Q & A: How is the Mending The Armor program different than the LDS Addiction Recovery meetings?

Mending The Armor is a program that has been specifically designed for LDS youth and young adults who are struggling with pornography addiction.  It is not intended to replace or substitute for the LDS addiction recovery program, but rather to prepare youth and young adults to more fully benefit from meetings and to view addiction recovery meetings as a source of long-term support for sustaining a recovery.  Mending The Armor was created by a group of LDS therapists who spent many years working with teens struggling with addiction issues and saw a need for a program for LDS youth struggling with pornography.

Young people who are dealing with an addiction to pornography need all the support and help possible to overcome the addiction.  The Mending The Armor program provides specific instruction and education to understand the science of pornography addiction, the underlying emotional issues that drive the addiction, managing the shame involved with the addiction and the thinking errors used to maintain the addiction.  The program provides strategies for improving thought and impulse control, relapse prevention and provides a formal way of tracking abstinence efforts.  Completion of the Mending The Armor requires that participates complete each of the twelve chapters in the Breaking Free workbook and achieve 90 days of abstinence. 

The Mending The Armor program is a great introductory path into the importance of using the Twelve Step model and the Atonement for overcoming pornography addiction.  Additionally, the program allows young people to participate in a treatment group with other LDS youth struggling with the same issue.  This can make is easier for youth to participate in group settings as in some cases, youth are not yet comfortable in an LDS addiction recovery meeting.

We whole heartedly endorse The LDS Addiction Recovery Program and encourage all of our youth to attend meetings in conjunction with the Mending The Armor program as well as continued attendance to recovery meetings after having completed Mending The Armor.

Pornography Addiction Treatment Program for Teens and Young Adults now available in Las Vegas, Nevada

Jeremy Leavitt, MS, MFT-I, CADC-I has joined the network and is now offering the Mending The Armor and STAR Guides program in the Las Vegas area.  

Jeremy is a young and energetic therapist.  He possesses a bachelors degree in Criminal Justice and a Master of Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy degree.  He has training in addictions and has experience providing services as a substance abuse counselor for individuals of all ages.  He also provides services for a number of other issues including couples, families, dual-diagnosis, depression and anxiety.  Jeremy has been happily married for 10 years and has two wonderful boys.  He enjoys practicing and teaching Taekwondo in his off-time.  Jeremy has a 2nd degree black belt and has been teaching martial arts to troubled youth and adults for approximately 14 years.  He feels that this experience is what led him to become a therapist.

Jeremy's professional experience and personal qualities make him a great addition to the network.  Youth and Young Adults in the Las Vegas area who are struggling with pornography addiction will surely benefit from Jeremy's counseling services.

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Teens and Pornography: normal behavior or road to pathology?

Because of the ease of access to explicit materials and the sexualization of our society, parents and professionals are increasingly faced with the task of addressing the use of pornography among teens.  Statistics suggest that 93% of boys and 62% of girls are exposed to internet pornography before the age of 18.  67% of youth admit to clearing their browsing history to hide their on-line behavior.   70% of young men between the ages of 18 to 24 admit to visiting pornography websites on a monthly basis. 

In the past, viewing pornography has been viewed as a taboo and unacceptable behavior for teens.  Is viewing pornography considered a normal and acceptable behavior for today’s teens?  Some teens think so.  When confronted about the habit of viewing pornography, they argue, “Everyone is doing it.” and “Isn’t it a better way to deal with sexual feelings than actually having sex?”. 

Many parents continue to reject the use of pornography by their teens, but often minimize or underestimate to what extent their teens or viewing pornography and the negative effects that viewing has on adolescent development.

Neurological research has found that pornography is highly addictive due to the chemical release in the brain that occurs while viewing pornography.  For some teens, the euphoria that is experienced from these neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain becomes a phenomena that is difficult to resist.  Many find an escape from reality through viewing pornography.  It becomes an easy way to temporarily avoid life difficulties.   The potency of on-line high definition pornography contributes to how easily some teens become addicted.  The strength of today’s pornography far surpasses what was found in the pornographic magazines of the past. 

Pornography distorts a teen’s view of sexuality and intimacy and ultimately destroys relationships.  One study found that 56% of divorce cases involve one party having an obsessive interest in pornography.  Teens who become addicted to pornography often begin isolate from others and their capacity to effectively socialize with others becomes weakened as increased time and energy is spent in fantasy and escape than in reality. 

As addicted teens move into adulthood and into marriage relationships, therapists warn that some prefer pornography and masturbation to real sex. 

While it is normal for teens to be curious and attracted to pornography, the consequences of developing a habit of viewing pornography can be damaging and long lasting.  If you know a teen or young adult who is struggling with a habit of viewing pornography or a parent who has a child struggling with pornography, let them know there is help.  Contact us today by clicking here.

Pornography use among teens…..a developmental issue, not simply a moral issue.

​For many years, religious organizations were at the forefront of championing the cause of vilifying pornography and suggesting that its influence was immoral and destructive.  This has led to the erroneous belief among many, that pornography use is a “moral” or a “religious issue’.  While it is clear that pornography can be highly destructive to one’s spirituality and morality, increasing evidence suggests that pornography can be disruptive to child and teen development in a variety of areas.

The paradigm regarding pornography use, particularly its impact on children and teens, needs to shift toward the problem not simply being a moral issue, but rather a developmental issue with potential long-lasting negative consequences.

The following are noted characteristics that have been found in teens who have developed a habit of regularly viewing pornography:

• Viewing and/or masturbating to internet pornography on a daily basis.

Staying up late at night to be alone to view pornography and then having trouble waking up for school.

• Loss of interest in school and extracurricular activities.

• Diminished interest in socialization and outside activity with peers including dating.

• Secrecy with behavior, particularly with technology, and increased isolation including long periods of time alone in their bedroom with the door locked.

• Pattern of lying to parents and other adults about on-line activities including deleting browser history, viruses on computers, etc.

• A diminished empathy toward others and lack of interest in family activities.

• Development of hypersexual attitude, language and possible sexually inappropriate interests.

Each of these characteristics along with a host of other unmentioned characteristics impede the developmental process of youth who become addicted to pornography.  Those youth who become addicted to pornography are typically unable to break free from the addiction on their own.  In many cases, the addiction is kept secret and continues into adulthood and eventually becomes a contributor to depression, marital problems and legal problems.

The good news is that youth who become addicted and get help, are able to break free from the addiction.

Viewing the problem as a developmental issue, rather than simply a moral issue is an important first step.  Educating parents and professionals about the importance of screening for possible addiction comes next. Then, developing and implementing treatment options specific to children and teens who have become addicted becomes the focus.

Q & A: How long does it take for a youth to complete the Mending The Armor program?

The program is set up with the expectation that youth accomplish two things:

(1)     Achieve 90 days of abstinence from viewing pornography, masturbation and other unwanted sexual acting out.

(2)    Complete each of the twelve chapters of the Breaking Free workbook.

Some of the youth who have completed the program have done so in as little as three months.  However, most youth participate in the program for a longer period of time.  For some, it simply takes longer than 90 days to complete the two tasks listed above.  For others, they continue to attend our individual and group therapy sessions because they find it helpful, even after they have completed the requirements of the program.

Breaking an addiction to pornography can be a difficult process and it is not uncommon for youth to experience some relapses or setbacks along the way.   Additionally, many youth recognize that learning to manage an addiction to pornography can be a life-long challenge and continuing to attend group sessions serves as an on-going source of support in their efforts to abstain and develop coping skills to deal with the temptations they encounter in their day to day lives.

Most youth who participate in the program attend a combination of individual and/or group therapy sessions on a weekly basis.  We welcome youth to continue to participate in the program as long as they desire so long as they find the services helpful in their recovery.

Q & A: Can I use my health insurance coverage to cover the cost of the program?

Currently, pornography addiction is not considered a DSM IV diagnosis and therefore most insurance companies will not pay for therapy services.   However, it is not uncommon for youth who are struggling with pornography addiction to also have other mental health conditions that are covered by health insurance.  Most insurance companies will pay for a portion of therapy services for diagnoses such as depression or anxiety.  Depending on your insurance company and other mental health issues which your child may display, will determine whether a portion of the therapy will be covered by insurance.  Some insurance plans have an EAP program that doesn’t include a specific requirement for a diagnosis.  In these cases, the EAP plan should cover a certain number of therapy sessions.In cases where health insurance coverage is not an option, the out of pocket expense will vary from office to office depending on the area of the country in which you live.  In the corporate office in St. George, Utah, individual therapy sessions are $80 and group therapy sessions are $25.  We strive to make the program as affordable as possible for youth who stand in need of treatment to break free from the addiction.

Q & A: My son does not live in an area where the Mending The Armor program is offered. Is there a way he can still benefit from the services you offer?

We want to make pornography addiction treatment for LDS teens and young adults available to all who need it regardless of location.  While our preference for providing treatment services is face to face interaction with a treatment group and therapist, we also recognize that pornography addiction treatment specific for LDS youth is not available in many areas.  In an effort to make our treatment available for as many youth as possible, we have created a program that is provided via the internet.

For LDS youth who do not have access to pornography addiction treatment in their local area, on-line treatment is available!  Youth can participate in both individual and group therapy sessions over the internet using video conferencing.  Youth use the same Breaking Free workbooks and curriculum that is utilized in face to face treatment groups and have access to the same therapists. The only equipment needed is a computer, a web cam and a high speed internet connection.

Simply call our office at 800-584-4629 to schedule appointments with one of our therapists.  We will mail you the workbook and instructions for setting up the video conferencing.  Each week your son will meet with his therapist using video conferencing as he works to complete the Mending The Armor program.

Missionaries, Mending The Armor and LDS Addiction Recovery

​Many of the clients who have participated in the Mending The Armorprogram have been young men preparing for missions or returned missionaries who have slipped back into the addiction.  As therapists working with LDS young men, we recognize the problem is real and that unfortunately, even returned missionaries sometimes need treatment for pornography addiction.

Dr. Don Hilton stated in his book He Restoreth My Soul wrote: “The current scenario of sending the young man on a mission after three to six months of “white knuckle’ sobriety is only setting him up for intermittent struggling throughout his mission, and/or quick relapse upon return and re-introduction into the overwhelming media barrage he will sure face”.

Speaking of returned missionaries he wrote: “Understand that the majority of young men returning from missions are slipping quickly into addiction, and we must be ready to support them with 12 Step support groups specific to pornography addiction immediately upon return from their mission.  We should be as determined to support them as the adversary is to capture them as they emerge from a spiritual high and enter the world again.  If we can change the current pattern of quick relapse after mission, we can begin to see dating and marriage patterns return to normalcy”.

Treatment specific to pornography addiction among LDS young men is greatly needed.  Mending The Armor is designed to meet this need.

Using the YPAST (Youth Pornography Addiction Screening Tool) our outcome studies have shown that participants who have completed this program, participated in LDS addiction recovery meetings and worked closely with their bishops have experienced high rates of success in abstaining and managing pornography addiction and other unwanted sexual behaviors.  The average pre-treatment YPAST score is a 57.  The post-treatment YPAST score is a 19.  These findings suggest significant improvement in reducing and eliminating pornography use among our clients.

It is important to note that the Mending The Armor program is not intended to replace the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, but rather to prepare youth and young adults to more fully benefit from recovery meetings.  Participants are encouraged to participate in LDS twelve-step Recovery meetings in conjunction with the Mending The Armor program.  Clients are prepared to transition from our treatment services into their local LDS Addiction Recovery Programs for long-term support and recovery.