Looking at the First Step: Working through an Orange County Rehab

For those of us who decided that 2010 was the year to make our lives better and made a resolution on January 1st to quit using alcohol and other drugs, you're into your third week of sobriety. For those of us who chose to attend an Orange County rehab on either an outpatient or inpatient basis, you're starting out beautifully. And, for those of who feel they can accomplish the first days, weeks, or months without this sort of program, but have opted to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, congratulations. You are all on day 19.

As you've probably heard, through any one of these avenues, an important part of sobriety is 'working the steps.' Whether it is Alcoholics Anonymous of some other 12-step program, these steps help you build a foundation to a life you so richly deserve.

Step One reads: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.

This can be a scary thing to admit. That some substance, alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, co-dependence, or something else has driven us to our knees, making it impossible to behave in a manner that is acceptable. It's called hitting the bottom. The tricky thing with hitting bottom is that it isn't the same for any two addicts. 'Bottom' comes at all levels and is a point that only you can decide.

It is a total acceptance and a place of humility that allows us to accept the help we need.

At Pat Moore Foundation, an Orange County Rehab facility, the reasons don't matter, only the decision we've made to help ourselves.