15 Tips for Dealing With the Covid Blues

Coping with COVID-19 is not easy. Aside from the physical impact of the virus, Coronavirus regulations like isolating and social distancing take an emotional toll. We aren’t able to see friends and family as often as we used to, and it’s unclear what the path to treatment and vaccinations is. Sometimes it feels like COVID-19 will last forever. But there are ways to get through it.

9 Tips to Tell Your Parents About Your Porn Problem

I can’t predict how your parents will respond when you disclose your porn problem to them. However, the effects of porn addiction are far more destructive than coming clean with your parents or a trusted adult. Here are 9 tips for talking with your parents. 1. Tell them when they are most receptive - Wait until they are not hungry or tired and tell them in private. 2. Be truthful. Disclose all pertinent information without going into details. Answer their questions. 3. Give them space to process. Your parents may not understand why looking at porn is a problem. 4. Seek forgiveness. 5. Ask for help. Most parents want to help their child. 6. Offer advice. I didn’t understand porn’s effects, and I had no idea how to help my son. 7. Educate. Your parents, like me, may not understand porn’s effects. 8. Be patient. Remember, your parents feel betrayed, and it's hard to trust again. Be willing to answer them over and over. 9. Keep them informed.

Am I Weak if My Depression Gets Worse After Watching the News?

Watching the 24-hour news cycle does more than cause temporary stress, it can actually cause mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and even PTSD if we don’t set healthy boundaries around news intake. Self-care is important to keep your mental illness from getting worse. Learn how to balance awareness and rest.

Am I Really Addicted to Video Games?

You have to ask yourself, What am I trying to cover over in my life to where I go into another reality (not just for 15 minutes or 30 minutes, that wouldn’t be an addiction), but for hours and hours and hours?

Bible Verses About God Accepting Everyone

“I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) Have you ever thought, "God could never love me. I've messed up too bad. My sins are too big. I am too ashamed. I am too broken." But God says throughout the Bible that He welcomes everyone who comes to Him. The Bible is full of verses that talk about God accepting everyone.

How to Stay Away from Porn Permanently: EP 34

Dave shares that by the grace of God he was pulled out of the addiction of pornography and masturbation. He was addicted from 14 years old up through college and grad school. He says, it’s only by Jesus was he able to stop. He found an accountability partner he trusted, and leaned on God if he was struggling.

Is Pornography Addiction Harming Your Relationship?

"Porn use has been linked to unhealthy emotional patterns and relationship issues, including: - Secrecy: Hiding porn addiction means you cannot be truly open with your partner. - Shame: If using porn makes you feel ashamed, you might feel more withdrawn from your boyfriend or girlfriend than normal. - Fantasizing: Pornography creates unrealistic expectations of sex and physical intimacy that can strain or break a relationship."

Recovery from Addiction

Getting rid of addiction is more of a journey than a one-time decision, and it requires a support network that can encourage you as you decide each day to not use addictive substances or engage in harmful addictive behaviors. It takes courage to admit that you struggle with addiction, but talking about it is an important first step. You can visit a local support group (like AA or Narcotics Anonymous) for in-person support.

What Is Digital Addiction & How To Get Help

Nowadays, we seem to rely on technology for everything. But if we’re not careful, device use, screentime, and internet use can become an addiction. If you think you may have digital addiction, TheHopeLine is here to help with resources and support.

Most Recent Blogs on Digital Addiction
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Personal Stories on Digital Addiction
Resources for Digital Addiction
Spiritual Perspective for Digital Addiction

What is Digital Addiction?

Digital addiction happens when you use digital devices compulsively. You can develop digital addiction as a result of using:

Internet browsers
Pornography sites
Apps
Phones
TV’s
Tablets
Computers
Video games

More than overuse or habitual use, digital addiction happens when you:

Can’t stop using your digital devices (or feel like you can’t)
Use digital devices instead of talking about or dealing with your problems or challenges
Feel withdrawal symptoms when you stop using or are told you can’t use the internet or your devices (irritability, anger, mood swings, jitters, etc,)
Hide your device use from others

If your behavior has changed significantly as a result of a lot of digital device use, or if you have seen negative effects on your relationships, it’s time to talk to someone about getting help for your digital addiction.

With more and more people using devices for hours a day, it’s important to have a realistic understanding of your risks for developing an addiction to digital devices.

Harmful Effects of Digital Addiction

If you are struggling with digital addiction, it can be tempting to think, “It’s just me and my device, so why is it a problem?”

Like any addictive behavior, digital addiction is a big claim on your time and attention. For every hour you spend scrolling social media, surfing the internet, or using apps, an hour is lost that could be spent in your work, your spiritual and emotional development, or with people you care about.

Think back to the last time you were with friends or family. Can you remember how much time you spent talking to them versus looking at your phone?

Addiction to digital devices or internet use also has a negative impact on the mind and body. You might be experiencing:

Increased agitation and fidgeting
Shortened attention span
Feelings of loneliness or isolation
Difficulty focusing
Tension in your neck, back, and shoulders
Headaches, squinting, or worsening vision

If you’ve been noticing physical effects as a result of using digital devices, it’s a good time to take a breather and set boundaries for your screen time.

What to Do About Digital Addiction

If you’re concerned, ask people you trust to give you honest feedback about your device use. If their answers upset you, it’s a good indication that you may need some additional guidance and support. You can also monitor your screen time use yourself by using the screen time information your phone provides. It can tell you exactly how much you use it, how many times you pick it up and what you are spending your time doing. Reach out to TheHopeLine anytime for confidential digital addiction help, or:

See a physician or counselor
Meet up with an addiction support group
Spend unplugged time with friends and family
Reach out to a prayer partner, or someone in your faith community

In addition, spending time outdoors, finding a new hobby, and doing your favorite physical activities can give you an outlet for emotional expression that your digital devices can’t fill.

We are here for you, and believe anyone can limit their screen time, and live a healthy, meaningful life, free from digital addiction.

Want to learn more? Search our library of podcasts, ebooks, and other resources for answers to questions like:

How Do I Deal With Shame About My Addiction?
Does an Addiction Ever Go Away?
Will God Forgive Me for My Addictive Behavior?

Most Recent Blogs on Digital Addiction

9 Tips to Use Social Media in a Healthy Way

There were a wide variety of reactions to Facebook’s recent 5+ hour-long outage… if you were among the people who panicked or felt cut off from the world, you might also be among those who need to take a look at their relationship with social media. Going for less than..Read more

5 Tips for Putting Down the Phone and Living Your Life

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When things get stressful, our phones and computers can seem to offer us an escape from the frustrating and draining things going on around us. But the truth is, constantly being plugged in to our phones and other devices can actually be more stressful. Our phones can overwhelm us with stressful..Read more

Selfies: 10 Ways to Reclaim Your Identity

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Reclaim Your Identity, Peace, and Purpose Selfies. You either love them or you hate them, there really hasn’t been a great in-between space. In a world where our reflection matters, what young women want most is to feel comfortable in their own skin. Everyone wants self-acceptance, belonging, and a deep understanding..Read more

Do You Need to Take a Digital Diet? 8 Questions to Ask Yourself

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Digital Diet – The How and Why Internet Addiction Disorder, Electronic Screen Syndrome, Digital Detoxes, Digital Diets, etc. Have you heard these terms? They are subjects that are currently generating a lot of discussions. It’s an interesting conversation and one I’m glad is occurring. As far as personal experience goes, yes, it is..Read more

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Online Reputation: Nothing is Private

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Free eBook: Understanding a Relationship with God

Free eBook: Understanding a Relationship with God Do You Feel Like Life is Meaningless? Are you wondering what your purpose is? Do you have questions about what Christians believe or what it means to be a Christian? At TheHopeLine we believe real and lasting HOPE can only come through a relationship with Jesus. And this […]