The Mennonite Addictions Service is reporting a spike in the number of clients it sees.

The Winkler based service is a partnership of three area churches and Eden Health Care Services that offers support for individuals struggling with addictions.
The program provides language, religious and culturally relevant services to individuals in the community.

According to MACS counsellor Dave Wiebe, they deal primarily with alcohol and drug addictions; however, in recent years pornography addiction has become an increasingly prevalent dilemma.

Wiebe has been a counsellor with MACS for 11 years; he says addictions are detrimental when it comes to relationships, and believes the rise in pornography correlates to its accessibility.

"It's the handheld devices, smartphones; it's so readily available to them... they can log on to that anytime, anywhere."

Dave Wiebe.

In a 2015 review and update titled: Neuroscience of Internet Pornography Addiction, says there are similarities with Internet pornography addiction and substance addiction.

Wiebe says people of all ages struggle with this addiction, on average Wiebe, will have 120 sessions a month and sees people from teenagers to middle-aged adults.

To help his clients overcome these addictions, Wiebe says he puts a focus on salvation.

"A lot of people when they come to my office, and once I've established a rapport, the first thing I like to touch on, very gently though, is the plan of salvation."

Many of the clients Wiebe says he deals with don't have an understanding of the concept, once he explains what salvation is and continues to have a dialogue with is clients they can develop faith.

Using this method, Wiebe says around 60 percent of his clients gain the tools to overcome their addictions, and the reality is a 100 percent success rate isn't something that's realistic.

Wiebe was involved with church work for 30 years and was once the bishop of the Sommerfeld Church, now as a counsellor, he hopes to help people create a foundation of faith to use throughout their lives.