Introduction: Sam comes from a very athletic family: his dad was his football coach throughout school, his mom coached the track team, and both of his sisters played volleyball and ran track. Sam was fully devoted to his high school football career—football was his life. After high school, Sam was drafted to play college ball on a full-ride scholarship. While he was in college, Sam began to focus more on the partying and socializing scene than on his grades. Eventually, Sam’s grades suffered so immensely that he lost his scholarship and was kicked off the football team; this major repercussion sent Sam into a downward spiral. He developed a heavy alcohol dependency which caused him to lose most of his friends and, eventually, to drop out of college. Sam’s alcoholism led him to be unable to afford the rent at his apartment, so he was forced to move back in with his parents. Sam knew he had a problem, he just didn’t know how or where to get help; he felt ashamed.

Solution: Sam had a friend who was in Alcoholics Anonymous. He had heard of AA before but had always felt too embarrassed to give it a try. Sam decided to attend a meeting with his friend and felt instant relief after he discussed his alcoholism and expressed his desire for change. Through AA, Sam found a sponsor, continued attending the meetings, and devoted himself to his new, sober lifestyle. Now, Sam is 6 years sober and feels grateful for this fresh start. Sam still has lingering issues from his alcoholism, though. Sam still suffers with depression and insomnia after his transition to a sober lifestyle, so he began researching CBD products for his recovery. In his search, Sam found Exact Nature. Sam takes their Serenity Oil to help him stay calm and focused during the day, as well as the ZZZs Capsules at night to help combat his insomnia.

Introduction:Amy recently moved to a new city for her new job as an accountant. Since the move, she finds herself feeling sad, lonely, and depressed without any friends in this new city. In college, she always found that the best way to make new friends was to have a few drinks at the bar and start. So, she asked a few of her colleagues if they wanted to hit up the new bar in town on Friday night. After she got off work on Friday, Amy put on her favorite outfit and headed to the bar before her colleagues showed up so that she could down a few drinks before they arrived. By the time her colleagues showed up, Amy was past “tipsy,” and was beginning to make a fool of herself. The next Monday, her fellow colleagues weren’t speaking to her, and Amy had realized her mistake. She never had any issues when she was speaking to her colleagues at work, so why did she feel the need to drink to have fun with them at the bar? Amy noticed a pattern of relying on alcohol in social situations, but she never felt good about the way she acted the next morning. She didn’t think she was an alcoholic; she just didn’t always feel her best when she was drinking. Amy discovered the term “sober-curious,” and learned that sober-curious individuals are generally interested in achieving a sober lifestyle but are not quite ready to immediately eliminate their consumption. She didn’t feel the need to remove alcohol from her life completely, she just needed to find a better way to feel confident while socializing.

Solution: Amy began researching CBD products that she could use to calm herself down before social situations. She discovered Exact Nature’s products and decided to try Detox CBD Oil to help reduce her desire to drink and Serenity CBD Oil to help her with her social issues. After using Exact Nature’s products, Amy no longer feels the “butterflies” in her stomach before a night out and, thus, doesn’t feel the need to over-drink.

Introduction: Dax Shepard, known for his acting roles in Hit & Run, Idiocracy, Parenthood, and Without a Paddle, has always been open about his struggles with addiction (IMDB). In his early adulthood, Dax was a self-proclaimed party animal; his drugs of choice were alcohol and cocaine. Dax had made multiple attempts to get sober, but these attempts always seemed to end up in a major relapse and week-long bender. In a 2021 interview with People magazine, Dax recalled a moment during his battle with addiction when he had relapsed after an unsuccessful sobriety stint. He recounts a moment during this time when he was on vacation in Hawaii before he began his next acting role:

"I'm so physically sick from this week in Hawaii that I'm not even going to be able to get on that plane unless I get, like, a good 6 or 7 Jack and Diets in me," he recalls. "So, I'm at the bar and I'm just pounding Jack and Diets and there's a mirror next to me — and I'm also paranoid someone from AA is going to see me because I had been sober before — so I'm like tucked into the corner of this bar, I'm so afraid someone's going to see me."

Shepard made a commitment to his sobriety in 2004, swearing off alcohol and narcotics in an attempt to regain control of his life. Dax has always spoken candidly about his battle with addiction and sobriety, particularly on his popular podcast, Armchair Expert. In September of 2020, Shepard released an Armchair Expert episode simply titled “Day 7,” in which he bravely admitted to his listeners that he had relapsed after 16 years. He explained that had been in a motorcycle accident and had to undergo surgery for his hand and shoulder, after which he began to misuse the opioids given to him for his recovery. Dax admitted his opioid misuse to his wife, actress Kristen Bell, and once again resumed his sober lifestyle.

Solution: Dax has previously thanked AA for being a useful aid in his personal recovery story. Along with AA, Dax has a solid support system and fan base, both of which he is comfortable disclosing the details of his addiction and sobriety. In addition to these tools, Dax learned to shift his attention from his drugs of choice to his family, friends, physical and mental health, and work. Dax is a great example of how, for some, recovery is not always linear and that, though addiction is a constant struggle, it is possible to turn it in to something positive and create your own success story. Dax values his sleep, claiming that it is one of the most important aspects of health, so he could benefit from Exact Nature’s ZZZs, as well as Boost in the morning to aid his focus in getting the workday started. Also, to help reduce the drug and alcohol cues that can lead to a relapse, Dax could benefit from Detox.

Introduction: Trevor was a stereotypical college kid: he liked to hang out with his frat brothers, drink a few beers, watch Sunday football, and smoke his vape. Trevor most definitely abused alcohol, but he never developed a dependency on it. His smoking, on the other hand, was a habit he could not kick- even after he graduated college. He started vaping during his senior year of high school, but, seeing as he had to hide it from his parents, his habit never became overly serious. Once he moved out of his parents’ house and into his freshman dorm, he had a newfound sense of freedom and began going through a 4-pack of vape pods a day. His nicotine dependency only worsened as he progressed through his college career. At one point, he decided to try to quit vaping “cold-turkey,” but he was so jittery, depressed, and inattentive throughout the day that he caved and went right back to his addiction. Now that he has graduated college, he still relies heavily on his vape to get him through the workday. He finds his mind wandering away from his work, wondering when his next smoke break will be.

Solution: Trevor has begun significantly reducing his nicotine usage each day, but he still suffers from the side effects. To combat these side effects, Trevor has also started using Exact Nature’s Detox Capsules to reduce his cravings for nicotine and Serenity CBD Oil to help his body regain equilibrium and increase his focus at work. Trevor has been able to reduce his nicotine usage from four vape pods per day to one vape pod per day in the past month thanks to Exact Nature’s products.

Introduction: “I’m a person in recovery. What that means is that I haven’t had the need to use a mind-altering substance since 2010. I did develop some severe problems gambling, though. That’s what they call a secondary addiction: when you deal with your drug problem, but get hooked on things that aren’t illegal, like drinking and gambling.
And let me tell you, gambling just took off with me. I’d go to a Keno hall or a casino, and I’d say to myself, “I’ll just try out $40,” but then I’d spend all that I had in my pocket, and then take out my credit card and drop another $500. I can remember what it was like to do drugs, and gambling was the same for me. I’m playing games, rushing, scratching, all discombobulated. I was just gone. I have a nice house now, a family, a good job, and I realized that gambling was like putting rock on the pipe and pulling it. And I knew that that would destroy my life. That’s when I got help for the gambling, and things got a lot better.

“If someone in recovery asks me about gambling, I would tell them that when you have an addictive personality, it’s just like doing drugs. You’re getting in debt, maxing out your cards, doing the same thing and getting the same results, every time. And honestly, I can’t even say that you can go out and gamble and not end up hooked on drugs again. Because that the way it was for me –it all went together” (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 2021).

Solution: Duane sought help for his gambling addiction after he realized that he should be treating it the same way he would treat his narcotics addiction. Seeing as it is inevitable to spend money, Duane’s is constantly battling his temptations. Duane could benefit from Exact Nature’s Detox products to curb the cravings that he is constantly facing in his spending habits.

Introduction:Katie was always what her family and friends would describe as “boy-crazy.” When she was 16, she fell in love with her high school sweetheart John. Katie and John dated all through high school, but their relationship began to suffer when they chose to go to different colleges. Halfway through their freshman year of college, Katie discovered that John had been cheating on her. Katie, devastated, broke up with John and quickly decided that she needed to find a “rebound” to heal her grief about her failed relationship. Katie quickly developed a craving for the intense passion that she found herself enjoying in the initial stages of each of her relationships. But, as soon as she felt the relationship becoming stagnant, she succinctly left and began her quest for a new partner. Her parents no longer bothered learning the names of the partners that Katie introduced to them because they knew he or she would not be around long enough for them to matter. Katie frequently cheated on her partners and became a serial manipulator- she didn’t know why she acted this way; she just knew that no partner could ever keep her interest for long. Katie had never even heard of a love addiction until she came across an article on Buzzfeed News one day. Suddenly, her relationship patterns began to make sense: she realized that she had a love addiction.

Solution: Katie started researching “Love Addiction,” and discovered an array of resources, ranging from peer-reviewed articles detailing scientifically proven research to blog posts and podcasts. Katie is an avid podcast-listener, so she decided to start listening to some highly recommended love addiction podcasts on her drive to work. As she learned more about love and sex addiction, she discovered that it was more common than she realized, and that it should be treated as any other addiction. She joined an online support group for love and sex addicts, but she still had lingering issues. In an attempt to restrain her love addiction, she swore a vow of celibacy and no dating for the next 6 months. As such, she found herself lying awake at night- unused to sleeping alone- and her mind wandering to during the day. She came across Exact Nature’s website geared toward recovering addicts. After searching through their product line, she decided that ZZZsandSerenity were the best products to aid in her recovery. After taking these products, she falls into deeper sleep at night and is able to stay focused on the task at hand.

Introduction: “I’m from a small town in Virginia. There wasn’t much for us to do apart from the annual get together at the local park. I remember my dad bringing home a PlayStation one day when I was four years old. I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. Best of all, I was allowed to play pretty much anything. What started as a harmless hobby. transformed into a life-destroying addiction. One that ultimately led to me getting discharged from the military and having a marriage ending in divorce.

I don’t blame my parents one bit, though. They didn’t know. How could they?

Gaming Was Always A Part of My Life

Since the original PlayStation, I always had a gaming console. I went from that to the original Xbox after I was introduced to Halo. That’s when it really took a hold of me. I played non-stop some days – even during the school year. It really affected my grades. This was before parents could go online and see a detailed report of their child’s schoolwork so when I told them my homework was done, they had to believe me. I never failed a grade, but I certainly didn’t live up to my potential. I always passed with C’s or D’s. In 2004, Xbox Live was introduced, and I could finally compare my skills to other people around the world. I loved it, and I thought about it constantly.

I craved it.

It even took precedence over football, which was my main focus at the time. I was offered scholarships from major Division-1 schools. But I couldn’t escape video games. I couldn’t leave my house for more than a day. When I went on family vacations the Xbox came with me.

Gaming Addiction Caused My Divorce

It took a divorce to make me stop gaming. I didn’t really take notice until I enlisted in the military, and my thinking was “if I’m forced to do something, then the issue will take care of itself.” I couldn’t have been more wrong. After two months, I was deemed “unfit for service” in the Army. My addiction ruined any chance of a successful military career. After getting home, a short time after, I met my now current ex-wife. If you couldn’t already tell, we ended up in divorce. We had a child, a house, and everything seemed to be looking up. I did this all while gaming in my spare time. However, gaming was always my number one priority. Over my wife, my child, and the countless jobs I had squandered away. The divorce was mainly due to my video game addiction. I was neglectful. To her and my son. This is when I finally said, “enough is enough.”

Breaking Away from Video Games

After the separation, I decided to do three months of “no gaming detox”. With help from friends and family I sold about $20k worth of video games and separated myself from technology completely. I didn’t even use my smartphone during this time. Friends had to fill out my job applications on their own computers I bought a house. A new car. I even restored my relationship with my son. My ex-wife and I are now some of the best co-parents you’ll ever see. I even felt comfortable enough to buy an Xbox again.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Are you crazy? You’re going to fall off the wagon!!” Those 90 days did wonders for me. 90 days turned into 180 days. 180 into 245. I picked up a controller for the first time in April and… It just didn’t feel the same. I didn’t have the competitive drive I once had. I didn’t feel like I had anything to prove. It didn’t feel like an escape. I enjoyed it for what it was for about 30 minutes. I sat the controller down and went outside to join up with some friends to play basketball. My life is finally back under control. Sure, every day is a struggle. And the temptation will always be there. But I won’t let it take control of my life again. It’s meant to be a hobby and enjoyed in small segments. That’s all it’s going to be for me. Sure, I might play once a week. But I have found that it’s much more rewarding to be an outstanding father, to have a career, and to have a meaningful relationship with someone.

To live a real life.

It’s Possible to Make Real Change

Gaming addiction is real, and it won’t go away until you decide to take control. You have the power to do it. Here’s how my life has changed since I quit:

I own one Xbox, and I use it mainly for Netflix.

I’m an Engineer for a building supply company.

I own my own house and brand-new car.

I have my son every other day, and he loves to spend time with me.

My ex-wife is proud of my accomplishments.

I even have a girlfriend who’s supportive and understands my daily struggle. Life is so much bigger and more rewarding than what any game can offer you. I’m living proof that you can overcome your addiction and really create a life worth living. Thank you for reading this. I hope it helps you in some way” (Game Quitters Blog https://gamequitters.com/gaming-addiction-divorce/ ). 

Solution:This individual could clearly have used the Detox product from Exact Nature to curb his cravings during his sabbatical from video games. He admitted that there is a constant internal struggle to refrain from re-activating his video game addiction, so this individual could generally benefit from adding the full line of Exact Nature products (Boost for focus, Detox to curb cravings, Serenity for calm and focus, and ZZZs to sleep better naturally).

Introduction:Jasmine comes from a poor family. She always had her basic necessities met when she was a kid, but there was never any left-over money for things like toys, new clothes/shoes, games, etc. Jasmine was always determined to live a better life than what she had when she was a kid, so she worked hard to earn a full-ride scholarship to her dream school. Jasmine graduated with a degree in Corporate Law and, right after college, she joined one of the state’s top law firms. Jasmine was very successful at her job, and, thus, earned a large paycheck. Jasmine had never been taught how to manage her money, especially not this amount. She quickly acquired a love for online shopping; but, once she started, she couldn’t stop. She shopped for everything: clothes, shoes, makeup, furniture, gifts for her friends and family- there wasn’t an item that was excluded from her cart. She shopped no matter where she was. The intrusive thoughts of what she could buy next never relented. She did not realize she had a problem until she looked at her bank statement one day and realized that she had spent almost the entirety of her savings on clothes and beauty supplies; she wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to pay rent this month.

Solution: Jasmine made an appointment with a therapist to discuss her issue with online shopping. After explaining her symptoms to the therapist, the therapist expressed to Jasmine that she believed she had a shopping addiction. At first, Jasmine scoffed at the idea. She had only ever heard of the term “addiction” in relation to drugs and alcohol. But, when the therapist explained to her that addiction occurs in a number of forms and severities, Jasmine began to consider the fact that maybe she actually was addicted. The therapist instructed Jasmine to follow these steps to manage her addiction:

Join an online support group for recovering shopping addicts. Any time she feels the urge to hop online to start shopping, visit this support group instead to distract herself.

Get rid of all of her credit cards except for one and set a limit on her account to prevent splurging and focusing on her basic necessities. 

Visit Exact Nature’s online store to purchase their Detox products; this will help her to ignore the constant cravings.

Keep returning to her therapist on steady basis so that Jasmine has an outlet for her intrusive thoughts.

Introduction: Brian was sexually abused as a child. As a result of the trauma he suffered in his childhood, Brian became obsessed with everything “sex.” He began looking at pornographic images online in middle school and, soon thereafter, moved to watching pornographic videos. Brian was always a quiet kid, so, in high school, he found it hard to socialize with his peers. The only place where Brian felt comfortable and welcome was the online pornography world. He spent all of his free time alone, locked in his room, scrolling the internet, searching for more pornographic content. Eventually, Brian graduated high school then college, and began his career in the IT field. Brian’s addiction was so intense that he viewed pornographic images on his work computer, as he could not shake the urge to view them, even on the job. One day, Brian’s boss discovered his browser history and was forced to let Brian go. After the loss of his job, Brian fell into a “rabbit hole” of depression fueled by self-hatred and addiction. Without a job to go to every day, Brian had an exorbitant amount of time on his hands to worsen his pornography addiction. 

Solution:Brian was ashamed by his behavior, so he decided to seek help. Brian made an appointment with a therapist, who told him that he was, indeed, addicted to pornography. She expressed to him that he was not alone, and that there is a large community of recovering pornography addicts. Most importantly, she made him feel less ashamed of his addiction. Brian worked with his therapist to find the root cause of his pornography addiction: his history of sexual abuse. Along with these psychotherapy sessions, Brian’s therapist recommended that he try Exact Nature’s Detox products to reduce his urges to return to his addiction, as well as their Serenity products to keep him calm and focused as he makes the transition back to a healthy lifestyle. 

Introduction:“Lovato, 28, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, has been candid for years about their struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. After suffering a near-fatal overdose in 2018, Lovato began their recovery process anew. However, during an interview with ‘CBS Sunday Morning’ that aired in March (2021), the ‘Anyone’ singer said they still use marijuana and drink alcohol.

‘I think the term that I best identify with is 'California sober,'’ Lovato said. ‘I really don't feel comfortable explaining the parameters of my recovery to people because I don't want anyone to look at my parameters of safety and think that's what works for them, because it might not.’

The ‘complete abstinence method isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for everybody,’ they added” (https://www.today.com/health/lala-kent-demi-lovato-s-california-sober-approach-s-super-t226125) 

Solution:While Demi continues to moderate their alcohol and marijuana usage without completely discontinuing its use, they still battle the symptoms of an intense addiction to narcotics. Demi could benefit from Exact Nature’s products by using Detox to prevent excessive cravings, Boostto start their morning with a focused mind, Serenity to stay calm and focused, and ZZZs for a better, deeper sleep at night. 

Introduction:Trish has always been an active person; she played multiple sports in high school and ran track in college. After her college track career ended, she went through a rough bout with depression, as she had lost her primary sense of belonging in the world. Trish gained 40 pounds in her first year after her track career ended after she began to “eat her feelings” and developed a binge-eating disorder. Trish looked at herself in the mirror one day and was repulsed by her weight gain. So, Trish turned from one extreme to the other. Rather than binge-eating to battle her depression, she began overexercising and undereating, causing her to become anorexic and addicted to working out. For years, Trish shifted from one disorder to another. She finally attended a rehab center for eating disorders after her family expressed their concerns over her dwindling physique. The rehab center taught her how to manage her disordered eating, but she was still unable to combat her raging exercise addiction after her treatment ended.

Solution:Along with the treatment from the rehab center, Trish sought help from a therapist, support group, podcasts, and online forums for individuals with similar issues. Eating disorders are not happenstance; they result from chemical imbalances in the brain in the same way a drug or alcohol addiction does and should be treated as such. Trish uses the full range of Exact Nature products (Detox, Serenity, ZZZs,and Boost) to combat the symptoms of her various addictions and disorders, as they are all formulated to help with these chemical imbalances. Trish is now able to focus on her overall health, manage her exercise cravings, and battle the effects of her depression after including these products in her daily regime.