Struggling with an addiction that makes you hurt yourself and the ones you love is taxing and demoralizing. It has led many to despondency and, at worst, suicide. This book is the first in a series that was created by the writer in struggling with a personal addiction. Because he longed for a resource that would give him both reminders and direction that was specific to the negative feelings that tormented him and the hope that gave him strength, he started compiling these thoughts in poetry. The aim was to remind him of the hatred he has for aspects of the addiction. This first work in the When I Was A Child. . . I Was Afraid series of poems was created to address the power that forgetting the consequences and struggle has on a person and the demoralizing feelings associated with relapsing. No specific addiction is mentioned or implied, only the consequences and thinking processes. Therefore feel free to read to develop emotional strength or even to understand the feelings that others go through. While not therapy or even the work of medical professionals, this work is intended to have the effect of encouragement from one struggling person to another. A worksheet has been included to assist with thinking through the feelings associated with addiction. See if this poem and worksheet assist a person to hate the idea of forgetting what we are all trying to break free from!