Forgive me if this sounds like propaganda... I promise you, my motivation is pure.
For any who have come here looking for help turning your life around, for help changing some habit or some characteristic within yourself, or for help repenting or coping with the faults of others, may I recommend a free program the church has established through
LDS Family Services called
Addiction Recovery Program, or ARP for short.
Don't let the name fool you; while it is an adaptation of the AA 12-step program, it is not exclusively for those with "classic addictions." As I tried to suggest in the previous paragraph, if there is any sin that you struggle with on an ongoing basis, or a single sin that you've committed that has left you spiritually stripped and wounded, this program can help you. If there is anyone in your life whose sins have directly affected you, the program can help you. I attend an LDS-FS ARP group myself, and it has helped me a great deal - not only with my addictions, but also in many other areas of my life. It's actually very uplifting. Although the title of the class is accurate, I often call it, "The Atonement for Dummies," or, "Repentance for Dummies," or even, "Christlike Living for Dummies." Those titles paint a better picture of the class, I think.
For any who are interested, but still don't think your problem is big enough to warrant going through a 12-step program (and peripherally to any who still attach a certain stigma to addicts, addiction and people who attend 12-step program meetings), may I suggest that you read an article published in Meridian Magazine titled,
"Confronting Addiction in the LDS Community". You will likely find it eye-opening. Thanks to tefor for finding the article and bringing it to our attention!
As I understand it, the group meetings are always led by couples (local couple missionaries). They go to great lengths to ensure that participation is 100% confidential. In fact, group leaders are specifically prohibited from telling anyone, even Priesthood leaders, any specific information about individuals in the class (who is attending, what they've talked about, etc). Elder Sigg, one of my group leaders, enjoys telling us that if a bishop asks about one of us, he has been given authority to say, "Who?"
The ARP website I linked above provides a search tool that can help you locate a group near you, and you can preview the class material by opening the program manual PDF. You can also order a hard copy of the ARP manual on the
Church Distribution Services website for about $6.
I highly recommend the program to you. Be courageous. Look up your local group and visit a meeting. Give it a shot. You'll be glad you did.
Jiminy Cricket