You helped me turn my life around

DEAR DEIDRE: It's a pretty poor deal when you don’t even like yourself.

I was addicted to porn and had been paying escorts for sex for years.

Addictions were my thing because I also had a gambling habit.

I’m 31 and male. I was lonely and depressed. I hated my work and my dream job in IT seemed totally unreachable.

You advised me to confide in a counsellor about my addictions and find the motivation to follow a new career.

You gave me info about depression and addiction organisations.

I took your advice and haven’t used escorts or done any gambling since. I still feel depressed but am not using that as an excuse to fall into my bad old ways.

On the job front, I try to set aside time every day for online learning.
Thank you for all your help.

DEIDRE SAYS: It is good to hear that you have found the motivation to change your life.

You have made progress and have managed to overcome the urge to visit escorts and gamble.

Try to see your current job, which you need to do for the money, as a stepping stone to doing what you really want.

It is great to hear that you are determined to keep going and the small positive steps you are taking will pay off.