn like there is smoking, alcohol, or drugs, but getting off of the internet is similar to a 'patch' in that it allows your brain to experience other behaviours where you won't fall into porn.
Timeline Of Rewiring
We all want to be encouraged that we're making progress because when we're in a grinding process, the light at the end of the tunnel is encouraging. Dopamine and deltafosb play two central roles in porn addiction in our brain. Dopamine is activated and feels great, then sending messages to deltafosb to create neural pathways to bring us back to the behaviour that triggered the dopamine.
The dopamine receptors will die off after a month removed from the internet. Deltafosb will typically take about a month longer and then once the negative effects of these have died off, the brain will take about another month to rebuild strong and healthy neural pathways.
If we go back to watching porn when our brain is trying to heal, we are setting ourselves back and delaying the process for healing. However, we are not back at square one so it's important to continue on in the process of healing and rewiring our brains.
Spiritual Disciplines Rewire Our Brains
Establish yourself with a solid Christian community where you can get support from other believers. Make sure you've got Scripture in you, up on your walls, in your journal, and wherever else you can put it. Spend time in prayer. Acknowledge and confess sin. All of these things play a role in architecturally changing the brain, so much so that when they re-image a brain that they looked at under addiction, they can see the newly-developed neuroplasticity.
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Next week, Matt and Braden share on something so simple, but so powerful, that we often struggle to understand when we're in habitual sin: God's incredible love for us. Make sure to tune in!
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Podcast Hosts
BRADEN HAFNER
Braden is the Regional Director in Alberta for FamilyLife Canada. He has been married for 12 years to his wife Kristen, and they live in Edmonton, Alberta. He is passionate about seeing marriages grow and thrive, and helping couples move to a deeper oneness with one another and with God. FamilyLife Canada has a variety of resources and events to help you and your spouse take your marriage to the next level. See what would benefit you at www.familylifecanada.com
MATT CLINE
Matt and his wife Louise raise their little guys, David and Oliver, in Edmonton, Alberta. He is honored to do what he can to tackle the epidemic of pornography and sexual perversion in every way possible. Seeing lives and marriages get free and experience the love of God in profound ways is what drives him every day. He leads Restored Ministries, is a certified speaker and coach for the John Maxwell Team, and formerly played hockey in the WHL and for Hockey Canada. You can visit www.restoredministries.ca.
