"It doesn't matter how hopelessly involved someone is with porn, and masturbation: if they start practicing putting their mind into the proper decisions and context, the brain chemistry will follow, because the mind controls the brain – you habituate yourself to a holy lifestyle," Hannemann said.
Reclaim is a Catholic re-brand of another secular program, which was requested by Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay. Hannemann related that shortly after Bishop Ricken's appointment to Green Bay in 2008, he called the Elizabeth Ministry into his office and directed them to develop programs to deal with human sexuality and to start with pornography, as it as one of the biggest detriments to family life.
When Reclaim was launched in May 2012, Bishop Ricken sent letters to his fellow American bishops "telling them about this program and endorsing it; he's been a very strong backer."
Hannemann described Bishop Ricken as "a man of action. He doesn't like to sit around, he likes to get things done."
The program of exercises, which is recommended to be followed for at least six months, includes video training, a calendar to track progress, a forum, an online journal, assessments, and a personal trainer, all of which are used anonymously. The program is $49 a month, but if users commit to staying for six months and pay up-front, they are given a discount worth one month's use.
"In terms of what we've seen out there in healthy and unhealthy behaviors, we know this is working, really making a difference in people's lives," Hannemann said. "If they follow the prescription, the program, and make the necessary changes, it will change their life."
He recommended using the program in concert with prayer and the Sacraments, but stressed that if people use only prayer and the Sacraments, if they are in the state of a sexual addiction, they will often be unsuccessful.
"That's why were so excited about this – we have one more thing we can give them, some tools to work on the biology and biochemistry, as well as the theology, and that's where the real success lies, I think. We have a real integrated approach here."
Pornography addiction is not only a problem among adults, Hannemann noted, an observation that has been made increasingly by scholars and other authorities as well.
The British government intends to filter pornography off of internet connections by default, to "protect our children and their innocence," prime minister David Cameron said in July.
And a Sept. 25 report by the Daily Mail records the shock of a former soft core pornography magazine editor at finding how much, and how graphic, pornography 13 and 14 year-old children have been exposed to through the internet.
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Hannemann said that Reclaim has received many requests for help from youth – children in middle school and high school – who realize they need help with a burgeoning addiction to pornography.
"They're begging us for help."
He noted that Reclaim hopes to develop a program "that would be available for teens, that would be completely free to them, anonymous, that they could work on doing the brain chemistry and changing their behaviors, but not have to spend the money they don't have."
"That's our biggest project right now," he said, and Reclaim is currently trying to raise funds to produce such a program for teens.
Carl Bunderson is the former managing editor of Catholic News Agency.