Jewish Sexuality dot Com

Question:

I think your website is G-d sent, with tons of eye-opening Torah.  But when I discussed some of the more mystical stuff with my rabbi, he said that a person who had a problem in this area could get depressed if he understood the full gravity of his transgressions, and that his depression could cause him to fall even further into the pit. What do you say about this?

Answer:

A person with a problem is likely to get depressed if he feels that there is no way of overcoming the problem. However, when he is offered a way out, he immediately gains vigor and hope. A person caught in the quagmire of sexual transgression is indeed in a serious spiritual pit. But do you just leave him there, or do you throw him a rope with which to climb out? Most people experience a great sense of relief when they discover the rope ladder of mikvah, Torah study, tikunim, and prayer. In the matter of sexual transgression, it isn't knowledge that causes depression - it is the lack of it.