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When we finally make the decision to get help for our alcohol/drug addiction we may be too overwhelmed to see it in the beginning but our life really changes. This change is definitely for the better but it’s hard for us to see because we have never experienced anything like this. When we walk into rehab or the rooms for the first time, we are a bit blinded by our fear, expectations and apprehension.
Even though all these feelings and emotions are emerging in us when we first get sober, we must address one of the most important things as a newcomer; people, places and things.

If we’ve been to rehab we’ve heard this notion before. What it means is, our lives need to change in order to stay sober and emotionally healthy.
When we were using, most of our surroundings were not ones where we could stay sane and well. Sometimes we’ve felt like it would be too hard to change our people, places and things. That is our fear talking; fear of change itself, fear of loneliness, fear of failure (can we make it without all of these people, places and things?), even fear of finding out who we really are. We felt like we would be all alone if we changed. We felt like we would have nothing if we changed. It’s actually the opposite. The truth is the people who truly love you and the people you’ve met in A.A./N.A. are the ones who will support you and be there for you no matter what may come.

In case you didn’t know:
In 2009, the number of people ages 12 or older who needed treatment for an alcohol use problem was 19.3 million. That is 7.7 percent of the population 12 or older.

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