So I'm about a month and a half sober after doing a month at a treatment facility to learn how to manage my depression, which was the reason I was smoking. It's my first week back to school, and I commute in to New York City from Long Island.

I used to adore being in the city. The bustle, the anonymity, the bigness. But going to my first class on Monday made me really anxious, and that scared me. Something that I used to love now just gives me this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. Being in the classroom was fine, but the street and the subway were a real struggle.

So I'm just looking for anyone with similar experiences to help me understand how I can start to love being in the city again without being stoned. Maybe it's just a time and practice thing (after all it was my first day back after being in mostly serene settings all summer) but I just want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to make it all feel normal again.

Thanks y'all, you're beautiful